Awareness Week

Please note:
Civil Bereavement Awareness Week:
13.3-19.3.26

“Grief has no expiration date – Remember, Embrace, Support.”

Why Do We Need Civilian Bereavement Awareness Week?

In Israel, grief is a part of life. Yet, many families who have lost loved ones due to illness, accidents, or tragic circumstances remain unseen by society. While their pain is just as deep, they often do not receive the recognition, support, or structured assistance they desperately need.

We all know someone—a friend, a neighbor, or a family member—who has experienced such a loss. But how often do we stop and ask how they are truly feeling?

Civilian Bereavement Awareness Week is about bringing this silent pain into the light. It is a time to give these families space to share their stories, to honor their loss, and to create a real sense of communal support around them.

💙 This week is an opportunity to tell bereaved families – We see you. We remember your loved ones. You are not alone.

Goals of the Week

Give a voice to civilian bereaved families

to share, to listen, and to remember.

Raise social awareness and strengthen communal responsibility

How can we truly be there for those who have lost a loved one?

Civilian bereavement

Bring civilian bereavement into the public conversation and work towards full recognition of these families' rights.

  • Deliver a clear message – “You are not alone!”: Ensuring bereaved families feel embraced by their community.
  • Develop tools for emotional and social support:  Especially during the difficult period after the mourning rituals have ended.

What Will Happen During the Week?

  •  Educational sessions and discussions – Learning about civilian bereavement, remembrance, and communal support.
  • Lighting Memorial Candles – Ceremonies to honor those lost due to illness or tragic circumstances.
  •  “A Hug of Love” Initiative – Writing support letters and postcards to bereaved families.

  • Interactive workshops and role-playing activities – How do we approach and support a grieving family?
  • Social media campaign – Sharing messages of remembrance and support using the hashtags:
  • #CivilianBereavement #YakirLi #YouAreNotAlone
  • Community gatherings and study circles – How can we build a more compassionate and inclusive society?

What Will Happen During the Week?

  • In your community – Organize a candle-lighting ceremony, a support group, or a communal event.
  •  In schools and youth groups – Use educational resources, hold discussions, and run interactive activities.
  • Individually – Send a message of support to a bereaved family, do a good deed in memory of a loved one.
  • Online – Share a post, a memory, or join the public discussion.

Core Message – "See, Remember, Be There"

Civilian bereavement  does not receive the recognition it deserves, but it affects all of us. A family that lost a child to illness grieves just as deeply as a family who lost a soldier in combat. A neighbor who lost a sibling in an accident should not have to face that pain alone.
Awareness Week is our call as a society to stop, to listen, to embrace, and to support. It is our chance to ensure that bereaved families feel seen, included, and remembered—not forgotten and alone. “Grief has no expiration date, and no one should have to face it alone.”