Mira Stehl Buried in Kibbutz Kfar Aza Three Years After October 7 Massacre
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Mira Stehl, murdered on October 7th, was buried in Kibbutz Kfar Aza three years after the massacre. Her husband described the burial as a difficult day but found meaning in the continuation of her work. Stehl was a therapist specializing in treating children and adolescents with trauma, and an initiative named "Kol Ha'olam Bama" trains therapists in her memory. The program has trained 50 therapists to date and aims to address the shortage of trauma care professionals.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Mira Stehl, murdered on October 7th, was buried in Kibbutz Kfar Aza three years later.
- Her husband, Noam, described the burial as a "shattering day" but found meaning in her legacy.
- An initiative named "Kol Ha'olam Bama" trains therapists in psychodrama to treat trauma survivors.
- The program has trained 50 therapists and aims to address a shortage of trauma care professionals.
- Mira Stehl worked for decades as an educator and a therapist for children with trauma.
Mira Stehl, who was murdered during the October 7th massacre, was laid to rest in Kibbutz Kfar Aza three years after her death. Her husband, Noam, described the burial as a "shattering day" that brought back the "most difficult moments," comparing it to reliving the funeral and separation.
He explained that while Kfar Aza is no longer the home they knew, and the house where Mira was killed is no longer a home for them, it was important for the extended family that she be buried in Kfar Aza. He found meaning and strength in the continuation of Mira's work through the therapists being trained in her memory.
Mira Stehl dedicated her life to treating children and adolescents suffering from anxiety and trauma. Before October 7th, she was a sought-after therapist in this field. After her murder, her children and husband established the "Kol Ha'olam Bama" (The World on Stage) initiative in her memory. This program, in cooperation with the Israeli Coalition for Trauma, trains professional therapists in psychodrama to treat trauma survivors, mirroring Mira's specialization.
To date, 50 therapists have been trained through the program, with another cohort of 24 set to begin soon. The initiative aims to continue for years, training more therapists to address the significant shortage of professionals in trauma treatment. The program relies entirely on donations, and further support is needed to sustain its operations.
Mira Stehl was alone in her home on the morning of the massacre. She managed to speak with her son and tell him that shots were fired at her safe room window before contact was lost. She was initially declared missing, and her family received confirmation of her death two weeks later. Prior to her work with trauma patients, she had a long career as a special education teacher and educator at the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional School, followed by two decades as an educational counselor.