Rabbi Karkovsky shook his head as he told the story of the young mother and her four children who came to the Fellowship-supported soup kitchen in the Israeli city of Bnei Brak, seeking help. The director of the Beit Hatavshil (Betterment House) has heard many heartbreaking stories as thousands of Israeli families struggle to meet their daily needs amid the nation's economic challenges. But this family's plight was particularly sad.

"This dear mother came in with her children, the youngest of whom was just two months old," Rabbi Karkovsky explained. "Her husband had been out of work so long that the family's water and electricity had been cut off, and their account at the local grocery store was closed."

Crying from hunger "The mother didn't want to ask for anything. Only when her children started crying from the pain of hunger did she come to seek our help," continued Rabbi Karkovsky, who is deeply grateful for the support of Fellowship friends like you through our Guardians of Israel program.