Since the outbreak of the war, the municipality has launched an extensive municipal program to assist reserve and permanent service members and their families. Benefits, emotional support, relaxation and leisure activities, assistance in exercising rights, and a host of other solutions formulated in accordance with the complex period.
Since the outbreak of the war, the municipality, led by the Society, Youth and Young People's Division, has launched a comprehensive municipal program to support and accompany reserve and permanent service members and their families, residents of the city.
The municipality has appointed a designated person to handle the families of reserve and permanent service members. In addition, a municipal forum was established, headed by the municipality's CEO, whose role is to formulate solutions tailored to the service population, an automatic route for property tax deductions for active reserve servicemen was implemented, and a municipal volunteer network was established to support the families of reserve and permanent servicemen.
Furthermore, immediately after the war began, the municipality began identifying and formulating needs through a dedicated questionnaire and making phone calls to all reservists.
The phone calls and questionnaire particularly highlighted the need to assist the families of reservists, who bear the burden of the home front in their daily lives.
For the children of servicemen and women, important projects were implemented such as tutoring in their homes and group educational-social tutoring. In addition, the "Superhero Dad/Mom" project was recently launched, which allows servicemen and women to lecture at their children's schools, empower their children, and share their stories.
In addition, the municipality offered a variety of specialized workshops for military spouses, along with stand-up and cultural performances. These were also accompanied by recognition events on holidays.
Another area in which the municipality operated was granting significant benefits to military personnel, from promoting reservists’ local businesses to giving significant discounts at local businesses, as well as discounted admission to municipal facilities during the summer vacation. Service members and their families also enjoyed significant discounts on all youth center activities and discounted tickets to movies at the city's cinemas, subsidized by the municipality.
The emotional response to service members also received special attention, and included lectures on mental and family resilience, personal counseling sessions for parents, subsidized couple and family therapy, and the operation of unique support groups that provide reserve service members with tools to deal with the challenges of service and returning home.
In May, the city marked Appreciation Month for military personnel, with billboards throughout the city acknowledging their service.
In addition, the municipality launched a comprehensive appreciation program which included the production of three major events: a festive film screening at Hot Cinema, a fun day at the municipal pool, and a dedicated stand-up show. Also during the month of appreciation, the municipality subsidized more than 1,200 tickets to a variety of music performances and plays for children and adults.
In addition, significant discounts were given to service members at municipal facilities. Local businesses also joined in by offering a wide range of benefits for them. In the shadow of the ongoing war, the municipality continues to expand the circle of support and guidance. Future plans include continuing to make information accessible and assisting in exercising rights, creating additional leisure and recreation activities for the families of reservists, expanding the benefits basket for the welfare of those serving, along with expanding the circle of volunteers who support these families.
