Survey Reveals Severe Strain on Israeli Reserve Soldiers' Families After Prolonged Conflict
A recent survey conducted by the nonprofit "The Home for Reservists and Career Soldiers" highlights the heavy burdens borne by families of Israeli reservists and career military personnel after nearly three years of ongoing conflict and hundreds of days of reserve duty. The data, collected from 218 respondents across 125 families, reveals that 77% of women and 74% of men seek support in their relationships, the area most affected by prolonged stress. Parenting and education challenges follow, with 60% of women and 51% of men requesting assistance, while financial and employment concerns affect 50% of families, especially impacting women, 43% of whom seek help in these areas compared to 5% of men.
Approximately 60% of these families report living in a daily survival mode, unable to plan for the future amid ongoing uncertainty. Alarmingly, over 80% have avoided seeking professional help due to feelings of shame or fear of exposure. Employment data shows that about 20% of reservist wives are unemployed, compared to only 9% of their husbands, underscoring the disproportionate economic and familial toll on women who maintain the household during service periods.
The survey was conducted by the Digma Research Institute at the request of the nonprofit and evaluated by the Kaima Center near the University of Haifa. Despite many families demonstrating personal and familial resilience, they lack practical tools to manage relationship, parenting, communication, and daily life challenges during prolonged emergencies.
Colonel (Res.) Shaul Akavia, founder and CEO of the nonprofit, emphasized that after nearly 1,000 days of war, the focus is shifting to addressing the internal challenges faced by reservists' families. He noted that the organization is recognized as a professional partner capable of providing essential support to strengthen family resilience, which directly impacts the readiness of the reserve and career forces.
Families who completed the nonprofit’s six-month support program reported significant improvements in marital relations, parenting, financial management, and employment, rating progress between 4.7 and 5.8 on a 7-point scale. Success was primarily defined by increased household calm, better communication, security, partnership, and stability rather than material gains. Since the outbreak of Operation Iron Swords on October 7, the nonprofit has supported over 400 families nationwide through more than 300 trained volunteers, with many families continuing to receive assistance due to recurring reserve duty cycles and difficulty returning to normal life.
