On October 7, 2023, Israeli homes were under attack. Terrorists entered the rooms of young children in Israel’s south – and images of atrocities flooded personal screens throughout the country. Hundreds of thousands of children were evacuated from their homes and many of Israel’s children experienced loss and bereavement. The prolonged war that ensued has made it difficult to draw a clear picture of what the future will be like for Israeli children.
On September 22, 2024, over 200 cultural leaders, authors, artists, screenwriters and illustrators, alongside educators and therapists, convened at the Mandel Leadership Institute in Jerusalem for a conference titled “I Promise You: Israeli Children’s Culture in the Shadow of War.” A project of the Mandel Program for Leadership in Jewish Culture, the conference explored the role of culture during times of crisis, the ways in which children’s culture can help Israeli society heal, and what has changed in our promises to our children in the wake of the trauma of October 7, 2023 and the ensuing war.
In his opening words, Rabbi Mishael Zion, founder and faculty member of the Mandel Program for Leadership in Jewish Culture, underscored the historical power of children’s culture as an ethical force during times of crisis:
Chen Artzi Sror, director of the Mandel Program for Leadership in Jewish Culture and a leading Israeli journalist, noted that J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan and C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe emerged from wartime experiences. “The goal of the conference is to spotlight works created since October 7 and to explore the kinds of works that we are in need of now,” she said.
Yael Hess, director of the Mandel Institute of Leadership, reflected on the song “Ani Mavtiach Lach” (“I Promise You”), from which the conference drew its name. Written during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the song conveys a father’s promise to his young daughter that this will be the last war. Yael noted that “culture isn’t just a reflection of reality; rather, in difficult moments, it is a tool for rebuilding it.”
A highlight of the opening session was a presentation in which multidisciplinary artist Reut Asimini presented the Hebrew alphabet that she created to teach her young daughter lessons that were inspired by the challenges of the past year:
Seven breakout sessions led by prominent cultural creators explored topics such as how fear and evil are portrayed in children’s culture, parenting and education during wartime, and lessons that we can learn from the children of the Gaza border communities. In addition, a “living exhibition” in the lobbies of the Mandel headquarters in Jerusalem featured creative works and initiatives for children inspired by the events of October 7. Highlights included children’s plays, art kits for displaced families, dance performances, and videos that brought healing, resilience, and consolation to Israel’s children and to the artists themselves.
The conference was accompanied by an anthology that explores children’s culture in moments of crisis. Edited by Yotam Schwimmer and Mishael Zion, the multi-disciplinary collection of essays and original artwork offers a new interpretation of fundamental cultural principles that highlight the importance of culture during times of war and how it can help drive away the darkness.
Download the Hebrew anthology here >>
Watch more videos from the conference here (Hebrew) >>
Read the coverage of the conference in The Times of Israel >>