Top Five Projects: The National Center for Traumatic Stress and Resilience

The Need

The terror attacks of October 7 and the ongoing war have created an urgent need in Israel for post-trauma care. Indeed, a February 2025 report by Israel’s State Comptroller’s Office estimates that 580,000 Israelis suffer from at least one severe symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a direct result of these events. Even before this crisis, Tel Aviv University (TAU) recognized the importance of advancing the PTSD field and launched the National Center for Traumatic Stress and Resilience – aimed at facilitating true and lasting advances in the field through systematic research, development, testing and implementation of evidence-based interventions. With many new post-trauma cases constantly emerging, the Center’s mission has become even more critical than ever.

Overview

The National Center for Traumatic Stress and Resilience – the first of its kind in Israel – brings together over 100 researchers from across the TAU campus to conduct multidisciplinary research on PTSD and other stress-related disorders such as anxiety and depression. They draw on their findings to develop and implement treatment and intervention programs, assess their clinical value, formulate strategies for best patient care and share their insights with
local mental health practitioners, as well as the IDF command and Ministry of Defense, HMOs and Ministry of Health.

The Center will improve the lives of thousands of IDF soldiers, veterans, terrorized families and other sufferers for generations to come. It is expected to become a true “game changer” that will significantly advance the treatment and prevention of PTSD and related conditions.

TAU is now in the final stages of constructing a dedicated building for the Center, which features labs, clinical research facilities, and a trauma and anxiety clinic where interventions will be administered to hundreds of patients per year. The building is anticipated to be complete in late 2026.