Marlene Kolangi did not set out to create a national organization. In the immediate aftermath of the October 7 massacre, she says, she was simply asking herself what every Jew should be asking: what can I do?
“This war speaks to every single Jew," Kolangi told Arutz Sheva - Israel National News. “It’s not that just the frontliners are supposed to fight and we’re supposed to rely on them. I feel every single Jew is supposed to step up and do something to contribute."
As she looked for a place to help, one question kept returning. “I asked myself, who’s taking care of the children who lost both parents? And that’s really what got me going."
Kolangi, a fashion designer from Queens and a single mother, began investigating on her own. There was no centralized list, she said, and no clear system pointing to who had lost both parents in the Hamas onslaught. What she discovered was overwhelming.
“There are little babies as young as 14 months who lost both parents," she said. “And you say to yourself, who’s taking care of them? Their grandparents in their 60s? How is that supposed to be?"
She decided to come to Israel and go door to door, meeting families in person. Her original plan was modest and time-limited: to help for a few months, until the government could fully step in. But what she encountered made it clear that the needs ran far deeper.
“Not just their physical homes were destroyed," Kolangi explained. “Their lives were shattered. We’re talking about losing everything in an instant."
As her visits continued, the scope of the mission expanded. She realized that the crisis was not limited to children who had lost both parents physically. “It’s people who lost both parents mentally," she said, describing families in which surviving parents were incapacitated by trauma, grief, or the aftermath of captivity.
She met spouses of hostages who were consumed with advocacy and fear, grandparents suddenly raising young children, and parents who had witnessed atrocities and could barely function. “There was nobody there for the kids, not mentally, not emotionally," she said. “We’re talking about trauma that you and I should never deserve to see."
Today, Israel Orphans of 10/7 supports 151 children on a monthly basis. Kolangi stresses that the government is doing what it can, but says there are gaps that still need to be filled. “We’re here to pick up the pieces for what they can’t do."
The organization’s work, she explained, is built on three pillars. The first is financial assistance. Families receive monthly stipends through Tav Hazahav gift cards, allowing parents or guardians to purchase what their children need.
“We give $500 to $750 per child per household per month," Kolangi said. “That’s a lot of money that goes out every single month that I personally have to fundraise."
The second focus is emotional healing. Israel Orphans of 10/7 established what Kolangi describes as Israel’s first play therapy center of its kind, designed specifically for children who resist traditional therapy.
“Kids do not want to go to therapy," she said. “So this is through play. They have no clue they’re in therapy." The approach, she explained, is tailored to each child’s level and needs, providing tools to rebuild and cope without clinical pressure.
Watching the children over time has been transformative, she said. “I’m watching my kids from July last year until now, and they’re transformed children." When the interviewer noted her choice of words, Kolangi smiled. “Yeah. I feel like they’re my kids."
The third pillar is consistent personal connection. Kolangi personally calls every family every Friday. “It takes me about nine hours every single Friday," she said. “I know who did well in his soccer game. I know who got 100 on his test."
For many families, she said, that call is as meaningful as the financial help. “Sometimes they tell me the phone call is so powerful. Just the fact that you didn’t forget about me."
As time passes, Kolangi believes the challenges are intensifying rather than easing. “The reality is sinking in," she said. Children are returning to school, adjusting to a new permanence, and often living with parents who are still struggling. “A lot of kids still don’t feel safe."
One story, she said, captures why the work matters. She recalled a girl who was three years old when her father, a Magen David Adom ambulance driver, was murdered in Ofakim. After months in the play therapy program, the child asked Kolangi to join her in lighting Hanukkah candles “by Abba."
“I was recording her singing and dancing for her Abba as if he’s there," Kolangi recalled. The girl’s mother later told her that the confidence and emotional tools her daughter gained were something she could not have given on her own. “If I could do this for one child," Kolangi said, “this whole thing was worth it."
What began with 11 children has grown into an organization now serving 151 children, with a $3 million budget. Kolangi emphasized that she takes no salary. “I’ve never taken a cent from this organization," she said. “I’ve been working for free."
Despite the personal and financial strain, she says stopping is not an option. “When I see the magic that we’re creating, the light that we’re bringing to Israel, you just can’t stop."
All of the activity, she stressed, is made possible by support from the Jewish people. “I’m just a vision," she said. “Without the Jewish people’s support, we can never do this."
The organization’s current campaign, she noted, is called Healing Our Heroes. “We need every single Jew across the globe to step up and give whatever they can," Kolangi said. “Our future is dependent on us."
A message from 'Israel Orphans of 10/7':
The success of the Play Therapy Center has underscored a pressing reality. The need far exceeds current capacity. Two additional therapy hubs are planned for next year, with the long-term goal of reaching every child impacted by October 7 and future acts of terror.
Expansion is not aspirational. It is essential. Funding directly supports licensed clinicians, therapeutic tools, and the creation of safe spaces where healing can continue. More information and support can be found at Causematch.com/healingheroes.
This January, Israel Orphans of 10/7 is launching Healing Our Heroes, a two-week crowdfunding campaign focused on the widows, children, and young survivors whose resilience rarely makes headlines. The campaign aims to raise $1.5 million to expand play therapy centers and sustain long-term care.
These children are not symbols of tragedy. They are individuals navigating loss long after the world has moved on. While much of Israel’s story since October 7 has centered on strength and endurance, theirs is a quieter form of courage, one that unfolds in classrooms, therapy rooms, and moments of play reclaimed.
As the country continues to rebuild, one question remains. Who stays when the emergency ends?
For these children, the answer matters.
To learn more or support the Healing Our Heroes campaign, visit Causematch.com/healingheroes