Originally appeared in Jerusalem Post, www.jpost.org, Feb 20, 2026, IN JERUSALEM magazine.

When the Birthright group I was leading, comprised of 23 people with autism, found ourselves unable to leave Jerusalem for the Dead Sea and Ein Gedi because the roads were closed due to rain, we had to find an alternative plan – FAST! And it had to be in Jerusalem so we would stay on track for our lunch reservations at Focaccia Bar and doing community service at Colel Chabad’s Pantry Packers. With such a busy day ahead, the chosen activity would have to start in half an hour! 

The tour guide and I got off the bus when we got the last-minute news of the road closure, took out our phones, put on our thinking caps, and began to brainstorm from the limited number of indoor options that could accommodate a fairly large group at a moment’s notice. We took a chance and called a place we hadn’t known about: The Hebrew Music Museum.

Within 30 minutes, our group, which included a participant with quadriplegia who required a fully accessible space, were exploring and sampling instruments which most of us had never heard of from various countries and periods of history. This gem of a museum, in the Nahalat Shiva neighborhood at Kikar Hamusica (Music Square), had a talented musician and guide on hand, Roi Baruch, who could demonstrate the instruments and explain them in English. Available languages for tours also include Spanish, Hebrew, French, and Russian – but not usually at the drop of a hat like ours.

Our tour included explanations, stories, and demonstrations – and, perhaps most importantly, a chance for our Birthright participants to try out the instruments. It is also possible to tour the museum’s seven rooms in a most impressive architectural structure using audio-visual technology with “Grandpa Levi,” its animated guide.

Each room presented a different region or culture: Central Asia; Morocco-Andalusia; Europe-Ashkenaz; Africa, Ethiopia, and Yemen; the Balkan Peninsula; Iraq, Syria, and Egypt; and ancient Hebrew nations. The latter includes instruments of ancient times and a virtual reality tour of the instruments used by the Levites in the Temple.

Birthright group for people with autism spectrum disorder enjoy the Hebrew Music Museum, a fortunate last-minute substitution when the road to the South was closed due to heavy rain. (credit: HOWARD BLAS)

It was my first time experiencing virtual reality, and I was mesmerized by the Holy Temple – and its sacrifices – coming alive. I should have listened to Baruch when he suggested that I take a seat. The 3-D experience was so realistic, that I felt unstable standing while watching the action unfold in front of me.

School groups and most casual visitors will be so taken by the instruments and the Temple that they may not stop to contemplate how this privately funded museum got here and how it fits into the larger gem of a “musical square” in the heart of Jerusalem. Museum founder Laurent Levy, a lifelong lover of music – and CEO of the successful Optical Center chain – has reported that he draws inspiration from many places, including the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

“The idea becomes tangible, and I conceptualize innovative concepts to the last detail,” Levy said. “I instill in each of these works a strong desire that every user can see the beauty and hear the good, and hence make the world a better place.” He added, “I am also inspired from study of the Torah, the Talmud, the Kabbalah, and the biblical prophets. I consider every human being a source of inspiration and try to learn from everyone, regardless of age, culture, or nationality.”

Instruments on display at the Hebrew Music Museum. (credit: Courtesy Hebrew Music Museum)

Levy made aliyah in 2005, established an online optical center in 2006, and opened his first Israel Optical Center in Jerusalem in 2007. A year later, the center also included a hearing aid department.

Music Square becomes cultural hub

The entrepreneurial, creative Levy next launched a Jerusalem apartment rental website, wrote a book titled The Seven Keys to Success, and in 2014 ventured into the Jerusalem music sphere. He opened Kikar Hamusica that year, followed by the Blue Hall Music pub and the Kinor b’Kikar (Violin in the Square) restaurant. In 2016, he opened the Hebrew Music Museum and has since established his sixth restaurant in Music Square.

Thanks to Levy, visitors of all ages to Jerusalem have ample opportunities to experience music – and get a great pair of glasses! Our Birthright group is appreciative that Levy and the talented staff of the museum truly helped turn our rainy-day disappointment into a morning of fun and engagement through music. I look forward to bringing future groups in nicer weather to experience daily live performances in Music Square of every genre – from jazz and samba to rock and roll, reggae, and klezmer.

Live music, interesting instruments, and flavorful food – all in one place, all provided by one enterprising guy!

Hebrew Music Museum 
10 Yoel Moshe Salomon St. 
Tel: (02) 540-6505 
Sun.-Thurs., 10 a.m.-7 p.m. 
Fri., 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
NIS 60 adults. NIS 45 children 
and senior citizens. 
NIS 40 students. NIS 32 soldiers and people with disabilities.
hebrewmusicmuseum.com/

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Originally appeared in Jewish News Syndicate, www.jns.org, February 20, 2026

Not many soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces could get away with giving an order to the IDF chief, but Private Raz Azulay is a rare exception. Azulay wheeled himself onto the stage and interrupted IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir mid-speech in Tel Aviv Tuesday—and no one tried to stop him.

Wearing his IDF uniform and an orange beret, Azulay rolled forward from his wheelchair at Hangar 11 and motioned for Zamir to approach. He then handed the chief of staff his gold dog tag. Zamir bent down, accepted it with a smile and continued speaking to the crowd of about 1,200 gathered to mark the 13th anniversary of the Special in Uniform program.

The IDF chief praised the participants’ determination. “You are proof that challenges can be overcome,” he said. “There is a place for everyone in the IDF. You are not only G’dolim B’Madim (“Great in Uniform,” the Hebrew name of Special in Uniform) but g’dolim b’ruach—great in spirit. The IDF is proud of you!”  

The initiative, run by Jewish National Fund-USA in partnership with the Israel Defense Forces, integrates young adults with disabilities into meaningful military service.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog, JNF-USA CEO Russell Robinson, Zamir and senior officers joined hundreds of soldiers and their families for the celebration, which organizers described as the program’s “bar mitzvah year.”

Some 1,200 people packed Tel Aviv’s Hangar 11 to celebrate 13 years of the Special in Uniform Program, Feb. 17, 2026. Photo by Howard Blas.

From dream to national movement

Lt. Col. (res.) Tiran Attia, executive director of Special in Uniform, watched as videos showed soldiers with autism, visual and hearing impairments, intellectual disabilities and mobility challenges working in IDF logistics centers, supply rooms and communications units at more than 50 bases across the country.

“What began 13 years ago with just 50 soldiers in a handful of bases has grown into a national movement of more than 1,200 soldiers serving across Israel,” Attia said.

“This growth did not happen by chance. It happened because of our belief, the soldiers’ dedication, and our unwavering commitment to the idea that every young person in Israel deserves the right to serve, to belong, and to contribute. They are shaping our nation’s moral strength. I am profoundly proud to lead this program with our amazing team.”

To date, some 3,000 soldiers with disabilities have completed the program.

Herzog recalled the program’s early days. “It started as a dream—to serve and to integrate. You had to believe,” he said, adding that the presence of soldiers with disabilities strengthens both the army and Israeli society.

Robinson called the initiative “the definition of who we are as a Jewish people,” adding, “Israel is the only place on the face of the earth that has an army that is so inclusive. It reminds us what life is and what our values are!”

A choir of Special in Uniform participants led by the IDF’s chief cantor, Lt. Col. Shai Abramson, performed the Mi Sheberach prayer for the safety and success of soldiers serving in the Israeli military.

As the evening concluded with singing and dancing, sparklers illuminated the stage and the number “6,770” appeared—representing the estimated number of additional Israelis with disabilities currently eligible and willing to serve.

“That is the potential target,” Attia said proudly.

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Originally appeared in Jewish News Syndicate, www.jns.org, February 18, 2026

Hundreds of mental-health professionals gathered for the 2026 ICAR Summit to align treatment strategies and coordinate a national response.

Even though clinical social worker and therapist Lisa Sturm had made aliyah from New Jersey only three weeks earlier, she felt compelled to travel from her new home in Jerusalem to attend the 2026 ICAR Summit in Tel Aviv this week.

She came, she told JNS at the opening of the two-day summit on Sunday, “to learn as much as possible about trauma and to become more connected.”

Dvora Kravitz, a social worker who immigrated to Israel from Los Angeles 14 months ago, similarly attended the two-day conference “to find out more about services here and to see how I can contribute to the healing process.”

According to a January 2026 Israeli Health Ministry study, one in five Israelis experiences emotional distress frequently or continuously; roughly 19–25% likely suffer from PTSD, depression or anxiety. The public sector recorded 3.5 million patient-therapist sessions—a 42% increase since 2022.

The 2026 ICAR Summit at the Tel Aviv Expo, titled “Accelerating Trauma Healing Through Collaboration,” brought together several hundred participants from government agencies, academia, mental-health professions, high-tech, nonprofits and philanthropy to examine Israel’s trauma-healing ecosystem and treatment methods.

ICAR, the Israel Collective Action for Resilience—is a national coordinating initiative that maps, connects and aligns organizations across government, nonprofit, academic and private sectors to strengthen Israel’s trauma recovery and mental-health resilience.

ICAR co-founder and CEO Gila Tolub addresses the opening of the 2026 ICAR Summit in Tel Aviv, Feb. 15, 2026. Photo by Howard Blas.

Building bridges

Before the opening session, participants eased into the day with chair yoga led by Neta Margalit of Brothers in Yoga. They also explored treatment options presented by organizations working with survivors and caregivers.

In opening remarks, ICAR co-founder and CEO Gila Tolub emphasized that the conference aimed “to build bridges.” The central challenge, she said, is not a lack of effort but a lack of coordination among the hundreds of organizations operating in the field.

At the Beit Mazen’s “Home for Hope” booth, Yael Eden Baruch and Gitit Harlev described three community-based homes offering ongoing mental-health care. “It is not a hospital. It is a very beautiful home-like place where people get the professional help they need in the community,” Eden Baruch said.

Nearby, Mashiv Haruach social worker Tzrurya Schweiger said the group’s two-day Dead Sea workshops were designed to “help the helpers,” including doctors, psychologists, social workers and ZAKA volunteers coping with secondary trauma.

Booths of vendors at the 2026 ICAR Summit in Tel Aviv, Feb. 15, 2026. Photo by Howard Blas.

Mapping the trauma ecosystem

The first day focused on reflection and alignment. Sessions reviewed the past year, assessed the national recovery and examined trauma across key populations—children, soldiers and veterans, workplaces and women affected by the war.

A keynote by Professor Michael Grinstein-Weiss of the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute addressed long-term monitoring of the war’s societal effects.

The second day shifted toward implementation. Panels explored integrating research, innovation and technology into nationwide care systems, including AI-assisted treatment, nature-based therapies and pharmacological developments. The conference concluded with an “Impact Showcase” presenting new clinical and digital treatment models.

From fragmentation to coordination

Tolub, formerly a management-consulting partner at McKinsey & Company, had been working on women’s health and organizational resilience even before Oct. 7, 2023. After the Hamas attack, she volunteered at Chavat Ronit, assisting Nova music festival survivors and quickly recognized a systemic problem.

“They had no one place to go,” she said. “Things were extremely fragmented.”

Her team began mapping the sector. “Last year, there were 344 organizations. Now we have 418,” she noted.

ICAR’s goal is to connect public health bodies, NGOs, academia and research institutions into a coordinated national framework for trauma recovery. The initiative aims to create a long-term roadmap built on data, transparency and evidence-based interventions.

Rather than replacing existing services, participants said, the summit marked a shift toward cooperation—turning a patchwork of well-intentioned efforts into a structured national resilience strategy for the years ahead.

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Originally appeared in Jerusalem Post IN JERUSALEM magazine, www.jpost.com, February 13, 2026

Jerusalem’s new indoor tennis courts are packed even on rainy days, offering a rare all-weather haven for young players and community programs.

There was no better time to check out the new indoor tennis courts at Jerusalem’s Tennis and Education Center than on a rainy Wednesday afternoon. 

The 14 wet outdoor courts and the padel court didn’t look very happy on this rainy day. In contrast, the indoor courts were bustling with happy children who were doing drills and playing games with their coaches.

I would have never even known about this gym had a fellow passenger in the elevator of a Jerusalem hotel, who thought I looked like his tennis coach, not mentioned it to me!

I ventured to the somewhat hard-to-get-to tennis center on that rainy day right after the school day ended, when the buses were painfully slow.

I hadn’t been back to the Jerusalem Tennis Center in the Katamon Tet neighborhood – founded in 1981 – since I spent a year of college here in 1986-1987.

What a difference 40 years makes!

View of the 14 outdoor tennis courts on a rainy day, with Teddy Stadium in the background. (credit: HOWARD BLAS)

The Jerusalem center is located near many buildings and complexes, such as Teddy Stadium, the Arena, and the Malha Mall, which did not exist in the mid-1980s.

To get to the new Stuart Weitzman Tennis Complex from the bus stop near Malha, I had to walk around and through the massive light rail station construction site – very much a work in progress.

When I finally found my way in, through a side entrance, what I discovered was very impressive: 18 illuminated tennis courts, a 2,000-seat stadium, a spectator gallery, a multi-purpose room, a fitness room, a practice wall, dressing rooms, offices, a sporting goods store, and a snack bar.

Beautiful gardens and plaques paying tribute to the many donors who made this fabulous complex possible were also very visible.

The four new courts at the Stuart Weitzman Tennis Complex bring the total number of indoor courts in the country to under 10. Indoor courts (like clay courts) in Israel are, simply stated, not a thing.

However, given the country’s extreme summer heat and the occasional winter rain, indoor courts make sense.

According to Dani Mizrahi, who has been manager of the tennis center for two years, indoor courts in Israel exist only in Haifa and Kiryat Shmona. In contrast to the courts in the complex, he said, “Those are under a balloon!”

Mizrahi is pleased that these courts are not fully enclosed (they have slatted facades), so they provide ventilation. However, by not being fully enclosed, they let rain come in, to which Mizrahi offered, “We are working on solutions.

One of the four new indoor tennis courts at Jerusalem’s ITEC. (credit: HOWARD BLAS)

Sports facility is multipurpose

The two-story sports facility features six tennis courts on the upper level, four of which are covered. The ground floor is dedicated to other sports and provides various spaces such as a gym, four squash courts, judo facilities, and sports accommodations.
It also houses a wide range of supporting amenities, such as sports clinics and multipurpose spaces for athletes.

In addition to tennis, and very much in line with the mission of ITEC – the Israel Tennis and Education Centers, which are located in 25 centers and satellite locations throughout Israel – the Jerusalem center operates programs for children at risk, those with developmental disabilities, and Ethiopian immigrants from local absorption centers. 

It also offers the Living Together Program, a national effort to bring Arab and Jewish children together through the medium of sports and informal education. And the center operates the Twinned Kindergarten Program that brings together classes of Arab and Jewish children aged four to six years and their teachers to participate in weekly motor skill development games and activities.

1 Avraham Elmali’akh St.

Tel: (02) 679-1866

Open 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. 

Sunday through Thursday

Fridays 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Closed Saturdays

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