In celebration of International Women’s Day, Israel Bonds Women’s Division International hosted two inspiring events featuring Shai Kaplan, the founder of AnuYoga. These gatherings, held in both London and Frankfurt, provided powerful platforms for Shai to share her extraordinary journey of resilience and healing, as well as the life-changing benefits of therapeutic yoga. Both events highlighted Shai’s extraordinary personal story and the transformative work of AnuYoga in healthcare.

Shai shared her extraordinary journey of resilience and healing. Diagnosed with brain tumours in her early teens, she underwent multiple surgeries with little hope for recovery. Refusing to surrender to despair, she embraced each day as if it were her last. Her path led her to India, where she became a direct student of B.K.S. Iyengar, one of the world’s foremost yoga masters. Through therapeutic yoga, Shai not only experienced her own recovery but also found a calling—integrating yoga into healthcare in Israel.

Her work has expanded internationally, bringing the benefits of Iyengar Yoga to major medical institutions, including Reuth, Shaare Zedek, and Soroka Medical Centres in Israel, as well as hospitals across the European Union.

Since 7 October, AnuYoga has intensified its efforts in Israel, responding to the urgent needs of those affected by war. Shai and her team have been supporting the families of hostages, freed hostages, injured soldiers, and wounded civilians, offering therapeutic yoga as a tool for recovery, resilience, and emotional healing.

At the London event, held in collaboration with young families at St John’s Wood Synagogue, Shai not only shared her personal story but also guided participants through practical therapeutic yoga exercises, allowing them to personally experience its calming and restorative effects. The hands-on session offered a glimpse into the profound impact of Iyengar Yoga in managing stress, improving well-being, and fostering inner strength.

In Frankfurt, the event was held at the Jewish Community Centre where Shai further spread her message of healing and empowerment while also sharing many real-life examples of her work with injured and traumatised hostages and soldiers. She showed pictures documenting their treatment and recovery. The captivated audience, moved by her stories, eagerly engaged with Shai, asking many insightful follow-up questions which she answered with enthusiasm. The event concluded with a number of stretching exercises which participants performed using their chairs. Afterward, everyone enjoyed Hamantaschen and other treats along with Israeli wines, while mingling and socialising.

Both events served as a meaningful opportunity to honour International Women’s Day, highlighting resilience, strength, and the transformative power of yoga. Attendees in both London and Frankfurt left feeling deeply inspired by Shai’s unwavering dedication to healing and the profound impact of AnuYoga in communities worldwide.