Help the Women Who Help Soldiers Fighting Hezb’Allah Neat The Lebanon Border

I received this from someone whose family is living five miles south of the border with Lebanon. I gave. I hope you will to.

Hezbollah attack on North Galilee Israel. pic.twitter.com/O9dUWbt5kM

— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) January 1, 2024

A significant escalation in the war in northern Israel (border Lebanon), the IDF just eliminated a senior Hezbollah commander, Wissam Al-Tawil (he was the commander of the Radwan force in the South of Lebanon), a major hit for Hezbollah. Below him pictured with Qasem Soleimani… pic.twitter.com/QXfl9XJabZ

— Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) January 8, 2024

בס”ד
January 7, 2024
Dear friends,
My name is Miriam Epstein. Eleven years ago, we moved to a small town in Northern Israel called Maalot, located five miles from the Lebanese border. In normal times it is a beautiful and idyllic place surrounded by forests, and the perfect place to raise a family in Israel.
Since the horrific attacks on October 7th, thousands of soldiers have been stationed nearby to cope with the continuous threats and daily attacks from Hezbollah. Our once quiet town has turned into a gathering point where troops assemble before continuing to their posts on the border. As the settlements north of us have been evacuated, Maalot is one of few towns in our area that still have people living and working.

Although the army supplies the soldiers’ basic needs, the food they provide is not always sufficient and is very monotonous. After long days and nights away from their families, sleeping in tents, despite the cold and rainy weather, it is very important to keep our soldiers’ morale up. We want our soldiers to feel a taste of home, as some of them haven’t had a homecooked meal in months. To that end, our community has taken upon itself, since the very beginning of the war, to provide fresh sandwiches (e.g. tuna, egg salad, hummus) daily as well as Shabbat food (chicken, challah, grape juice, vegetables etc.).

We provide:
1. 250-500 sandwiches every day at an average cost of $750 USD weekly.
2. 1500 fresh, hot, homemade Shabbat meals at an average cost of $820 USD weekly.
3. Other supplies on an as-needed basis (for example, hats, socks, coffee etc.)

Let me paint a picture of an average day, here in Maalot. At 6:30AM, the bread has been baked and Dina drives to the bakery to pick it up. She delivers it to our synagogue-turned sandwich factory, in time for the volunteers to start arriving. At 7:00 AM, an average of 20 volunteers, including teens, retirees and working people from all backgrounds come together to prepare the daily sandwiches, according to a list that has been prepared a day prior. The ingredients have been purchased or donated and are ready to use.

They cut cucumbers, spread tuna salad, wrap and label the sandwiches, preparing them for pick up. At 7:45, the drivers arrive, and the cars are loaded up with the food. Drivers deliver the sandwiches to bases in and around Maalot, and further north. The soldiers wait patiently for this daily delivery. As one soldier named Saraya said, “Although it is a small thing, for us, your sandwiches make a difference. To know we will have something nourishing and fresh to eat each day, gives us strength to go on.” Saraya has since been released, and replaced by another brigade, but his gratitude reminds us how important our work is.

As Wednesday rolls around, the Shabbat team goes into action. First, they assess the constantly changing needs of the soldiers in the area. Maalot’s generous reputation precedes us, so many commanders contact Chana, who spearheads this branch of our program, asking for Shabbat meals. Chana places an order with a local delicatessen, for approximately 80 kg (175 lbs) of raw meat and chicken.

On Thursday, 80 women, many with young families, of our community happily volunteer to prepare pan after pan of food, cakes, and side dishes. They pick up the ingredients and return the pans full of delicious food. Many of these women themselves have husbands or sons in active duty, but feel that this is their way of making a difference. As one mother of a soldier explained, “I can sit at home and worry about when I will hear from my son, or I can be active. Cooking for the soldiers on the Northern front give me a sense of purpose.”

On Friday morning, another group of volunteers comes to help organize and package the food, ensuring that each base receives the correct amount. Shabbat candles, challahs and grape juice are added to each package.

Drivers begin arriving around 10:00AM, ready to pick up the packages for deliveries. They receive the contact information for the commander of the base that is their destination, as some of the locations cannot be reached by regular civilian vehicles.

As you can see, the effort is a community-wide one. It runs smoothly because of the spirit of generosity that is palpable at this time in Israel. However, the financial burden that falls on our community has become too great for us to bear alone.

Your support will make the difference that will allow us to continue our work to support our tireless

soldiers in their efforts to protect our nation.
ביחד ננצח!עם ישראל חי!
Your donation, in USD or CAD, tax-deductible, and can be done simply by entering the following link: https://www.jgive.com/new/en/cad/donation-targets/115133

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Miriam Epstein from the Maalot Community