Recently, members of the Tzalash (Army in the Service of God) organization have distributed about 150 packages intended for soldiers’ wives supported by the organization.
"In the packages, we have made efforts to emphasize to these women how wonderful their marital mission is and how much we appreciate them," the Tzalash organization said.
The organization explains that the distribution of the packages is part of the 'Eshet Chayil' project that the organization operates, to support soldiers’ wives. We were told that after a married couple approached Tzalash on the eve of enlistment and asked for support, a project was established to support married couples in the IDF.
"Today there are hundreds of soldiers who get married during military service and in any case, there are hundreds of women who wait expectantly for their husbands for lengthy periods until their husbands return home." Tzalash told us. The most difficult times for women are around the festival periods. While their neighbors and their husbands are singing and dancing and happy with their children, the wives of the soldiers are often alone. For this reason, we in the organization, try to give special attention to soldiers’ wives as we approach every festive period.
The women who received these packages were very excited. "I have tears in my eyes. It’s been a long time since anyone has given me the feeling that they appreciate what I do together with my husband who serves in the army," said Shir Fishman, whose husband Gabriel Fishman serves as a tank commander in the Armored Corps.
Packages for Soldiers’ Wives Photo: Tzalash Archives
"You always have a kind word for the soldiers or their wives, in general, but when it is so beautifully wrapped ... and the magnets – they brought tears to my eyes, as well as the super quality newsletter. There are no words," she added. "Thank you and everyone who does their best for us. It certainly charges our batteries so that we can keep going, when you look after us and all the other couples this way."
As part of the 'Eshet Chayil' project, a joint course run by the organization and the Pu'ah Institute on the subject of family purity during the period of military service, has just got underway. More than 80 women are participating in the course.
Liat Diamond, coordinator of the 'Eshet Chayil' field at Tzalash and who has been married to a career soldier for more than 10 years, wrote in a leaflet distributed to the soldiers' wives: "You, and the homes you manage are very important to us, which is why we are here. Women. Joyful. Always.
Purim always inspires me towards this goal. Knowing that joy really does not depend on anything external is so liberating and uplifting. It really does not matter if my husband is at home or not, if I was able to hear pearls of wisdom from him at the Purim seudah or not, because at the end of the day, the decision whether to be happy or not, depends entirely on me. May we be blessed to show our thanks to be partners in such a large and significant mission at this time."
"Baruch Hashem, we see blessings and God’s help in all the work of Tzalash," says the association's chairman, Rabbi Peretz Einhoren. "Thank God we have already amassed 8 years of activity which is expanding all the time for the benefit of continued Torah study among thousands of soldiers and the strengthening hundreds of married couples in the IDF. We feel that this is just the beginning, and we want to be blessed so that we can touch the hearts of all religious soldiers and all the married couples in the IDF."