2023 IMPACT REPORT
Message from AFINS’ Board Chair
On October 7th, Israel’s Navy SEALs (Shayetet-13) and our Israeli-partner Atalef Foundation each did what elite commandos do best, responding immediately and impactfully to the situation at hand. By midday, Shayetet-13 teams were in the Gaza envelope, eliminating terrorists and rescuing hostages. Simultaneously, the Atalef Foundation was already responding to requests from the unit's leadership for base infrastructure needs to allow it to accommodate the overwhelming number of Shayetet-13 reservists who arrived, unsummoned, to operate or assist however they could.
As the unit has operated tirelessly since at the tip-of-the-spear of operations from Shifa Hospital to Khan Yunis to Rafah, so too has the foundation supported the most pressing psychological, socio-emotional, and financial needs of the warriors, their families, and broader Israeli society, including supporting housing for refugees from the south as well as special needs of other units in addition to our own. Leaders lead, and you’ll find AFINS’ and the Atalef Foundation’s wartime leadership beginning on page 16.
As we look to Israel’s current and near-term needs, the pre-war activities also described in this Impact Report are prescient. For years, we have been piloting, evaluating, and scaling programs for reservists to ensure they feel engaged and appreciated in their voluntary ongoing military service, for physically injured and post-traumatic warriors and their families, for those in need of direction or redirection, and for broader Israeli society. We have a strong safety net into which those affected by combat—SEALs and non-SEALs alike and their families—can fall and then bounce back with new support and resources.
As we reflect in the pages ahead on all we accomplished in 2023, we thank you for
joining us in holding a side of this net and stretching it wider.
Sincerely,
Jump to SEAL Community | Israeli Society | Beginning Oct 7th
The Atalef Foundation’s Growth in 2023
For the SEAL Community
16 graduates
In the Compass Mentoring Program (Cycle 16)
15 BBQs
For reserve teams
40 BBQs
For organic teams
17 graduates
In the Sonar Program (Cycle 6) in collaboration with the prestigious YPO organization
Due to the outbreak of the "Iron Swords" War, several activities planned in the annual program sis not take place, such as: the Atalef Run, the frog-man wave surfing competition, the opening of the 2024 cycle of the mentoring project, and several other small events.
3 veterans visits to the unit
17 graduates
of Version Bravo's second cohort in collaboration with the USC's Marshall School of Business and Reichman University
1 on-base reservists’ day of appreciation
37 scholarships
For Atalef community members
30 participants
in the Atalef group for the swim across the Kinneret
Diverse networking events
for community members
Security Services Employment Fair, Off-Road Motorcycle Riding Workshop, Real Estate Conference, and a Meetup for the Hi-Tech Community.
Participant reactions to programs designed for community members:
Ogen (Anchor) - Safety Net Program
Action for bereaved families, unit casualties and personal resilience reinforcement
The Foundation’s Activities for bereaved families and the unit casualties in 2023:
Participation in memorial events and memorial days
Financial assistance granted to community members in need.
Traditional Memorial Day event “Running in their Memory” at the Shayetet-13 Lookout in memory of the unit’s fallen members.
Dolev programs (rowing, climbing, and other activities)- with approximately 50 regular participants.
Planning, developing, and adding the names of the fallen combat divers who contracted cancer from the Kishon River to the memorial site at the Shayetet-13 Lookout.
2 free scuba diving courses for Dolev members.
Participation in the annual unit memorial ceremony in honor of the fallen.
2 Team Journeys for processing service and combat experiences.
Due to the outbreak of the “Iron Swords” War, several activities planned in the annual program did not take place, such as an event for unit casualties and their spouses, and an event for bereaved families.
Participant reactions to programs designed for unit casualties and bereaved families:
Jump to Israeli Society | Chair’s Message | Beginning Oct 7th
For Israeli Society
Our SEAL SOCIAL IMPACT programs include
The Buddy Line Program
supporting psychological well-being. The goal is to help participants overcome obstacles they face in their daily lives through “eye-level” personal connections, in order to strengthen their confidence and resilience.
Buddy Line pairs trained Israel Navy SEAL volunteers with severely post-traumatic veterans from other Israel Defense Forces (IDF) units and security forces for a 10-month program of sailing, surfing or scuba-diving with both tangible objectives and goals aimed at
The Still Water Program
A joint program of the Atalef Foundation and Beit Halochem. This nationally recognized program provides SEALs the opportunity to volunteer with injured soldiers from across the IDF in rehabilitative water activities. As part of the program, participants meet with Atalef volunteers and learn swimming and surfing on a SUP board under the guidance of a certified instructor.
HaGal Sheli Program (My Wave)
A joint program of the Atalef Foundation and My Wave Association, where Atalef community members volunteer to assist at-risk youth in Israel through the activity of surfing waves. The program utilizes surfing as a tool for at-risk youth to acquire skills and personal empowerment, teaching them to overcome life’s challenges.
AFIns’ partner ATALEF foundation in the Community
Regularly assisting local authorities throughout the country in everything from cleaning gardens in neighborhoods to renovations to assisting Holocaust Survivors, youth boarding schools, and food distribution programs.
Participant reactions to programs designed for Israeli Society:
For Israeli Society
80
Pairs added to the Buddy Line program
8 groups from Eilat to the Sea of Galilee. In total 80 pairs participated (160 participants).
8
Pairs in the women’s group in Buddy Line (sailing)
The first cycle of Buddy Line women’s program in sailing at Herzliya. In total, eight pairs participated.
800
Participants in Buddy Line since its inception
From the program’s establishment in 2018 until today, 400 pairs (800 participants), who are part of the Buddy Line community with continued access to the program.
250
Volunteer in home and garden renovations
Dozens of home renovations and gardens from north to south by 250 Atalef community volunteers.
2000
Food packages for those in need
Distribution of 2000 food packages on Passover and Rosh Hashanah by 200 Atalef community volunteers.
100
participants in the Still Water program in which SEAL volunteers help veterans of other IDF units learn to swim or advance as swimmers.
Three Still Water swimming groups in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Be’er Sheva, as well as a Still Water surfing group operating at the Reef Club in Herzliya. Together, these groups consist of about 100 participants and 50 volunteers.
Jump to SEAL Community | Chair’s Message | Beginning Oct 7th
Beginning Oct 7th (During Iron Swords War)
Already during the fateful Sabbath of the seventh of October, the Atalef Foundation with AFINS' support began to act and do everything possible for the sake of bereaved families, the wounded of the unit and their families, the Shayetet-13 unit, and to strengthen the resilience of Israeli society.
Support for reserve soldiers
In the early days of the war, the foundation initiated the collection of reservist kits from the families of the conscripts and delivered them to the base. With the initiative and help of the community members, we established a logistics center that assists us in purchasing personal equipment for soldiers in the reserves and in transporting it to the base and to any other location where unit soldiers are deployed. We have acquired essential equipment for our soldiers, including mobile chargers, toiletries, thermal shirts, underware, socks, and more. In addition, we ensured that there are washing machines, refrigerators, and portable showers with hot water for everyone in the unit.
Support for reserve soldiers' families
Already during the fateful Sabbath of the seventh of October, the Atalef Foundation with AFINS' support began to act and do everything possible for the sake of bereaved families, the wounded of the unit and their families, the Shayetet-13 unit, and to strengthen the resilience of Israeli society. Following the extensive reserve call-up of community members, the foundation allocated resources to support the families of the reserved soldiers. With the help of a community volunteer, we established a nationwide support system available to families of the reserve soldiers, offering assistance in various forms, including emotional support, help with shopping and cooking, purchasing medications, and more. In collaboration with the “B’Shvil Hamachar” Association, the Atalef Foundation has initiated a new program to support and strengthen the personal resilience of the wives of the soldiers called up to the reserves. Furthermore, the foundation organized various events for the families of community members, including private screenings at Cinema City, cooking workshops, and a breathing workshop.
Financial support for community members
Unfortunately, several community members have faced personal difficulties as a result of the war. Some of our community members have been displaced, and others have suffered financial losses. The foundation has provided individual assistance discreetly and privately to those in need. Additionally, the foundation supports community members whose families were affected by the seventh of October disaster in the Gaza envelope
Support for the bereaved families
The foundation embraces the bereaved families and makes a lifelong commitment to their needs and well-being. Since the beginning of the war, we have lost six of our own: Amit Vax, who was killed defending his home in a murderous attack on Moshav Netiv HaAsara; Adi Dagan, who was killed in the deadly attack on Kibbutz Be’eri; Ofek Rousso, who fell in the battle to rescue civilians in Kibbutz Be’eri; Eli Ginsberg, who fell in the battle to rescue civilians in Kibbutz Be’eri; Yossi Tehar, who fell while fulfilling his duty and Joseph Avner Duran who fell in battle in the northern Gaza Strip.
Adi Dagan z”l
Sergeant first class Ofek Rousso z”l
Warrant officer Amit Vax z”l
Master sergeant Joseph Avner Duran z”l
Lieutenant colonel Eli Ginsberg z”l
Lieutenant colonel
Yossi Tehar z”l
Support for the wounded
of the unit
The foundation accompanies and supports the unit’s wounded who were injured during the battles and are scattered across the country. Each wounded soldier is paired with a community member who supports the wounded and their families, ensuring that all the assistance needed for the soldier’s recovery and support for them and their family is provided by the foundation.
Support for "Buddy Line" participants
On normal days, the “Buddy Line” program supports fighters and soldiers from all security services, especially those with significant combat experience. The professional treatment team and the program’s professional staff, who accompany participants throughout the year, continue to support them even now. During these days, when the stress and trauma can be overwhelming, maintaining daily contact with the program participants is of great importance. This contact is achieved through daily meetings with program participants across the country, following Home Front Command guidelines. These meetings include dialogue and movement sessions, open workshops for dealing with off-road vehicles, carpentry and metalwork, sailing in the Sea of Galilee, CrossFit training, volunteering at a hydroponic farm, surfing in collaboration with the ‘Surfers Without Borders’ association, and a weekly Sabbath reception at the Reef club in Herzliya.
Additionally, throughout the entire period, the accompanying and professional team of the “Buddy Line” Program conducted home visits as needed.
of the south displaced to designated hotels (Alaya Hotel in Poleg, Selina Hotel in Tel Aviv, and other centers), purchase of food and toiletries, various activities for southern evacuees and their children, assistance in purchasing laptops for displaced families, fun days for children from communities surrounding Gaza at the Dolphin Reef in Eilat, weddings for evacuees and more.
Support for new participants in the “Still Water” program
In parallel with the ongoing activities of the “Still Water” program, we have begun to personally accompany new participants. Each injured individual is assigned a volunteer, and so far, we have accompanied six new couples. Amit Vax, of blessed memory, who was a member of Netiv HaAsara security team, was one of the pillars and veteran volunteers in the surfing group in Herzliya. Since returning to daily activities, the group has been renamed in his memory and is now called: ‘Team Vaxi Still Water.’
(Amit Vax z”l is on the right side of the photo)
Support for the residents of
the South who have been displaced
The foundation supported and participated in various social initiatives led by community members, including: assistance to residents
Support for Farmers
Until recently, members of the Atalef community used to assist southern farmers every week who were left without sufficient labor and had agricultural produce in need of harvesting.
Jump to Israeli Society | Chair’s Message | SEAL Community
Photography: Ziv Koren