Coming Home After A Crisis
What to expect during re-entry after an unexpected, unwanted, or disrupted experience
Adjusting On Your Own Timeline
First few weeks: Start slowly. Rest is healing, not laziness. Ask for flexibility at work or school. Take time to relax and pursue joy. Break tasks into smaller pieces and plan for your “usual” routines to take more time in the short term. Timelines for re-entry aren’t linear, but most people feel grounded within 4-6 weeks.
In the longer term: Stay connected to the Jewish community and the relationships you have formed. Reach out to your Hillel staff. Support the causes that matter to you. Share your experiences as you’re ready.
What You Might Be Experiencing
Returning home or to your normal routine after a crisis can evoke a range of complex emotions.
You might notice:
Gratitude for your safety, but uneasiness leaving others
Feeling like people who weren’t there don’t understand, even if you’re otherwise close
Mourning a trip, program, or academic term that changed
Scanning the news constantly, startling easily, or hypervigilance
Replay of intense or unsettling moments
Everyday tasks may feel pointless or hard to focus on
These are common reactions to an uncommon experience.
Practical Tools
When you feel overwhelmed:
Name 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste
Inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4
Press your feet into the floor and notice what feels steady. You can even take off your socks and stand outside in the grass or sand to ground yourself.
There is wisdom in our childhood practices. Use a weighted blanket, stuffed animal, ice pack, heated blanket, or other means of soothing your nervous system.
Practical Tools
Managing news and intense conversations:
- Choose specific times to check updates rather than endless scrolling
- Offer simple responses to questions about your experience: “My trip got cut short, but I’m glad to be home” or “I’m still adjusting.”
- For family: “Thanks for caring about me. Right now I need some space”
Practical Tools
Rebuilding a sense of routine:
- Create small daily rhythms (eat the same breakfast, take a short walk, check in with someone from your trip or who understands)
- Let people help you with practical tasks. Receiving care is part of healing
- Try Jewish grounding rituals like lighting candles, washing your hands with intention, or saying morning gratitudes like Modeh Ani
- Connect with your Jewish community to recite Birkat HaGomel, a traditional blessing after surviving danger or returning safely from a journey. Often recited during the Torah service (Shabbat, Monday, or Thursday), it offers a moment to acknowledge your experience, express gratitude, and receive communal support.
Seeking Out Jewish Wisdom & Community
You are not alone, and you don’t have to carry this by yourself. Talk to your Hillel professional, staff wellness contact, or local mental health provider for support.
Check in with your Hillel professional, tour guide, or friends you made during your trip. Reach out to loved ones in Israel. Stay connected to causes you care about.If you feel called, seek out Jewish community to recite Birkat HaGomel, a blessing said after surviving danger or returning safely from a journey. It offers a moment to acknowledge your experience, express gratitude, and receive communal support.
When to Seek More Support
If you notice these signs continuing for more than two weeks, reach out for additional support:
- Withdrawing from friends, community, or routines
- Feeling jumpy or easily startled by everyday situations
- Ongoing trouble focusing or completing basic tasks
- Emotional numbness, major mood swings, or feeling disconnected
- Changes in sleep, appetite, or neglect of self-care
- Feeling like your body is always “on” and can’t settle
Don’t wait until things feel unbearable – support is available, and you deserve it.
Where to Turn for Additional Support
- Campus counseling — Especially if feeling stuck, numb, or overwhelmed
- Hillel staff — They understand the unique layers of this experience
- Crisis lines — Call 988 (US), campus services, or local equivalents
- Friends/family — Even if they weren’t there, they can hold space and offer support
- Professional Therapists — An ongoing resource if distress continues or affects daily life
What happened was real, and so is your strength. You deserve support and care.