Believing Again: Matan’s Journey Home

Matan Balahsan was 23 years old and recently married when October 7th shattered his world. In the aftermath, he lost his faith — especially in himself. The trauma of what he had witnessed left him unable to see a path forward.

Through Jewmanity’s Heads Up program, Matan traveled to the United States for a month of healing. The retreat combined professional psychological care with the warmth of a community that embraced him and his fellow soldiers. For the first time since the attack, he felt supported — not as a soldier, but as a person.

When Matan returned to Israel, something had changed. The journey had helped him believe in himself again. He finally knew how to move forward. His message to Jewmanity was simple and heartfelt: keep going. Am Israel Chai.