The Resilience Award
for Children & Youth
The Resilience Award salutes the bravery of kids and teens across Israel throughout the Swords of Iron War, and is dedicated to the memory of Ofir Libstein, the head of the Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Council, and his son, Nitzan, who were both killed on October 7th.
The award honors the fortitude of individuals aged 6-18, or youth groups, who demonstrated resilience, resourcefulness, and determination in assisting others during and after the events of that horrific day.
Bestowed as a means of encouraging discussions infused with optimism and based on resilience, faith, and recovery and to highlight the younger generations’ ability to act for the better of society, even during challenging times, the award is presented in cooperation with the Mashabim Resource Center, The Jewish Agency Fund for Victims of Terror, Keren Hayesod UIA, and the Libstein Family. Recipients included:
Bar Dekel-Hen
Bar, 8, from Kibbutz Nir Oz, quickly returned to school despite surviving the events of October 7th and facing the unimaginable uncertainty of her father Sagi’s 498 days of Hamas captivity. She showed remarkable sensitivity towards her peers, assisted them constantly, initiated activities for them, and served as a ray of light not only for her friends but also for the educational staff.
Ben Carrasso
A 10-year-old from Tel Aviv, who took on the huge mission of being the face of Israeli children to the outside world during the war as the “Spokeskid of Israel.” Although just a fourth grader, Ben reached global audiences with reels where he shared his feelings as an Israeli child during the war, presenting the stress and distress Israeli kids were experiencing.
Belin Belay
Since immigrating from Ethiopia in 2021, Belin, 18, has become a central figure of inspiration in her community activities at the Canaan Absorption Center in Tzfat. Despite the painful personal loss of her uncle on October 7th, Belin continued volunteering and initiating projects based on kindness and impact. Among them are “HASAN,” (Friends of Giving), distributing food to soldiers, volunteering with SaHI (Special Chessed Unit), and leading activities in Bnei Akiva.
Omer Chomsky
The sixteen-year-old from Kibbutz Urim lost six close family members on October 7th and was evacuated from her home. Despite the personal difficulties, she continued her activities as a youth counselor for kids from grades 1-4 in Kibbutz Nir Oz. Omer assists the children daily, intuitively caring for their needs, and has become a pillar of support for displaced kids.
Ora Sarosi
After waking up to a world of chaos and loss on the morning of October 7th, when terrorists invaded her neighborhood in Sderot, Ora, 18, directed her pain towards action, founding “Youth Torah” which connected teens to their Jewish identities during the war. Currently, the organization counts dozens of young people among its members, all coming together to learn and bond, and the Sderot school system has asked Ora to expand the project to include their students, too.
