Last year, The Fellowship approved a grant to fund the establishment of Beit HaLochem, or the Soldiers’ Home, in Ashdod. Our President and Global CEO, Yael Eckstein, visited the construction site last November as the building was taking shape. Last week, she returned to Ashdod with Fellowship staff and Israeli President Isaac Herzog for the inauguration ceremony of the newly completed Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, OBM, center, which will provide comprehensive care and support for IDF soldiers.
The project was announced amid the Iron Swords War to provide specialized support for IDF soldiers struggling with mental health challenges or recovering from injuries. When the war with Iran began in February, the need for such a center became even greater. The Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein Soldiers’ Home will serve as the largest rehabilitation, treatment, and empowerment center in southern Israel for soldiers seeking this support. Special emphasis will be placed on treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as rates continue to rise among soldiers who have served during Israel’s ongoing security crises and war with Iran. The center will also offer opportunities for social engagement through sports, cultural activities, and community events.
During her November visit, Yael said, “Israel is carrying a generational wound. Entire communities shattered, families displaced, lives shaken to the core, and each day the impact of the need grows even more overwhelming. But the Bible says it clearly, the righteous will live by faith. And by faith, The Fellowship is rolling up our sleeves and stepping into this immense challenge. Helping mothers who don’t know where to begin again, standing with paralyzed heroes fighting to take their first steps, building centers of healing for the wounded and traumatized.”
At the ceremony, President Issac Herzog said, “We will never be able to repay the profound debt we owe you and your families. But here today, we offer our deepest and most genuine support to those who fought for our lives and who must now reclaim their own lives and rebuild them. This is the promise of Beit Halochem. This is how we rebuild Israel, one brick at a time.”
“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken” (Psalm 55:22).