Ever since the shocking, deadly attack by the Hamas terrorist group on southern Israel on October 7, civilians across the religious and political spectrum have been volunteering to help the war effort, eager to do whatever they can to support IDF soldiers preparing to fight the brutal enemy.
Last week saw the largest call-up of military reserves in Israel’s history – close to 400,000 – in response to the brutal massacre of 1,300 Israelis, not to mention the wounded and the roughly 200 hostages taken to Gaza, including babies and Holocaust survivors.
Israelis in the center of the country are concerned about their fellow citizens fleeing not only the South but also the North, where they were advised to evacuate in anticipation of a war with Hezbollah.
So much help is needed for so many causes, such as hot meals and warm clothing for the soldiers, housing for displaced persons, help for working mothers of small children who remain home from school, and more. And ordinary citizens have risen to the occasion, searching for any way they could contribute to the war effort.
The Kovacs family
Among them is Chava Kovacs, a mother of seven children ranging in age from six to 14. Residents of the ultra-Orthodox settlement of Tel Zion in Judea and Samaria, she and her husband have been hosting a family of eight from the southern city of Ashdod since the beginning of the current war; the eldest child is eight and a half years old; the youngest is two months.
The Kovacs family made aliyah from Calgary in 2006 and speak English among themselves. Chava was born in Poland and raised in the western Canadian city; her husband, Hillel, grew up in Florida.
“When we signed up to host a family, there was an option to specify haredi/religious/ secular, etc. We checked the ‘It doesn’t matter, send anyone’ button,” Chava told the Magazine.
“Our guests are a Sephardi haredi family. They don’t speak any English. We can manage in Hebrew but prefer English,” she said.
“We’re different in some ways. They’re a kollel family (meaning the husband studies Torah during the day); my husband works. We’re a little more relaxed about what we allow our kids to see on media. We allow wholesome content, even if it’s secular.”
Nevertheless, “they are very nice, sweet people, and very appreciative,” Chava continued. “They are thankful for the opportunity to get away from all the sirens and for being able to go outside freely rather than being trapped in the house. They don’t seem traumatized or shocked. But yes, being constantly awakened by sirens when you have young children is unbearable.”
THE ADJUSTMENT, she said, has not been too difficult.
“Their kids are younger than mine, so there’s more crying than before; but otherwise, it’s great to help someone. And my kids have new friends to play with, which is so important, since school has been canceled. My kids really enjoy showing the Ashdod kids around all our parks. My eldest took them to the petting zoo on our yishuv the other day. It gave him something fun to do.”
Even though Chava and Hillel are immigrants, their children are “typical Israeli kids who grew up here. They understand English but are most comfortable speaking Hebrew” – which helps in this case.
“Eliyahu, the father of the Ashdod children, now has the opportunity to learn with his hevruta (study partner) by phone. He’s around some of the time. Baruch Hashem (thank God), we have a big apartment with five bedrooms, so everyone has a little space,” she explained.
How does she manage to feed so many people?
“I’m just making more food and serving simple meals like pita and falafel or meatballs with mashed potatoes and veggies. Their children are young, but still I definitely feel some pressure making sure we have enough food. Basically, I just put out a bunch of containers on the table, and everyone takes what they want.
“We have a small Crockpot, so I borrowed a big one from a friend,” she added.
Several charitable organizations have publicized their willingness to help families in various central locations that are hosting others from more volatile areas. Chava said she has been getting some help from a hessed (kindness) kitchen in their community that helps new mothers, people in hospital, and others during challenging times.
The Magazine asked if the Ashdod mother has been helping with the preparations.
“She helped cut potatoes today, but really, she has a new baby and a few small children, so I’m happy to let her relax a bit. She said she’s helping me tomorrow with the Shabbat cooking,” Chava replied during the interview last Thursday. “She’s really sweet and wants to help.”
AS FOR keeping the children busy, the family received permission from the community center to use the local Gymboree at no cost “any time they feel like it.” If closed, they can take the key.
“I’m usually not a person who has house guests, aside from nephews or my friend’s sons who are here studying for the year,” Chava said. “My house looks ‘lived in,’ and our Shabbat meals aren’t so fancy. My kids chatter a lot at the table. But this family that we’re hosting, because they’re used to it, are just so happy to be here. I’m not bothered that they see that my sink is always full of dishes.
“I wish I could be a Henny Machlis,” she said of the late rebbetzen who was famous for her remarkable charitable work and hospitality and would host 200 people every week on Shabbat. “But this is finally my chance to get a little closer to her example.”
Chava hopes that this experience will serve as an example to her children as well.
“I’m hoping that my kids will look back on the war with some happy memories of having guests with cute little children rather than being miserable about the situation,” she said. “It’s a good distraction to have other people to think about and something tangible to do to help.”
As for residing in the West Bank, “We’re fortunate to live here, as much as we’re so close to Ramallah. We very rarely have sirens and missiles,” she said, adding that “with their bad aim,” the Hamas terrorists would be more likely to hit a surrounding Palestinian village than the Jewish settlement.
“I think our Ashdod family is happy,” she concluded. “Tel Zion is a nice community. They don’t care that our apartment isn’t 100% clean or that it’s a little run down. They’re getting a little peace in the middle of wartime.”
The Jerusalem Post and OneFamily are working together to help support the victims of the Hamas massacre and the soldiers of Israel who have been drafted to ensure that it never happens again.