Support groups for family members
Support group meetings for family members caring for people with dementia and Alzheimer's throughout the country, in collaboration with social services departments
Support groups The support groups professionally guided and supported by EMDA are located throughout Israel and address the primary caregiver’s needs for emotional processing, behavioral adaptations, and changes required at home. Participation is free of charge (although you may donate to EMDA if you wish).
Support groups provide:
- – Understanding, acceptance, and legitimacy of a range of emotions and behaviors
- – Emotional processing of ambivalence: guilt, grief, and anger
- – Knowledge from the personal experience of the participants
- – Information about the disease and alternatives for coping
- – Mutual support and assistance between participants between group meetings
The groups provide a safe, protected space where participants can speak freely about things that may be difficult to discuss elsewhere, in a supportive atmosphere. This space can ease the difficult feelings that naturally arise when caring for a person with dementia.
The groups include participants caring for people at different stages of the disease and in different family roles (spouses or adult children). Most groups meet once a month, and some meet more frequently. For exact details, contact the facilitator of the group closest to your place of residence (see the table below).
In addition to the in-person support groups, there are Zoom support groups and additional support groups through the health plans (see details at the bottom of this page).
Director of EMDA Support Groups
Yael Ilan: yael@alz-emda.org.il
“Dad was diagnosed with dementia more than a year ago, and Mom became the primary caregiver. At a meeting with a social worker, I was offered the opportunity to join an EMDA support group. Today, after almost 3 months, I am a different person thanks to the group. I quickly realized that I had not come to find a treatment plan or miracles. I came to cope, to listen, to examine, to learn, to understand, and to share. I met amazing women who, every Wednesday for an hour and a half, shared what they were going through and what they had been through, offered advice from their own experience, and listened in return. I felt a change taking place in me: I began to let go, not by giving up responsibility, but by better understanding my place as a caregiving family member. Then something shifted. Barriers that had existed in the past slowly came down. My mother, who had hardly shared with me or accepted my help, began to open up. Processes I had wanted to set in motion with my parents began moving on their own. Wednesday at 20:00 became nothing less than sacred: an hour and a half in which we meet, laugh, cry, and support one another. I am moving forward with a huge toolbox.”
“The group that formed developed a high level of intimacy. We shared common concerns, and the hour and a half felt like only a few minutes. Every meeting was fascinating and moving, with professional and human support. The topics raised and processed at each meeting were extremely relevant, and I benefited from them just as the others did. I feel that the group gave me the strength to continue supporting my mother, who is living with dementia, with love. It also gave me a sense of pride and dignity, and helped me understand what it means to love an older parent who is ill. The meeting time was very convenient—not too late and not too early. The atmosphere was calm and open, and at every meeting each person had space to express herself.”
In-person support groups
| Eilat | Livnit Barkan and Hadas Barel | 08-6367885 or 08-6367891 | Zoom meetings once a month at 17:00. For the meeting link and the date of the next meeting, please contact Livnit. | |
| Ariel - for the children of a person with dementia | Hadassah Gilboa | 052-8310097 | Sundays, 18:30–20:00, once every two weeks, at the Social Services Department in Ariel. | |
| Ariel | Rachel Hillel | 08-9568364 052-4542043 | Mondays 10:30-12:00 once a week at the Social Services Department, Ariel | |
| Ashdod | Esther Alma and Felicia Aaron | 08-9568364 | On the first Tuesday of each month, 17:00–18:30, at the B–G Social Services Office (conference room, 2nd floor), 1 Kibbutz Galuyot St., Ashdod. | |
| (Regional Council) Eshkol | Adi | 054-3014366 | Every three weeks, 16:30-18:00. For details, please contact Adi. | |
| Ashkelon | Joan Kornberg and Dikla Shtibelman | 08-9172846 | Once a month, Wednesdays, 17:30–19:00, at the Ahava Day Center, 7 Amioz St., Ashkelon. | |
| Beer Tuvia | Shiri Keisar Guri and Yael Zilbershlag | 08-8509832 (Shiri) | Sundays 10-11:30 once a month at the Neot Achva Club in the Achva settlement, near Be'er Tuvia | |
| Beit Shemesh | Debbie Green | 053-5215964 | Sundays, 14:00–15:00, at the Melabev Day Center, 18 Reuven St., Beit Shemesh. | |
| Beersheba | Mia Karov | 08-6311900 | Thursdays, once every three weeks, 10:30-11:30, Savyona Day Center, 111 Yehuda Halevi Street, Be'er Sheva. | |
| Beersheba | Ora Lifshitz | 054-7665431 | Closed groups, for information about the opening of the next group, please contact Ora. | |
| Beitar Illit | Tamar Wolf | 02-5888947 tamar.w@betar-illit.muni.il | Wednesdays, once a month, 20:00–21:30, at the Senior Citizens Club in the Freiman Community Center, 46 HaChozeh MiLublin St., Giv’a B, Beitar Illit. | |
| Bnei Brak | Sariti Schwartz | 03-5776149 | Closed groups for Haredi women. Mondays, 19:00–20:30. For details, contact Sariti. | |
| Bnei Dror – Protea BaKfar | Ofir Sinai and Etty Greenberg | 054-2440659 (Ofir) | Meetings are held once a month, on the first Monday of the month, 17:00–18:30, at the Protea BaKfar complex in Moshav Bnei Dror. Please contact the facilitator to confirm the next meeting. | |
| Givatayim | Efrat Nachum | 03-5722389 (Efrat) | The group meets once a month, on the second Monday of each month, 17:10–18:30, at the Day Center, 22 Mishmar HaYarden St., Givatayim. | |
| Givat Brenner | Hadas | 08-9399980 | Thursdays 08:30-10:30, to schedule, please contact the Social Services Department. | |
| Givat Shmuel | Rochelle Abramov | 03-5310534 | Mondays, 19:00-20:30, at 69 HaZeitim Street, Givat Shmuel | |
| Gedera | Yehudit and Israel | 054-6216795 (Yehudit) or 050-5539954 (Yisrael) | The group meetings will be held on Mondays once a month at 18:00, at Weizmann 13, Seniors Club, Department of Social Services. | |
| (Regional Council) Gilboa | Meital Shahaf Biran and Maya Laron | 052-6363187 (Meital) 054-6633643 (Maya) | Last Wednesday of every month, 18:00 - 19:30 at 1 Gan Ner Square, Dorot in Gilboa. | |
| Upper Galilee | Shay Asiag | 050-8296103 | The group's meetings are held at the Galilee Veterans Club Association. | |
| South Sharon Regional Council | Hagit Hebron | 053-3586168 or 03-9000660 | Once a month, Tuesdays, 16:30–18:00, at the council building. | |
| Hod Hasharon – for the children of a person with dementia | Yael Aviv | 09-8894556 | On the first Sunday of each month, 17:30–19:00, at the WIZO branch, 6 HaReshut St., Hod HaSharon. | |
| Hod Hasharon – for spouses of a person with dementia | Yael Aviv | 09-8894556 | On the last Sunday of each month, 18:00–19:30, at the WIZO branch, 6 HaReshut St., Hod HaSharon. | |
| Herzliya | Orit Cohen Nissan and Pali Mushkin | 09-9705137 (Orit) | At the Meteor Center, 33 Natan Alterman St., Herzliya, on the last Tuesday of each month from 17:00. Contact the facilitator to confirm the next meeting. | |
| Hadera | Debbie Roseman and Rachel Zucker | 050-2198719 (Debbie) 052-5522931 (Rachel) | Once a month on the first Monday of the month 17:00-18:30 at the Becker Day Center, 7 Hankin Street, Hadera | |
| Holon | Iris Porat | 03-5025662 | For details, please contact Iris Porat. | |
| Haifa | Ariella Federman | 052-6117899 | On the first Sunday of each month at 16:00, at the day center in the Spanish Nursing Home, 3 Gedalyahu St., Neve Sha’anan, Haifa. | |
| Kiryat Tivon | Noga Teltash Bezlali | 04-9537179 | Group for caregiving spouses: Mondays, 10:30–12:00, once a week. Group for caregiving adult children: Tuesdays, 19:00–20:30, once every two weeks. | |
| Tirat Carmel | Merav Shahar Fisher and Yael Peshatsky Rom | 050-3656376 or 04-8573232 (Merav) or 052-5216668 (Yael) | The group meets once every two weeks on Wednesdays, between 17:00 and 18:30 at 9 Ariel Sharon Street, Sahlab Association. | |
| Yokneam – group for adult children caring for an older parent | Dikla | 04-9596030 | Mondays every two weeks, 19:00–20:30, at Beit Rimon, 7 HaRimon St., Yokneam. | |
| Yokneam – group for caregiving spouses | Dikla | 04-9596030 | Thursdays every two weeks 11:00-12:30 Municipality Building, Tze'elim 1 Yokneam. | |
| Jerusalem ("For the Caregivers") | Sima Caspi | 053-7639620 | On the first Wednesday of every month, 17:30 to 19:00 at the Hoffman House - 4 Eliezer HaGadol Street in Jerusalem. | |
| Jerusalem (Yad Sarah) - English-speaking women | Leah Abramowitz | 054-4399278 | Thursdays - 12:00-13:30, 124 Herzl Boulevard, Jerusalem. Two groups at the same time! | |
| Jerusalem (Yad Sarah) - Hebrew speakers | Leah Abramowitz | 054-4399278 | Thursdays - 10:00-11:30, 124 Herzl Boulevard, Jerusalem | |
| Jerusalem (Yad Sarah) - English-speaking men | Leah Abramowitz | 054-4399278 | Thursdays - 11:00-12:30, 124 Herzl Boulevard, Jerusalem | |
| Jerusalem – group for caregiving wives (Haredi) (“For the Caregivers”) | Shulamit Malovancek | 053-7639620 | Every three weeks, on Sundays, 20:00–18:30, at 9 David St. | |
| Jerusalem – group for caregiving daughters (Haredi) (“For the Caregivers”) | Shulamit Malovancek | 053-7639620 | Meets once a month on Tuesdays from 20:00 to 21:30 at 59 Malki Israel Street, Beit Yaakov Center. | |
| (East) Jerusalem - Arabic speakers | Samia Nasser | 052-6965320 | Last Sunday of each month, 11:00-13:00, at the Public and Community Building, Wadi Al-Juz, East Jerusalem | |
| Kfar Vradim | Anat Gantz | 052-5798042 | The group meets once a month on Tuesdays at 15:00 at the Kfar Vradim Social Services Bureau. | |
| Kfar Saba | Coordinator: Alina Koenigheim Moderators: Zehava Baum, Giora Arnheim | 09-7945108 | We meet at the Azor Day Center (47 Azor St.) on the first Tuesday of each month at 19:00. | |
| Carmiel | Lena Rudenko | 04-9088183 | Sundays 17:00-19:00 Birnit 36 | |
| Lachish Regional Council | Adi Bitan Bitran and Sophie Vaknin | 054-6884884 (Adi) 052-6097221 (Sophie) | Tuesdays 15:30-17:00, July-August 2026, at the "Neve Meir" Day Center, Nahora | |
| Mevaseret Zion | Dovi Kaduri and Michal Doron | 052-3811200 (Dovi) or 054-6648115 (Michal) | Kibbutz Galuyot 1, Mevaseret Zion Local Council every first Wednesday of every month at 19:00 | |
| Majd al-Krum | Samia Nasser | 052-6965320 | Mondays every two weeks, 17:00–18:30, at the Majd al-Krum Community Center. | |
| Modi’in | Ronit Boitner | 052-3664047 | Every Thursday, the first week of every month, at 20:00, at Palace Modi'in | |
| Meitar | Hani Tabak | 08-6684007 | Mondays, once a month—the last Monday of the month—19:00–20:30, at the Pais Senior Citizens Club, Rabin Park. | |
| Ma'ale Adumim | Debbie Breitbard | 073-3485703 or 050-8296103 | Every three weeks, 17:30–19:00, at Ma’ale Adumim Municipality, 1st floor. | |
| Misgav | Omri Ben Ivri | 04-9902009/ 04-9902054 | Every two weeks at 19:00. For more information, contact Omri Ben Ivri by phone or email at omrib@misgav.org.il. | |
| Mateh Asher | Ossi Rachamilevich | 052-3729099 | Held once every two weeks at the "Asherno" center in Regeva on Wednesdays from 16:30 to 18:00. | |
| Ness Ziona | Idit Chen Sage and Orly Bern Kotler | 08-9380470 (Idit) or 08-9383705 (Orli) | On the last Wednesday of the month, at the Veterans' Home, 9 Ben Gurion St., 2nd floor, in Ness Ziona from 18:00 to 19:30 | |
| Nesher | Ayelet Peles Drive | 04-8299265 | Every two weeks on Wednesday, 17:30–19:00, at 7 HaVradim St., Nesher. | |
| Netivot | Yaara Avitan Buskila | 050-6650774 | Wednesdays, 16:30–18:00, once every three weeks, at the Social Services Department, 2 Rambam St., Netivot. | |
| Netanya | Idit Plassier | 09-8603388 | Municipal “Matzof” service. Contact the facilitator to confirm the next meeting. | |
| Emek Hefer | Ruthie Spiegler | 054-6300818 | The group meets once every two weeks at the Beit David Senior Center and is intended exclusively for residents of Emek Hefer. For details, please contact Ruthie | |
| Jordan Valley | Tiki Naveh | 052-3551433 | Tuesdays, once a month, 16:15–17:45, at the HaMeyasdim Day Center. | |
| Afula | Tamar Lahav, Shunamit Koller | 052-3990595 (Tamar) | Generation to Generation, Tuesdays 16:30 - 18:00 | |
| Pardes Hanna | Dafna Isaac, Deborah Riani and Ortal Achiram | 04-6375673 (call center) or 077-9779425 (Ortel) | At Shoham – the Integrated Center for Geriatric Medicine, Derech HaNadiv, Pardes Hanna. Meets once a month on the first Tuesday of the month, 16:30–18:00. | |
| Petah Tikva | Ruthi Itzhaki and Ilana Segal | 054-4676034 (Ruthi) or 052-3422494 (Ilana) | Held once every two weeks - on Tuesdays at 17:00, and on Thursdays at 10:30, at the Beit Mazli Community Center at 10 Yelin Street, Petah Tikva. | |
| Kiryat Ono | Tamar Gishri Alon and Nechama Rodan | 050-5960587 (Tamar) | On Monday, once every two weeks, at 19:00, at the Orenstein House, 13 S.Y. Agnon Street in Kiryat Ono | |
| Kiryat Ata | Daniela Ofek | 04-8351801 danielaof@clalit.org.il | The first Monday of each month, 11:30–13:00. For Clalit members. | |
| Kiryat Bialik | Dov | 054-7592838 | Once every two weeks on Sundays, 18:00-19:30 | |
| Rishon Lezion | Ortal | 03-9547768 OrtalT@rishonlezion.muni.il | Once a week, Mondays at 17:00. 82 Herzl St., 2nd floor, Rishon LeZion | |
| Rosh Pina + (Regional Council) Mevot Hermon | Anat Ziv and Bat-Ami Rotem | 052-8573327 (Anat) or 050-7778152 (Bat-Ami) | Sundays every three weeks at 16:30, at Prosper House, Old Rosh Pina | |
| Rehovot | Eliana Karger | 08-9392184 (Eliana) | The group meets at the Rehovot Municipality Social Services Department, 8 HaNevi’im St. It meets once every two weeks, on Tuesdays, 17:30–19:00. | |
| Ramla | Ben Zion Byram | 08-9150041 | The group meets on the last Tuesday of the month at 1 HaHagana Street at the Ramla Senior Day Center, from 17:00 to 19:00. | |
| Ramat Gan | Daphne Green | 050-2640643 | Advance coordination is required. On the last Tuesday of each month, at the Day Center, 41 Narkisim Blvd., Ramat Gan, from 16:30. | |
| Golan Heights - Katzrin | Zeeva Finger | 050-6211189 | Once every two weeks, on Wednesdays, 17.30–19.00, at the Ma’agalim Center in Hispin. | |
| Ramat HaNegev | Ilana Phelps | 054-2842607 | Once a month, Mondays at 18:30 | |
| Ramat Hasharon | Dafna Golan Shemesh | 03-5495204 052-2423405 | Once a month, Wednesdays, 18:00–19:30, at the Day Center, 1 Hadassim St., Ramat HaSharon. Please contact the facilitator to coordinate. | |
| Ra'anana | Irit Moskowitz and Liat Lashats | 0522994419 (Irit) or 0508482590 (Liat) | Rolling group: Tuesdays at 8:45, at the Ra’anana Municipality Welfare Department, 2 Sold St. | |
| Shoham | Jeanne Bar Michal Friedenthal | 050-6492363 (Jeanne) or 052-2334272 (Michal) | Once a month, Sundays, 19:00–20:30. Address: Beit HaMitnadev, 2 Leshem St., Shoham. | |
| Tel Aviv | Jenny Zlotsover and Debbie Lahav | 03-7242447 (Jenny) or 054-5336781 (Debbie) | On the first Sunday of each month, 17:00–19:00, at 95 Arlozorov St., second floor, conference room. |
Online support groups
EMDA Association also offers online support groups on Zoom. For more information, click here.
Feedback on support groups
Participants in support groups are invited to provide us with feedback so that we can learn and improve.
The feedback form is here.
You can also access the feedback form by scanning this QR code:
Additional support groups
Additional groups are offered through the health plans:
- Maccabi Contact the representative in the relevant area:
1. Jerusalem and the Shephelah area
Yifat Azov: Azov_y@mac.org.il
2. Sharon District
Irit Adar: adar_i@mac.org.il
3. Southern District
Shoshi Nir: Nir_s@mac.org.il
4. Northern District
Zohar Raz: Raz_zohar@mac.org.il
- Clalit
Yael Reichenthal: Yaelrie@clalit.org.il
- Meuhedet:
– Write to: dementia@meuhedet.co.il - – or call: 076-8134200
Support and Advice Center *8889
A listening ear and guidance for family members and people living with dementia. You can call from any phone.