Help us give Israeli soldiers and war survivors the chance to rebuild their lives after trauma.

For many soldiers, the hardest battle begins after they return home.

The war may be over, but the trauma remains. Many carry invisible wounds that affect every part of their lives: their ability to sleep, work, maintain relationships, feel safe, or imagine a future beyond what they experienced.

The 8 Project Residency was created for soldiers and survivors who are struggling to find their way forward. Through a trauma-informed rehabilitation program built by people who have lived through trauma themselves, participants receive the structure, support, and guidance needed to begin rebuilding what the war disrupted.

We believe growth and recovery are not defined by what was broken, but by the courage to build something stronger from it.

*For safety reasons, full names are not shared publicly and can be provided through private communication.

Meet the soldiers:

Shahaf, 22, served in the Nahal Brigade

His story: Shahaf experienced repeated combat trauma, including the loss of close friends and multiple close encounters with death. His battle with PTSD took over in the middle of his service, where he was eventually discharged because of his debilitating symptoms. Since leaving the army 2 years ago, his trauma has left him stuck, depressed, and without purpose in life. Tomer met him at a trauma retreat in New Mexico and immediately connected with him, identifying a promising creative side. Described as quiet, receptive, and curious, Shahaf will learn the art of tattoo design, which he’ll use to build his life upon after the program.

Yosef, 22, Golani Brigade

His story: Yosef was injured twice in combat, landing him in critical condition in a hospital due to shrapnelshtapnel in his neck. Between the physical limitations and residual PTSD from his service, Yosef has felt hopeless, with art as the only thing that has given him a sliver of purpose. Born to a religious family in Jerusalem, Yosef has been painting since he was a little kid, and possesses an innate passion and devotion to his art. With the support of our program, art can be the light to lead him out of the darkness.

Ariel, 23, Givati Brigade

His story: Ariel served in active combat and is coping with severe PTSD and persistent triggers that continue to affect his daily life. Between his firsthand exposure to the horrors of October 7th to his face-to-face combat with Hamas terrorists in his service, his flashbacks have been debilitating, and he hasn't been able to move through them. Art is the only hope that can help.

Netanel, 24, Egoz unit

Netanel served as a combat soldier in the Egoz Unit from 2021 to 2024 and is currently receiving treatment through Israel’s Ministry of Defense. On October 7, he fought at the Kissufim outpost, where his team retook the base from Hamas militants and rescued the female soldiers inside. Three members of his team were killed and four were wounded. By the end of the day, only six of thirteen remained standing. He continued fighting in Gaza for six more months and later in reserve duty in Lebanon. The war did not end when he left the battlefield.

Zohar, 25, Paratroopers Brigade

Zohar served as a team commander in the IDF Paratroopers Brigade, Battalion 101. Since the beginning of the war, he has completed more than 400 days of reserve duty, operating in intense combat across multiple fronts including Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. The prolonged exposure to combat, loss of friends, and extremely difficult scenes took a deep toll on his mental wellbeing and eventually led to a post-traumatic response. For Zohar, art has become a path toward healing.

Michael, 30, Elite unit

Michael was critically wounded in a Hezbollah drone attack while serving with an elite IDF unit. After 14 months at Sheba Medical Center and ongoing physical rehabilitation, art has become his language for healing. He is expected to join The 8 Project residency program as the next step in his recovery journey.

Ido, 42, Elite unit

Ido is a wounded IDF veteran who served in two elite combat units. During his recovery from a service-related injury, his team lost its commander and suffered multiple casualties in an operation that profoundly altered the lives of its remaining eight soldiers. His artistic practice examines the lasting impact of trauma, brotherhood, and survival.

Tzabar, Elite counterterrorism and special operations units

Served for over 25 years in Israel’s elite counterterrorism and special operations units. On October 7th, he fought in Kfar Aza, Nahal Oz, and Sderot, rescuing civilians from their homes and engaging Hamas terrorists in close combat. Despite being wounded during the fighting, he continued operating alongside his team. Due to his service in classified military and law enforcement units, additional details cannot be shared. Following the events of October 7th and years of combat service, Tzabar was discharged as a result of severe PTSD.

These soldiers have already fought for their country. Now they are fighting to rebuild their lives.

The Residency

The 8 Project Residency was built by individuals who have personally navigated PTSD and trauma, in collaboration with therapists, psychiatrists, and rehabilitation professionals. Grounded in both lived experience and clinical expertise, the program was created to address a critical gap between treatment and long-term recovery for IDF soldiers and war survivors.

Research consistently shows that long-term recovery is strengthened when individuals have access to four key elements:

Structure

Connection

Purpose

Expression

The residency brings these elements together within a single immersive environment, helping participants rebuild stability, confidence, identity, and daily functioning after trauma.

Our focus is not only reducing symptoms. Our focus is rebuilding life beyond trauma.

Why We Run This Program Outside of Israel

For many participants, healing inside Israel is incredibly difficult. Many remain surrounded by the places, responsibilities, and reminders of war that shaped their trauma. For those coping with PTSD, triggers can be everywhere: sirens, news alerts, military uniforms, familiar roads, or conversations that bring them back to the moments they are trying to leave behind.

Bringing participants to the United States creates something they often cannot find at home:

Distance from constant triggers. Distance from expectations. Distance from survival mode.

That distance creates the space needed to slow down, reconnect with themselves, and begin rebuilding their lives.

Where the Money Goes

Contributions directly support the full residency experience, including:

• Safe housing, transportation, and daily stability

• Trauma-informed therapeutic support

• Psychiatric consultation and oversight

• Mentorship, life coaching, and career development

• Studio access, materials, and project development

• Program coordination and participant care

Each element is essential to creating the stable environment where recovery can begin.

Together, these resources provide participants with the structure, support, and opportunity needed to rebuild life beyond trauma.

The 8 Project’s Unique Approach - Built from Lived Experiences

Our approach combines lived experience with professional support, creating a level of trust, understanding, and accountability that is difficult to replicate in traditional settings.

We carefully select participants who are ready to engage in an intensive rehabilitation process and who have a natural drive to create, build, and grow. For these individuals, creative practice becomes more than self-expression. It becomes a tool for rebuilding structure, confidence, purpose, and daily functioning.

As participants begin to experience progress, they see tangible evidence of what recovery can look like. Small successes create momentum. Confidence grows. Stability returns. Participants begin to imagine a future that is no longer defined by trauma.

Since launching the program, more than 80% of participants have successfully completed the residency and continued forward with meaningful progress in their recovery journey.

About the Founder of The 8 Project

The 8 Project was founded by Tomer Peretz, an artist, former combat soldier, and trauma survivor whose understanding of PTSD comes from lived experience.

After navigating his own recovery journey, Tomer discovered that rebuilding life after trauma requires more than treatment alone. It requires structure, purpose, community, accountability, and the opportunity to create something meaningful from difficult experiences.

What began as a personal path toward recovery became the foundation for The 8 Project Residency, a program designed to help other soldiers and war survivors rebuild life beyond trauma.

Today, Tomer’s lived experience continues to shape every aspect of the program, ensuring it remains grounded, practical, and deeply respectful of what participants carry.

About the Team of The 8 Project

The 8 Project team is made up of artists, therapists, mentors, and professionals. Many members of the team have served in the Israeli military themselves, while others bring extensive experience supporting individuals navigating trauma, recovery, and major life transitions.

Together, they combine professional expertise with a deep understanding of the realities participants face both during and after military service.

This unique combination creates a level of trust, communication, and accountability that extends beyond traditional support models. Participants are guided by people who understand not only the clinical aspects of recovery, but also the challenges of rebuilding structure, purpose, and identity after trauma.

The program is led by people who understand recovery not as an abstract concept, but as a lived process.

AFTER THE WAR: REBUILDING LIFE BEYOND TRAUMA

An intensive rehabilitation program for IDF soldiers coping with PTSD.

Team Members