Last week, we had the privilege of visiting Israel, meeting with our local partners and active soldiers in various locations, a bereaved widow and her five children and the IDFWO headquarters in Petach Tikva. We were joined by our dedicated supporter, Mr. Jiří Martínek.
These are challenging times in Israel, with active fronts in the North and, unfortunately, resumed struggles in the South. Maintaining “operational tension” and balancing work/life/service balance is proving difficult for many of our heroes. These are exactly the times we should remind them that we “have their back” and are here to support them and their families.
We started the day on the northern border of the Gaza Strip, receiving updates from a unit we have been supporting, the 188th Tank Division which recently returned from operations. We distributed warm jackets and items such as shoes and headlamps we purchased with your support. We expect an increased demand for jackets from reserve soldiers in the coming months.
We then visited several regional patrol squads and a reserve medical battalion that has been unfortunately active recently. We continued with a visit of a reserve Givati brigade requiring jackets.
During the day we stopped at the new monument at the Sderot police station. On the 7th of October, this was a scene of a heroic battle by multiple forces including army, police, and civilian units. The struggle ended with the destruction of the building and the terrorists that occupied it. You can read more about it here.
Our second day started with a visit to Rambam Hospital in Haifa. The goal was to bring treats to the recovering heroes and their families, hear their stories, and add them to the list of families we support. The soldiers' energy levels are contagious. Many are just waiting to be released and go back to their units.
With our partner Rabbi Leizer Klain, we offer hospitalized soldier’s families temporary accommodations near the hospital. For many, this is a welcome alternative to the demanding daily commute as they live far away.
Following the hospital visit, we met with soldiers active in the northern front, currently stationed across the Galilee and Kiryat Shmona. During our trip, we distributed jackets and treats to the troops, many staying in temporary accommodations. We were fortunate to avoid missile attacks, however the reality of alarms and short response windows is taking a deadly toll on Israelis across the region. As a reminder, more than 70,000 residents are still evacuated from their homes.
To conclude the day, we were honored to visit Ms. Sarit Elkouby, mother of 5 young children and widow of fallen hero, Lieutenant Colonel Netanel Elkouby z”l, an admired Givati reserve battalion commander.
Since her husband's tragic death, Sarit has been dedicated to stabilizing her family and has moved to a new home with the help of soldiers from her husband’s unit.
She has received support from the IDFWO and attended the recent Otzma camp in Cyprus. Separately from the IDFWO’s ongoing efforts, we support families like Sarit’s with their urgent needs. Witnessing her daily struggles assures us of the importance of long-term support organizations, such as the IDFWO.
Thank you for your continued support, together we make a real difference.
Am Israel Chai
Anna & Ory
