A calming companion to help through hard moments

When Devorah saw her children struggling in the aftermath of the terror attack on Chanukah by the Sea on December 14, she knew she had to find a way to help them.

The family were at Archer Park when the terror attack took place, sheltering from gunfire. They were separated, with Devorah not knowing whether her husband and youngest child had survived. It was the reaction of her children in the immediate aftermath that inspired her to create something that could practically help. She created Velumi, a kids’ sleep and meditation companion.

“I made this because I needed it, and because I also know other parents would need it too,” Devorah told The AJN. “It has been born from the hardest moments of my life, hardest stage in my life, and I’ve put everything into making sure that it really, hopefully, genuinely helps others.”

Devorah explained that after the attack, the family were in survival mode.

“Once we knew that everyone was physically okay and safe, the impact and effect did not end there. The trauma stayed with us, especially with the children,” she recalled, explaining they experienced a lot of anxiety, difficulty sleeping and even physical symptoms like vomiting. Velumi became her answer to providing the children with something they could physically and emotionally hold on to.

“I’ve always been into health and wellness, especially with my kids, but after Bondi, I really wanted to do something for them. I looked everywhere, and I couldn’t find anything that felt right, so I decided to make it myself. That’s how Velumi was born.”

Devorah described Velumi as a soft bunny companion that helps guide children through difficult moments with meditations, calm breathing exercises, bedtime stories and gentle sleep sounds. And, it’s all rooted in psychology.

Devorah’s background as a teacher gave her a foundation of understanding how to help.

“When you work with children every day, you learn how they actually receive things, and what language lands and what doesn’t, and how to make something feel safe rather than just clinical,” she explained. “I used my years of knowing how children learn and process emotions. That instinct of meeting children where they are is really woven into every word of the meditations and every design decision that I made.”

Devorah also consulted with experts along the way, including a GP, occupational therapists, play therapists, psychologists and child trauma specialists. Everything was grounded in research and expertise. The breathing exercises help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, the meditations are designed to help children feel safe and in control and the stories gently help children work through big emotions.

Devorah said her ultimate aim is to ensure children, those who were at Bondi and those who weren’t, feel safe, are able to self-regulate and find some healing.

“I know with Bondi that it has affected so many families, not just the children who were there … It also had a real impact on children who weren’t at the scene. Anxiety rippled out so much further than people might realise,” Devorah acknowledged. “But beyond Bondi, childhood anxiety and sleep struggles exist everywhere, and any child who’s going through something hard, or who just finds the nights difficult … I want to be there for them. I want families to have something that really helps them.”

As for how the community can help, Devorah said word of mouth means everything. Velumi is a small, independent brand built on personal experience, and Devorah is determined to do whatever it takes to ensure families who need a bunny, find a way to get one. She is also hoping to donate bunnies to families and children who were at Bondi.

Velumi, she said, is more than just a bunny. It’s a genuine way to help.

“It’s not just a product. It’s a response to what my children went through, and also a hope that no child has to ever feel alone in the dark or fearful or scared.”

To find out more about Velumi, visit velumi.co