On November 18, a little more than three months before the war with Iran began, our President and Global CEO, Yael Eckstein and Fellowship staff visited two partners—the Beit HaLochem (Soldiers Home) in Ashdod and the Jaffa Institute in Tel Aviv—after approving grants to support their operations and missions. Today, with Israel in crisis response mode, the services these partners provide, made possible through The Fellowship’s support, are more essential than ever.
Since the conflict began, The Fellowship has distributed over 900 food boxes to displaced families and elderly Israelis, including Holocaust survivors, across the Holy Land. Through a Fellowship matching grant, the Jaffa Institute is distributing food boxes to those in greatest need in Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Bat Yam, and Yehud.
The Jaffa Institute also provides special packages for Jewish holidays such as Passover, which are set to be distributed just in time for the holiday.
On the same day, The Fellowship also visited Beit HaLochem in Ashdod, which was under construction at the time. This month, the Soldiers Home is set to complete construction, with an opening planned for the summer. This center for IDF personnel will offer advanced, comprehensive support for injured or ill soldiers.
Both treatment and rehabilitation services will be available, tailored to each soldier’s needs. The center will also provide lone soldiers with a sense of community through enrichment programs, engagement opportunities, and recreation. In response to the growing mental health crisis among IDF soldiers, the Soldiers Home will place special emphasis on treating PTSD. The Fellowship is proud that the center will be named in honor of our founder, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, of blessed memory.
With the IDF anticipating several more weeks of campaigns against Iran, these initiatives will serve as a vital lifeline for all Israelis – ordinary citizens and soldiers alike.
“When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you” (Deuteronomy 20:1).
