Israeli Organizer Hosts 'Cuddle Parties' Offering Safe, Non-Sexual Touch for Healing

Avishag Maya Zaluf from Pardes Hanna has been organizing "cuddle parties" in Israel for 12 years, providing a safe space for platonic touch and emotional healing. Inspired by her first experience at a similar event in the US and Canada, she brought the concept to Israel, where it has grown to include gatherings in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Beersheba. These events attract a diverse crowd, including tech workers, colorful locals, and post-traumatic reservists, whose participation has tripled since the recent war.

The parties, based on the "Cuddle Party" model founded in New York in 2004, emphasize clear boundaries: no nudity, no sexual contact, no kissing, and strict consent protocols. Participants practice communication exercises to learn to say "no," initiate touch, and accept refusals, aiming to reset the nervous system and build emotional resilience. Zaluf, a holistic sexual therapist and workshop facilitator, stresses that the events are not about sexuality but about healing through consensual, non-sexual physical connection.

The sessions last about four hours, beginning with guided exercises and ending with a free interaction period where attendees apply what they've learned. The gender ratio is carefully balanced to maintain comfort, with women often admitted more quickly than men. Since the war, more post-traumatic male reservists have joined, seeking therapeutic relief through pure, non-demanding touch.

Participants like Tami Lenzkron, a divorced high-tech executive, and Nir Heilbron, a divorced father and bank employee, share how the parties helped them overcome social barriers and emotional isolation. They emphasize that the events foster authentic communication and emotional openness without threatening monogamous relationships. Biomedical engineer Aner Weiss, who attended while nine months pregnant, highlights the importance of touch for mental and physical well-being.

Despite skepticism and stigma, Zaluf defends the parties as vital spaces for rebuilding trust and combating loneliness intensified by modern life and recent conflicts. She acknowledges the need for professional training in trauma-aware facilitation, warning against unqualified organizers. Zaluf compares the social acceptance of sexually charged dance clubs to the suspicion faced by cuddle parties, calling it social hypocrisy. Overall, these gatherings offer a unique, structured environment for people to reconnect with human touch and emotional safety.