Families of Fallen Soldiers and Hostage Survivors Launch Initiative to Combat Societal Division

A new initiative called 'HaMachane' (The Camp) has been launched by bereaved families and former hostages, aiming to reduce polarization within Israeli society. The founders, including Meirav Berger, Avinatan Or, Chen Avigdori, and Ari Spitz, are calling on the next Israeli government to establish a permanent national infrastructure for social cohesion within its first 100 days.

The initiative, launched three years after the October 7th attacks and weeks before an election, argues that internal division poses the most significant threat to Israel. According to data cited by the group, 55% of Israelis view societal polarization as the greatest danger, surpassing threats like Iran's nuclear program (23%) and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (18%).

'HaMachane' proposes a multi-year strategy involving government systems, education, local authorities, the business sector, and civil society to identify and address the root causes of division. Alongside this governmental demand, the initiative sets a public goal of fostering ten million new connections between Israelis from different communities and backgrounds.

This public engagement is being promoted on social media under the hashtag #Another1ToTheCamp, encouraging individuals to share personal connections with people outside their usual circles. Among the founders are relatives of hostages, such as Meirav Berger, mother of Agam Berger, and Chen Avigdori, whose wife and daughter were released from captivity. Hostage survivor Avinatan Or is also a key figure.

Bereaved families and war victims are also involved, including Zvi Sussman, father of Sgt. Maj. (Res.) Ben Sussman, and Ari Spitz, a severely wounded combat soldier. Keren Sokolov, CEO of 'Living Together' and a founder of 'HaMachane', stated that while October 7th showed the power of unity, Israel cannot wait for another disaster to remember it. She emphasized that polarization is an existential threat to society and requires national attention.

Ari Spitz added that having paid a heavy price for the country, the responsibility now lies in preserving the society within it, urging people to see each other as individuals despite disagreements. Chen Avigdori noted that the tendency to speak in terms of 'you plural' instead of 'you singular' dehumanizes others, and personal acquaintance can mitigate divisive attempts. Meirav Berger shared how support from diverse individuals during her struggle for her daughter's release provided strength, expressing a desire for such connections to persist beyond emergencies.