Hagal Sheli - Surf Centers

The new center at Zikim Beach stands as a powerful symbol of hope and renewal. In a place marked by loss on the tragic events of October 7th, we choose to build life.

HaGal Sheli’s Zikim Surf Therapy Center offers a space for emotional healing and resilience. The Center stands as one of Israel’s most significant rehabilitation efforts in the Gaza Envelope and nationwide.

Over the next five years, the center will support more than 7,500 participants through 500 therapeutic surf groups. Participants include trauma survivors, residents of the Gaza Envelope, released hostages and their families, survivors of the Nova Festivals and other parties, bereaved families, members of the security forces, medical personnel and first responders, people with disabilities, and anyone seeking support.

We established this center with the Ashkelon Coastal Regional Council and a community of dedicated partners committed to this mission.

Established in partnership with the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council after the outbreak of the Iron Swords War, this center was designed to deliver robust surfing programs to residents of all ages—children, teens, young adults, and adults. With activities based out of our mobile surf center and enhanced by comfortable, air-conditioned classroom spaces and surfboard maintenance facilities, this center offers an ideal environment for healing and growth through surfing.

Originally launched in the summer of 2023 as a mobile surf center, our Ashkelon facility quickly became a hub for youth and teens across the city. After October 7th, demand for this essential program surged in the southern region. In response, our center expanded from a mobile truck to a dedicated facility in partnership with the Ashkelon Municipality. It now runs specialized programs that support at-risk youth and individuals processing trauma from the war, serving both youth and adults.

Bat Yam city has been a faithful companion since day one. Sharing values, goals, and aspirations, ensuring HaGal Sheli Bat Yam will continue to be a loving home and a safe place.

Perfect for an intimate and prestigious event. A dreamy location – right on the boardwalk between urban Tel Aviv and classic old Jaffa.

Founded after October 7th, the Herzliya center was created in collaboration with Kfar Izun as part of the Izun Arena platform. It offers holistic support to survivors of the Nova Festival and others in the region, as well as their families. Treatment groups are led by trained surf instructors and certified therapists, equipping participants with the tools to rebuild their lives, work, relationships, and resilience as they navigate trauma recovery. Participants report reduced avoidance behaviors and a renewed ability to maintain balance and routine, facilitated by surfing and the community’s support. Many later join the HaGal Sheli team as assistant instructors, inspiring new participants who are beginning the same journey.

We opened our sixth surfing center in the Hadassah Youth Village in December 2023. The village is a natural and significant partner of HaGal-Sheli since it places its greatest focus on using the ocean’s resource for the purposes of informal education. Together, the shared values will result in a lot of good. There is a bright future to anticipate.

Kfar Izun is a therapeutic treatment center uniquely designed for individuals experiencing short-term and one-time mental health crises. HaGal Sheli began collaborating with Kfar Izun in January 2024, a partnership that continues today. Our program here empowers participants who opt into each session to confront challenges in surfing that translate directly into personal resilience, revealing their own inherent strengths.

Participants experience an uplifted mood, allowing them to return to a state of balance and focus on the present moment. The combined support from HaGal Sheli and Kfar Izun staff fosters a sense of security and encouragement, helping participants find balance—both on the waves and in life.

The green and pastoral Kfar Galim youth village is at the southern end of Haifa. The beach near the village is an isolated nature reserve that will reveal to you the natural gems hidden in the Kariyat area.

Partnering with the Kiryat Yam Municipality and the nonprofit ‘BeDarkecha’ – In Memory of Shmulik Zevion, we established a new educational surf center in Kiryat Yam which will provide at-risk youth the opportunity to “catch the wave” to a better life.