Emotional Therapy

How do you heal the trauma of terrorism in the lives of innocent children who have lost loved ones or witnessed the horror of terrorism first-hand?

Traumatized adults generally can sit with a therapist and verbally confront the pain and challenges. A child, on the other hand, can't just talk it through. Girls and boys need the help of "intermediaries" to help them open up and connect with a therapist.

With the help of supporters just like you, our Center for Emotional Therapy in Shiloh is finding practical ways to overcome the unique obstacles that Israeli children face. Through the use of intermediaries - music, animals, and movement - hundreds of children are being helped to overcome post-traumatic stress disorder and are moving forward with their lives.

Music, Movement, and Art

Children's post-traumatic stress disorder cannot be treated as one would treat that of an adult. In our work with child victims of terrorism, the tools of music, movement, and art have succeeded in opening doors through which therapists can enter a child's world and help him or her confront the pain in a practical and relevant way.

Therapeutic Petting Zoo

One of the vital components of the Therapeutic Center is the acclaimed Petting Zoo. Started mainly as an educational and recreational vehicle, it has rapidly become a magnificent therapeutic haven for the children. In addition to its other uses, it is now being used for both informal and formal therapeutic treatments.

Shiloh Israel Children's Fund is currently seeking funding to build an enclosed treatment room within the area of a soon-to-be-expanded Petting Zoo - which will allow us to transform the lives of many more children in the future.

Therapeutic Horseback Riding

The "Ranch on the Hill" is a horse ranch that offers horseback riding therapy to children and youth. The ranch, located in Givat Harel in the western part of Gush Shiloh (the Shiloh bloc of communities), serves both the community and surrounding areas. Givat Harel is a rural community known for its breathtaking views that create a relaxed, peaceful atmosphere. The community was established after the murder of 18 year old Harel Bin Nun in a terrorist ambush. The ranch is operated by the Bin Nun siblings in honor of and in memory of their brother

The certified instructors provide an empathetic approach that is necessary for special-needs children who are significantly helped by horseback riding therapy. The Ranch on the Hill has a large riding corral, stables, and a small petting zoo that includes other animals besides horses.