Elevating Our Clinical Standard: Prof. Abraham Peled Joins Our Advisory Team

We are deeply honored to announce a significant milestone in our mission to provide world-class support: Prof. Abraham Peled, a renowned leader in psychiatry, is officially joining our advisory team to provide a professional clinical envelope for our therapists and volunteers.

In the world of emotional support and trauma relief, complexity is our daily reality. To ensure our team has the most robust tools and expert backing, we are committed to partnering with the brightest minds in the field. The addition of Prof. Peled to our ranks represents a major leap forward in the quality of care and supervision we provide.

Who is Prof. Abraham Peled?

Prof. Peled brings over 30 years of clinical excellence to our community. He is a senior psychiatrist known for his pioneering work in neuromodulation and the integration of Artificial Intelligence in psychiatric diagnosis.

As the visionary behind BrainProfiler, he bridges the gap between traditional clinical wisdom and cutting-edge neuroscience. His expertise in diagnosing and treating complex psychiatric conditions will be an invaluable asset to our ongoing work.

Today’s Special Session: Clinical Insights & Safety Assessment

To kick off this collaboration, we held a special Zoom clinical session today, April 13th, dedicated to our volunteer community.

The session focused on two critical pillars of our work:

• Emotional Support Strategies: Deepening our clinical understanding of the support process.
• Safety Assessment: Providing essential tools for identifying risks and navigating high-stakes situations from a psychiatric perspective.

This wasn’t just a lecture; it was an invitation to adopt a new way of thinking—one that combines empathy with rigorous professional assessment.

A New Layer of Support for Our Caregivers

Prof. Peled’s role is not just advisory from a distance. He is joining our “inner circle” to provide:

1. Professional Guidance: Helping our team navigate the most complex and sensitive cases.
2. Ongoing Learning: Ensuring our volunteers stay at the forefront of clinical knowledge.
3. Safety & Security: Offering a senior psychiatric “safety net” for our field operations.

Looking Ahead

We want to extend our warmest welcome to Prof. Peled. His decision to join us is a testament to the importance of the work you do every day. By equipping our volunteers with the guidance of a leading voice in psychiatry, we aren’t just growing as an organization—we are ensuring that every individual we help receives the highest standard of care.

Welcome to the team, Prof. Peled! We look forward to a journey of growth, learning, and profound impact together.

Last week, our Co-Founder, Ilana, represented Planetherapy at the annual conference of the ECJC (European Council of Jewish Communities). This significant gathering brought together top community leaders and leading social welfare and resilience professionals from across the continent.

For us at Planetherapy, attending the conference was a critical opportunity to listen closely to the voices from the field. At a time when European Jewish communities and Israeli expats are facing complex emotional challenges, Ilana met with community and organizational leaders to gain a deeper understanding of the unique complexities within each region.

The conversations and connections established during the conference have strengthened our partnerships with key stakeholders across Europe. We return with new insights and upcoming collaborations, all aimed at ensuring our global network of therapists continues to serve as a steadfast and accessible emotional anchor for anyone in need—in every language and every location.

We remain committed to working together to transform helplessness into action, and crisis into long-term communal resilience.

Ruthie is joining as U.S. Chapter Director – Planetherapy, with the goal of establishing and leading the organization’s activities in the United States, expanding support for Israeli and Jewish communities in the diaspora, and strengthening our global resilience network.

Ruthie brings extensive professional expertise and a deep understanding of the Israeli heart living far from home. She wrote an important article on this complexity, published in eJewishPhilanthropy, the flagship magazine of the global Jewish philanthropic and communal world.

In the article, Ruthie gives a name to the psychological complexity many Israelis living abroad are experiencing during this period — the sense of disconnection, guilt, constant worry for Israel, and the need for a supportive community that understands our language, even when words are hard to find.

Through her article, Ruthie makes the often invisible distress of Israelis in the diaspora a spoken and recognized reality.

For us at Planetherapy, turning this emotional overflow into a clear roadmap for coping and resilience is key to providing effective support to Israelis abroad who are navigating the complexity of these times.

We highly recommend reading the full article:
https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/naming-the-psychological-crisis-of-israelis-living-abroad/?utm_source=cio

Short Summary: Planetherapy, in collaboration with Birthright (Taglit) and social activist Ravit Ravid, hosted a transformative evening dedicated to the emotional and relational resilience of our soldiers and their partners. The event combined expert-led workshops and professional emotional support to provide a healing space for those on the frontlines and their supporters at home.

הכתבה

On October 25th, Planetherapy, in partnership with Birthright (Taglit) and social activist Ravit Ravid, hosted a unique support evening dedicated to our soldiers and their partners. Held in a stunning private villa, generously donated for the occasion, the event balanced a well-deserved reprieve with deep, professional care focused on the couples’ journey.

The evening began with a festive gourmet dinner, leading into professional sessions designed to bolster mental and relational well-being:

• Couples Workshop with Dr. Shari Geller: An international expert and key member of the Planetherapy team, Dr. Geller led a specialized workshop for couples. She provided practical tools for strengthening communication and shared resilience within the relationship.
• Individual Emotional Support: Our certified therapists offered one-on-one “emotional first aid” sessions. Among the dedicated professionals who volunteered for this mission was Yuval Raphael’s mother, a skilled therapist who provided a safe and containing space for the soldiers and their partners.

This event captures the core of Planetherapy’s mission: mobilizing global expertise, collaborating with organizations like Birthright, and harnessing the hearts of local professionals to ensure our soldiers and their families receive the highest level of emotional support.

In September 2025, Planetherapy – represented by Tal Nir, Igor Teplitchi, Dr. Bat‑Chen Shachar, and Dr. Edna Madgar – participated in the JReady International Instructor Seminar in Budapest.
The training was led by Dr. Moshe Farchi, developer of the internationally recognized Six C’s Model for Psychological First Aid, officially adopted by Israel’s Ministry of Health and widely used by the IDF, MDA, and other emergency organizations.
Over three intensive days, participants gained practical tools to strengthen individual and community resilience, enhance functional coping under stress, and prevent trauma.
The seminar emphasized empowering communities and preparing certified trainers to deliver the Six C’s Model within Jewish communities worldwide.
Upon completion, participants received official certification from the International Center for Functional Resilience (ICFR) and JReady, joining a global network of professionals dedicated to promoting mental health and resilience.

How did I end up invited to possibly the most flattering event I’ve ever attended?!
Miss Fix the Universe – yes, you heard right. Not Miss Universe – Miss FIX the Universe.
And yes, it’s a real thing!

Around 250 amazing women were invited,
just to give you a sense of how much heart and purpose exists right here in our small country –
so many initiatives all centered on Tikkun Olam – healing and repairing the world.

So of course, I came on behalf of myself, Tal Nir, and my incredible partner Ilana O’Malley Keyes,
to present our initiative: Planetherapy –
a project devoted to providing free emotional support to anyone in need,
powered by a global network of loving, volunteer therapists.

Taking this moment to thank them – it’s thanks to them that we’re here.

Spoiler: we didn’t win!
But we did make it into the top 30,
and our video was shown in the main hall. >> Watch the video

Honestly, that in itself is a win – a reminder that there are so many worthy initiatives out there.
And personally, I feel incredibly lucky
to have spent the evening surrounded by fierce women committed to making the world better.

May each of us succeed in her own way.