A birthday wish: Helping those in need amid Hamas-Israel war

Tuesday afternoon, October 9, 2023.

It’s my sweet daughter’s birthday; her gift will have to be hidden away for a while longer. I have been planning this birthday since her last one, when I moved to the Negev a year ago. Never did I imagine that birthday plans would be messed up like they are this year.

Anyway, she announced that the only thing she wants for her birthday is for all the hostages to come home, safe and whole. So much for plans.

Gling gling, gling gling, gling gling – get to safety.

The news is running nonstop in the background, now interrupted by gunfire from a soldier’s funeral nearby, joined by a symphony of aircraft en route to or from Gaza.

The news from my children is worse than anything reported, it is so personal. “Imush, what can I do? What should I do?” my weeping daughter asks.

Her friend called her from her safe room in Beersheba, whispering and crying to my daughter: “There are terrorists outside, please help,” she pleads. My son tells me his friend’s nephews and niece are alone in their home in Sderot, the father is a firefighter and had to go fight fires. The children are under 14 years old. Their childhood friends have fallen. There are young widows.

My children, now adults, endured roadside bombs, bus bombs, car rammings, shootings, all kinds of terror on their way to school back in the day – not so very long ago. The scars remain, deep and painful. There is no healing from all that carnage, from all the funerals. And now this. I am sure we are a nation of PTSD.

The booms that wake us Saturday morning are either fewer, farther away, or we just got used to them. The windows shake violently. And the warning glings simply do not cease. This is war.

Gling gling, gling gling, gling gling – get to safety.

Here in the Negev, southern Israel, it is magical.

Or has been.

The pace is different, it is much more chill. People are nice.

Sorry, folks, Jerusalem is a very tense place, and so often people just do not have time for niceties. “Hurry up, hurry up!”

Of course, we see the best of society in the worst times.

Folks all over the country are looking for ways to help, to contribute, to win, and are organizing those efforts.

Reports pour in from soldiers, reservists, medics, and individuals who know where help and provisions are needed. The people of my little town in the Negev are astounding action figures, they are heroes. 

WhatsApp has been a valuable tool in keeping people informed, disseminating information, and organizing. Anyone who wants to help can, whether it is babysitting, household help, shopping, food preparation, you name it; sign up and help where your help is needed. There are specific drives for people who are displaced; after all, when you are running for your life, none of the extras come with you. Help for hospital staff working around the clock with celerity, who need support and nourishment.

AND, OF COURSE, the soldiers. There was a call for 300 mattresses for soldiers who were called up and there were no provisions, nothing to sleep on at the base. Food and toiletries are needed; the specifics are shared with the group administrators, and people bring the goods or can make a donation. The supermarket was packed yesterday; clearly, much of what was being purchased was for soldiers.

When a Jerusalem friend called to see if we could bring food to soldiers (including her nephew) in Sderot who had none, we made a match between her and our local people, and those soldiers got food. It was arranged in less than 15 minutes. Tachles (goal-oriented), baby! 

Yesterday the community came together to make a wedding that could not take place as planned in Beersheba because of the situation. It was a beautiful and memorable occasion.

There are many stories to be told. Many will not be shared. 

The lesson, I guess, is that we are not alone. We are a people. 

We must and can have each other’s back. I guess that is our blessing now.

Ways to donate

If you would like to donate funds to assist Israel or know others who do, below is a selection of possible ways.

Emergency Medical Services

• Magen David Adom mdais.org/en/donation 

Israel’s national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service

• United Hatzalah of Israel israelrescue.org/donate/

Free, volunteer-based Israeli emergency medical services organization throughout Israel

Medical Centers

• Barzilai Medical Center (Ashkelon) bmc.gov.il/?CategoryID=511

Just six miles from the Gaza border, Barzilai has been dealing with thousands of wounded in the past few days, while also being subjected to rocket attacks itself.

• Soroka Medical Center (Beersheba) soroka.org/donate/

One of Israel’s leading medical centers, Soroka is the only one in the South providing care to a population of more than one million people.

Humanitarian Relief

• NATAL – Israel Trauma and Resiliency Center natal.org.il/en/donate/

Apolitical organization providing multidisciplinary treatment and support to direct and indirect victims of trauma due to terror and war in Israel

• Lev Echad levechad.org/donations?lang=en

Israeli volunteer force operating during times of crisis, mobilizing volunteers to organize missing-persons lists, maintaining contact with 5,000 elderly residents of the South, arranging hospitality in the North and Center for southern residents, and running educational programming for children of first responders

• The Yahalom Foundation jgive.com/new/en/usd/donation-targets/110064

Collecting donations to support the Yahalom Unit field combatants. Funds will be used for combat gear, warm clothing, and nutritious food, preparing soldiers for the prolonged battle.