The entire country is in a state of upheaval in one way or another. We are all living in an unreal state of limbo.

In the extreme South, in the resort city of Eilat on the Red Sea all of the beautiful seaside hotels are filled with displaced families from the Gaza border and from the cities who have been under regular missile fire. Many of the men are in reserve duty, and the women are left to raise the children and as much as possible, pick up the pieces from businesses left behind. The city of Eilat has absorbed the school age children into their own system. Many rec centers, libraries and even hotel lobbies have been turned into makeshift classrooms. And every day Houthi missiles aimed at Eilat are deflected and sirens ring out for people to enter shelters.

In the center of the country, sirens still blare sometimes during the day, sometimes at night after people have gone to sleep. Take shelter!!! Quick!!! If you are lucky, you’ll have a safe room. Most apartments have a shelter on the ground floor or below. In older buildings, people gather under stairwells. It’s quite unnerving. There are jokes and comedy skits about who you’ll share a mammad with, what they’ll be wearing, what they’ll bring with them. In Tel Aviv, one never can expect the usual-

With very few tourists, the guides, the drivers, the tourist attractions, restaurants and souvenir shops are all suffering. With the exception of the Philipinos, (G-d bless them for their love and dedication to the Holy Land), there are few workers to plant or harvest crops or to work as caregivers for the elderly and sick. Many retirees are stepping up to the plate to work in orchards and fields picking crops. College students are volunteering in their free time.

Young families are beginning to feel the pinch economically as the husbands’ paychecks from being on reserve duty don’t compare with what was once a regular income.

Still, there are so many people that volunteer their time and talents to work with those affected by PTSD – from helping young children to elderly. There are art and dance therapists who give free classes. Meditation and yoga classes are offered to the displaced families in hotels. Massage therapy. Music therapy. It’s all very very necessary at this time. People in need helping others find a bit of healing for themselves.

So many pets have been displaced and are temporarily homeless. There are so many people in our area who have adopted pets from other families: not just dogs and cats, but fish, birds, turtles, hamsters, and exotic animals. Local farms away from missile fire, have taken in horses, goats, sheep, and various livestock from the Gaza envelope communities. It’s all a way of helping out and a labor of love. My husband has gone to local produce shops to get their lightly spoiled veg and over-ripe fruits and cast-off carrot tops and greens to give to the farms and petting zoos with so many extra animals.

Young teenage girls have established after school workshops and camps for younger children so the mothers can work. I will give links at the bottom, but several mothers have gotten together to take names of all the “army moms” who are holding down the fort. They raise money for independent caterers (small business women) to make and deliver healthy and pampering meals for Shabbat (Friday night dinner, Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner). The meals are totally pampering and gourmet for the family. All are delivered beautifully packaged. Many contain “swag bags״ full of pampering items for the mom and the children- jewelry, soaps and lotions, empowerment card decks, toys and small board games. All items are handmade by women entrepreneurs in Israel. Both Mamele and haOgen are non-profits set up for donations to support all the above people. Link below.

John just returned from running errands this morning. He always comes back with stories and ways to help. This morning he went to Masterphone to fix my cracked screen. Matan, the manager, was telling him that his family has been displaced for exactly three months now. They live in Shlomi on the Lebanese border. That community has been evacuated. The families are scattered all over the country. He, his wife and two small daughters have been traveling from house to house, staying for a couple weeks with family members or with other friends. The community has been bombed repeatedly, but they can’t get back to check up on their home or get needed items. It’s nerve wracking.

And now it’s 3pm on Friday. The F-16 jets just roared overhead and the Apache helicopters passed by our backyard. It’s become a regular event. Doesn’t even faze me any more. We just continue to do what we were doing. The alerts have just lit up the screen on my phone as the Gaza communities (who are not even there), central Israel (Tel Aviv, Holon, Rishon l’Tsiyon, Petach Tikva, Bnei Brak, Modi’in and Beit Shemesh) and Northern border communities (also evacuated) are finding shelter. Iron Dome activates when a densely packed area is threatened. If not the missiles land in fields, parks, parking lots, and border villages. We are the lucky ones…so far.

Shabbat approaches and I need to prepare. Here are several links that will support Israeli women trying to help make ends meet by helping others. It really does make sense, but they rely on our support. You pay it forward so they can provide product to serve those who most need it.

jgive.com/new/en/ils/donation-targets/116100

Amylmahalla@gmail.com (private chef providing catered meals to army families whose husband/dad has been called up for past 3 months)

Etsy.com/shop/VeredLaorJewelry

Mosaicsbymiriam.com

http://www.waterdew.store.com. (Handmade jewelry)

Yahalomis.com. (Handcrafted Judaica)

Ronitfriedman.com. (Paintings)

Etsy.com/shop/hilawelner. (Jewelry)

Etsy.com/shop/lianie. Jewelry