Their Stories

This campaign supports three Israeli soldiers whose lives were profoundly shaped by the war. For safety reasons, full names are not shared publicly and can be provided through private communication.

Soldier #1

Name: S.

Age: 22

Unit: Nahal

His story: S experienced repeated combat trauma, including the loss of close friends and multiple close encounters with death.

Soldier #2

Name: Y

Age: 22

Unit: Golani

His story: Y was injured twice in combat, with exposure to explosions and the loss of soldiers under his command.

Soldier #3

Name: S. (full name shared in private communication)

Age: 30

Unit: Armored Corps - Unit 401

His story: S. served over 500 days in reserve duty as a combat officer, experiencing prolonged combat stress and the loss of close friends.

About The 8 Project’s Therapeutic Residency Program

The residency is an intensive, trauma-informed program lasting 1–3 months, depending on each participant’s needs and readiness. While art is the core tool, the program integrates multiple therapeutic modalities led by experienced professionals. It is designed for individuals who arrive without structure or routine, with the goal of rebuilding stability and a functional return to everyday life. The program follows a rehabilitation-style schedule, with five days a week of structured work, approximately ten hours per day, creating consistency, accountability, and momentum. The focus is on addressing PTSD with the explicit aim of post-traumatic growth (PTG). Built by a team of therapists and individuals with lived trauma experience, the residency is highly focused, directing the organization’s full resources to one participant at a time, and has demonstrated a success rate of over 80%.

Why The 8 Program Works Outside of Israel

For many soldiers, healing within Israel’s current reality is extremely difficult. Medical and mental health systems are overwhelmed, and daily life remains shaped by constant alert and pressure. Bringing participants outside of Israel provides distance from ongoing stress, a calmer daily rhythm, and the ability to process experience without urgency or expectation - conditions that are often not available at home.

Where the Money Goes

Contributions directly support the full residency experience, including:

Safe housing and daily stability
Studio space and art materials
Trauma-informed mentorship
Tailored therapeutic support plans
Program coordination and participant care

Each element is essential to creating a protected, stable environment where recovery can begin.

Why The 8 Program Is Successful

The 8 Project is not designed for everyone. We carefully curate participants who have a natural pull toward creation, because for these individuals, art becomes a more accessible language than conversation alone. As participants begin to succeed creatively, they experience tangible progress - confidence grows, emotional regulation improves, and they start to see what life can look like when trauma is expressed and transformed into something meaningful. Our mentors and facilitators have lived experience with PTSD themselves, creating a level of understanding, trust, and communication that cannot be replicated in traditional clinical settings.

About the Founder of The 8 Project

The 8 Project was founded by Tomer Peretz, an artist and former combat soldier whose understanding of trauma comes from lived experience. During his military service, Tomer was exposed to combat-related trauma that later shaped his personal and artistic journey. Through art, he found a structured way to process PTSD, regain stability, and rebuild identity - long before it became the foundation of this program. His experience as both a soldier and a trauma survivor informs every aspect of The 8 Project, ensuring the residency is grounded, demanding, and deeply respectful of what participants carry.

About the Team of The 8 Project

The 8 Project team is made up of artists, mentors, and professionals who bring both clinical training and lived experience with trauma. Many on the team have navigated PTSD themselves, allowing for a level of understanding and communication that goes beyond theory. This shared language creates trust, accountability, and depth, and enables the team to guide participants through an intensive, structured process with clarity and care. The program is led by people who understand transformation not as an idea, but as a lived process.

After the War: A Therapeutic Residency program for Israeli Soldiers

By Peretz Foundation

After the War: A Therapeutic Residency program for Israeli Soldiers

A trauma-informed residency offering space to recover, process, and rebuild after combat.