August 27th, 2026 – In August 2026, Helping Hand Coalition was blessed to co-coordinate, together with the Austrian organization Father’s House, a very special and important retreat in Austria called “Building Bridges: Restoring Families.”
Six Israeli families, a total of 26 participants, traveled from Israel to Austria for a 10-day retreat focused on rest, healing, family connection, and encouragement after nearly three very difficult years since October 7, 2023.
The retreat was an incredibly meaningful, joyful, and refreshing experience for both the parents and the children. Each day combined activities designed to encourage spiritual, emotional, and physical renewal. Mornings began with devotionals and worship together, followed by carefully prepared, trauma-informed sessions for the adults and special programs and activities for the children.
Throughout the retreat, the families enjoyed daily outings into Austria’s beautiful nature, swimming pools, adventure parks, visits to Vienna and other Austrian cities, fellowship, and, most importantly, uninterrupted time together as families. The retreat created a safe and peaceful environment where parents and children could step away from the pressures and uncertainty of life in Israel, reconnect with one another, and simply enjoy being together.
The trauma support sessions were led by Austrian psychotherapist Margit Eichhorn, who brought decades of experience in counseling, crisis and trauma care, and spiritual support. Her sessions provided the parents with valuable tools, encouragement, and a safe space to process some of the challenges they and their families have experienced.
A tremendous thank you goes to the entire Austrian team, led by Father’s House, who organized, facilitated, and hosted these incredible 10 days. The Israeli families are also deeply grateful for the tremendous team of staff and volunteers who gave so generously of their time, energy, and hearts to serve the Israeli families.
Through their incredible hospitality, compassion, generosity, and love, the families returned to Israel feeling deeply touched, blessed, strengthened, and encouraged. “Building Bridges: Restoring Families” was much more than a retreat. It was a time of restoration, connection, and hope that these families will carry with them long after returning home.
PROJECT BACKGROUND:
For many Israeli families, the impact of the war has reached far beyond the battlefield. Fathers have spent hundreds of days serving in IDF reserve duty, mothers have carried tremendous responsibility at home, and children have lived through repeated missile attacks, sirens, uncertainty, and long separations from their fathers. The recent conflict with Iran added yet another layer of strain for many families.
Several families participating in the retreat experienced these challenges firsthand. One father served hundreds of reserve-duty days since October 7, including eight consecutive weeks away from his family during the conflict with Iran, while his young daughter struggled with anxiety during missile attacks and alarms. Another family faced repeated missile alerts, the pressures of raising three children, and financial uncertainty. When invited to Austria, the mother described the opportunity as “a real answer to prayers.”
In Austria, these families received something especially precious: time together.
Children could laugh, play, and explore; husbands and wives had space to reconnect; families worshiped together; and meaningful friendships formed between Israelis and Austrians. This spirit of connection is at the heart of the name “Building Bridges.”
The retreat was much more than a vacation. It provided a structured and supportive environment where families could step away from the pressures of life in Israel, reconnect with one another, receive emotional and spiritual support, and experience genuine rest.
Helping Hand Coalition is deeply thankful to everyone who prayed, donated, volunteered, hosted, organized, and worked behind the scenes to make this retreat possible. After years marked by war, separation, reserve duty, sirens, and uncertainty, these six families experienced something very different: rest, fellowship, worship, laughter, friendship, and precious time together.
And that is a beautiful blessing.
