Background and Objective
Israel’s “resilience centers” represent a remarkable institutional innovation in addressing the needs of civilian populations living under ongoing security threats. Since their establishment in 2006, they have become a central component of the national system for trauma response, promoting the development of personal and community resilience and enhancing emergency preparedness of the local authorities. The role of the centers expanded significantly during the Israel-Hamas war, and they are providing broad and immediate support to the general population, especially to direct victims of the hostilities and evacuees. This support includes psychosocial services, activation of community support networks, and coordination of adaptive responses in collaboration with government ministries, local authorities, and civil society organizations.
Against this backdrop, the High-level Steering Committee of the Resilience Centers, an inter-ministerial body responsible for the operation and funding of the centers, asked the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute to develop a logic model that would present the theory of change of the resilience centers. The model intends to map how the centers operate to strengthen personal, family, and community resilience in areas exposed to ongoing security threats. It includes a characterization of the target population, their needs and strengths, a definition of the desired outcomes, and a description of the core outputs (strategies and interventions) to be used in achieving them.
Method
The research was based on a qualitative approach. During May–June 2024, ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with key personnel in the resilience centers (both at headquarters and in the field), representatives of local authorities, and policymakers in government ministries. In addition, observations were conducted at three resilience centers, and internal procedures, policy documents, and relevant academic and professional literature were analyzed.
Findings
The Resilience Centers operate as hybrid institutions that combine national policy with local needs. They serve as integrative platforms that bring together under one roof services in the fields of psychological support, development of personal and community resources, and emergency preparedness for local authorities. This unique combination enables a flexible, focused, and holistic response to the evolving needs of populations under continuous security threats.
For MJB’s publications on Israel-Hamas War in Hebrew, press here.
Citation suggestion: Alfasi , B., Guedj, N., & Koren, Y. (2025). The Resilience Center Logic Model. Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute. (Hebrew)