‘Invisible Album’ initiative is an Israeli non-profit project aimed at initiating a national infrastructure for online referrals for combat veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to rehabilitation treatments, instantly.
At the heart of this project is a unique musical album consisting of five video clips, sharing the story of a combat soldier who has been coping with PTSD for several years. The clips lead the viewer to an interactive interface that presents a database of versatile rehabilitation programs currently available for combat veterans all over Israel, either subsidized or provided free of charge. This solution can help lift bureaucratic constraints and promote accessible and affordable rehabilitation for the benefit of combat veterans coping with PTSD.
The project was initiated by Maj. (Res.) Shani Sofer and Capt. (Res.) Ohav Givaty, who both served as Combat Navy Officers in the IDF for the past 8 years. During their prolonged military service, they became closely acquainted with PTSD and personally witnessed both soldiers and friends suffering from PTSD following their military operational experiences. This ‘invisible’ injury has harmed numerous veterans in Israel, disrupting their lives and causing them to remain trapped in a painful past. Shani and Ohav decided to dedicate their lives and career paths to improving the life-quality of these veterans, who are in dire need of practical and applicable aid.
Shani explains: “Today in Israel, there are approximately 60,000 combat veterans currently suffering from PTSD and have not been officially identified as disabled by government agencies. There is an urgent need to provide them with accessible rehabilitation programs, combined with reducing the bureaucratic ‘recognition’ process. Ohav and I served in the military as combat commanders for over 8 years, and following our discharge from military service, we decided that we cannot continue on with our lives until we found a viable solution for this painful predicament - that is so close to our hearts. We both work on this project in a voluntary capacity, driven by a sense of duty and strong belief that this impossible situation can and must be changed. We must offer genuine hope for all the suffering combat veterans. We earnestly believe that the responsibility in caring for veterans who are suffering from “transparent” injuries and have been left behind, is a national mission. This is at the heart of why we launched our project. Our goal is to raise social awareness in Israeli society and to present a practical solution, through groundbreaking artistic creations combined with a technological interface that can help veterans begin a new and healthy life path with a simple click”.
