Iron Pillows: A heart-warming endeavor to help Israelis sleep

Sometimes I feel that Charles Dickens’s words “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” encapsulates what many of us are feeling post-October 7. There are no words of solace to soothe our broken hearts. But what we have also witnessed, and are still experiencing, is nothing short of extraordinary.

Complete strangers, entire communities and organizations, locally and abroad, have galvanized into action; initiating transformative, healing and nourishing endeavors on so many levels. Witnessing some of these firsthand has been inspiring and uplifting and, above all, has made me feel so proud to be Israeli.

A few weeks ago, I was privileged to meet Leora Hadar at the shiva (seven days of mourning) of a very close friend, IDF captain Yaron Chitiz, who was killed in combat in the Gaza Strip on December 26. She arrived (together with hundreds of Yaron’s close friends and family) on January 2, which coincided with what would have been Yaron’s 24th birthday. His family and long-time girlfriend, Darah Ginsberg, invited us to celebrate with them with pizza and a beer, as Yaron would have wanted. 

Leora, a complete stranger, was drawn into the circles of love. Several hours later, still unable to tear herself away from the outpouring of emotion, she told me why she was there. I was genuinely touched by her story and her passion for helping others. She and her co-volunteers travel the length and breadth of Israel providing their product, free of charge, to whoever they feel would benefit from it.

The start of the Iron Pillow project

The Iron Pillow project started with a thought that occurred to Ayala Tenenbaum the day after October 7. She instinctively was concerned about the worry, stress, and lack of sleep of those directly and indirectly affected by the attacks and kidnappings. She began to research the idea of an “eye pillow” that would be calming and a possible sleep enhancer.

She experimented with homegrown and dried lavender, flax seeds, and coarse sea salt sewed into an attractive cushion which is placed over the eyes. 

She started with the help of a local seamstress, who donated fabrics as well. In the first 10 days, they focused on preparing and distributing the pillows to soldiers’ wives in her area. The immediate reaction to the pillows’ efficacy was so encouraging that Tenenbaum felt the need to widen the distribution. A request from Kibbutz Sa’ad residents evacuated to hotels at the Dead Sea and Eilat arrived, asking for 120 pillows – which seemed a lot.

They recruited more volunteers from Alei Zahav and Peduel. The girls, young adults, women, and grandmothers are all partners in the preparation process, which includes stuffing, sewing, and packaging the pillows. Tenenbaum, together with her partner Shlomit

Buchnik and the generous help of driver Yaniv Driham, filled that first order in just two days.

More than 4,000 Iron Pillows delivered to hostage families

Since then, they have had the privilege of producing and delivering more than 4,000 Iron Pillows to families of the hostages, some of the former hostages themselves, and bereaved families, as well as wounded IDF heroes in hospitals throughout the country.

The pillows have been enthusiastically received, helping the users to sleep in conditions of light and noise, and relaxing them during physical therapy and other treatments. This project has provided the volunteers with great satisfaction and a feeling of accomplishment during these difficult and complicated times, and has created so many interesting and surprising connections – including mine with Leora Hadar.

These amazing women are now organizing, in cooperation with the IDF, to distribute Iron Pillows to all bereaved families in Israel. The dream is to reach every person who needs this pillow. They also invite individuals and communities to use their knowledge and materials to create more circles of relaxation and healing. This initiative is all about helping others. Nothing can be more Jewish and reaffirming. ■

For more information, email ayalaten@gmail.com.