August Newsletter

Dear Chayal’s Angels Community,

July brought up a big topic, one we’ve been talking about since the very beginning.

Trigger warning: I’ll be talking about suicide below.

At the start of 2025, 38 suicides had already been reported since October 7th. Since then, another 19 soldiers have taken their own lives. Six of them just this past month. Five were reservists and one was a lone soldier.

What’s even more heartbreaking is that the official numbers are likely much higher. The Israeli army does not include suicides that happen while soldiers are off duty, so it is probably alot higher.

As devastating as this is, it is not surprising. And that is what makes it even harder to accept. We have seen it coming. This is why we bring up mental health every single time we go to base. It is why we talk about the signs of PTSD. It is why we talk about how to recognize when someone might need help, what kind of help exists, and how they can reach out to us if they need support.

I am grateful to say that some have already reached out. We have been able to guide them toward real help.

There is a lot of information out there, but I want to say this clearly. If someone in your life starts acting differently, whether emotionally, socially, or physically, do not ignore it. The signs are usually there. We just tend to miss them because we do not want to believe what we are seeing.

And I want to be honest with you, just like I am with the soldiers. When I attempted to take my own life, I did not see it coming. It happened in a moment. A final straw. That is exactly why we need to talk about this. When we speak openly, we make it easier for others to do the same.

Remember when therapy used to be something people whispered about? That changed because we kept talking about it. Let’s do the same thing here.

There are amazing nonprofits in Israel like ERAN and Sahar that work specifically to prevent suicide. While that is not our only focus, it is part of everything we do. As someone who knows firsthand, when you are struggling mentally and emotionally, and you add chronic pain into the mix, the risk becomes even greater.

Please watch out for each other. These are incredibly hard times, and our soldiers are carrying so much.

I won't go much into what's happening in Syria the past few weeks, but I do want to acknowledge it and note how hard our Israeli soldiers are working to help them - when seemingly no one else is. The Christian and Druze communities in Syria are experiencing their version of October 7th and we hold each and every one in our hearts. Our soldiers are standing strong, and we see them as they come out of Lebanon and Syria and all I can say is that they are incredible. No matter how tired, drained or sweaty they are they come out with their heads held high.

I also want to acknowledge what has been happening in Syria over the past few weeks. I won’t go into all the details, but I will say this. Our soldiers have been doing everything they can to help, especially when no one else is. The Christian and Druze communities in Syria are experiencing thier version of October 7th, and we hold them in our heart.

Our soldiers are standing strong, and we see them as they come out of Lebanon and Syria and all I can say is that they are incredible. No matter how tired, drained or sweaty they are they come out with their heads held high.

Now to finish up on a different note, there is a lot of noise in the world, and sometimes it's so loud it's almost deafening. But I want to ask you to tune your ears elsewhere - and this is to our 148 returned hostages - the majority of us, likely assumed that they would come home and maybe crumble. But these remarkable people have done the opposite.

I have been thinking about these people a lot lately, and what they have had to say since each of them came home. To me, each one has shown us the same lessons over and over, and instead of listening to all that outside noise, perhaps we’d all be better off focusing on what they are teaching us. To stay resilient, to stay focused, to stay united and most importantly to be grateful for everything we have.

Just this week, Ofer Calderon took part in the Tour De France, simply remarkable and what a way to show the enemy HE WINS! This man was held captive in unimaginable situations for 484 days and came home to us less than 6 months ago, what a hero. Ofer, may you keep shining that light!

Lastly, in case you missed the excitement - go check out the first few products available at our BRAND NEW STORE!!!

Until next month,

Tasha Cohen

Founder & CEO of Chayal's Angels

WE ARE ONE