A new pop-up exhibition coming to Soho is going to explore what PTSD looks like in the Jewish community.
The show will feature photos of combat veterans alongside 60 Israeli government leaders and celebrities. Hosted by SOS ISRAEL, the show will be presented at the Eden Gallery from Nov. 17-20.
The goal of the exhibition is to enable the Jewish community and Israeli people living in New York to explore the complexity of living with PTSD from an artistic perspective.
“We hope to share with the world these heroic stories through this art installation and strive to bring a real change in the current constitution so each veteran can get the mental and physical help they deserve after they bravely served our country,” said Yaarit Shoshan, the founder of SOS ISRAEL. “We truly believe that we will create a better society and future once we resolve this complex situation.”
Notable figures who will be featured in the exhibit include former Prime Ministers Benjamin Netanyahu and Naftali Bennett; Netflix’s “Fauda” stars Rona-Lee Shimon and Tsahi Halevi; Reuven Rivlin, Israel’s former President; Aviv Kochavi, the Chief of Staff of the IDF; Gabi Ashkenazi, former IDF Chief of Staff and former Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Ziv Shilon, an Israeli entrepreneur and social activist who was severely wounded when served as an officer in the IDF and lost his left hand in the war. Other figures include Israeli businessman and Knesset member Nir Barkat; known author and the prime minister’s wife Lihi Lapid; philanthropist and entrepreneur Haim Tayeb; Mayor of Tel Aviv Ron Huldai; actor Moran Atias (“crash,” “tyrant”); award-winning singer Itay Levy; lead TV Anchor Lucy Aharish; former member of the Israeli Knesset Ofer Shelah; and more.
Along with the exhibition, SOS ISRAEL will host a separate event later on to raise awareness for combat veterans with PTSD. The event aims to institutionalize new rules and procedures and pass laws to support combat veterans with PTSD in both their personal and professional lives.
“These young combat veterans constitute Israel’s finest young men and women, who made the ultimate sacrifice- to defend their country,” Yanai, philanthropist, and owner of Nofar Energy, said. “The gap between the treatment they deserve and what’s available to them nowadays is enormously painful. No bureaucracy should come in the way between these combat veterans and the treatment they deserve, and we are doing our best to fix that.”
The Eden Gallery in Soho is located at 470 Broome St. The official opening will take place on Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $100 and are available for the exhibition at sos-israel.org.
