DAY 4
Monday, January 5, 2026
EMPOWERMENT IN ACTION
- Walk through historic Jaffa and surf with HaGal Sheli (empowering at-risk youth and survivors of Nova Music Festival through the power of surfing)
- Guided visit to Hostage (Freedom) Square
- Lunch with Her Academy – supporting former prostitutes to rebuild their lives, learning vocational skills
- Explore CHW Social Impact Investment at Social Space, a transformed former strip club on Tel Aviv beach
- Dinner with Canadian Israeli Activist & Author Ashley Waxman Bakshi and released hostage Agam Berger
- Overnight in Tel Aviv
Day 4 - Guest Speakers and Featured CHW Projects
HaGal Sheli
For over a decade, HaGal Sheli has empowered and educated youth nationwide to conquer life’s challenges by harnessing the transformative power of surfing, fostering personal growth, resilience, and success.
In the aftermath of the attacks on October 7, HaGal Sheli’s unique surf therapy program was expanded to serve 2,200 trauma therapy participants, including displaced individuals from the Gaza Envelope and northern communities, released hostages, Nova Festival survivors, and soldiers affected by the attacks.
HaGal Sheli plans to open over 96 new trauma groups while maintaining existing ones, enabling them to provide critical support for over 5,500 participants.
Certified surf instructors lead each weekly session throughout the program, supported by trauma specialists, clinical psychologists, educators, and mentors.
CLICK HERE to read more.
Her Academy
Her Academy is a revolutionary non-profit organization, working holistically to support highly vulnerable women escaping prostitution and violence in Israel through the provision of vocational training, job placement services, and more. Their success rate is remarkable: 85% of students graduate and over 70% of those eligible for work find stable employment.
Her Academy starts by addressing the endemic challenges, including lack of formal education, social stigmas, debt bondage, trauma, low self-esteem, and isolation. They empower their students to find and use their own voice. They restore independence and control by providing access to education, skill building and a judgment-free learning environment.
CLICK HERE to read more.
Social Space
Social Space TLV is one of CHW’s first Social Impact Investments. It is a social innovation and education hub that sparks discussion around human trafficking and gender-based violence. Established in 2019 on the former site of the Pussycat strip club, Social Space TLV now engages visitors on site through its educational programs. Social Space TLV continues to convert abandoned buildings across Israel into spaces that encourage discussion and numerous educational experiences.
Ashley Waxman Bakshi, Canadian Activist, Entrepreneur, & Author
An entrepreneur, content creator, and Zionist activist with over 850,000 followers online. As Israel’s first mainstream YouTube vlogger, she uses her platform to combat disinformation about Israel. With a master’s degree in counterterrorism and experience in the Israeli Air Force and Ministry of Defense, Ashley acts with passion to fight anti-Israel narratives.
Since October 7, following the kidnapping of her cousin, Agam Berger, by Hamas, Ashley has led global efforts to secure the release of Israeli hostages, amplifying their voices and advocating for justice on the world stage.
