Co-founder Shoshi Slozki spoke to Arutz 7’s Ezra HaLevi and said many thanked ACHVA for, “saying what we know is true, but tend to forget with all the talk of despair emanating from the state-run media.”
ACHVA was initiated by a group of mothers from Gush Katif, but has been joined by mothers and supporters from all across the Jewish State with a message of strength and active support for Israel’s troops on the front lines.
“We were all just sick of the monotonous message of despair and cowardice being repeated on the radio and television – trying to manipulate Israel’s mothers into believing that retreat and abandonment are the only answer,” said Slozki. “We want to let our sons and daughters know that there are strong people standing behind them who know what they are fighting for.”
The women refer specifically to “three horrific photographs in the last few weeks, which reached almost every single house in Israel and shook the very fibers of the people.” The first was Tali Chatuel and her daughters, brutally murdered by terrorists at point-blank range. The second was the cowering mourners being shot at during the memorial for Tali and her daughters. The third was of Arabs in Gaza and Rafiach reveling in the body parts of IDF soldiers killed when their APC was blown up.
The mothers say the “depths of the shock and pain that each of us felt following those pictures was compounded by the broadcasts claiming, ‘We must immediately abandon Gush Katif’, ‘The settlers are to blame for the horrible security situation, and of course for the economic and social problems we have’, ‘Get the I.D.F. out of Gaza’ and other such displays of despair.”
They decided to form an organization to counter the defeatism, calling it "Mothers for Fortitude and Unity" – the acronym of which is "ACHVA.”
Slozki says the purpose of the organization is, “to impress an atmosphere of strength of will: personal and national fortitude brought forth from faith and knowledge of the justification of our direction - to mothers and sons and to all of the various sectors of our
nation.”
She says the mothers wish to send a powerful message to IDF soldiers and officers: ”We appreciate your courage and spirit and the hard work that you are doing. Don't be discouraged - go forth with the strength of the faith in what you are doing and you will succeed.”
“In the past we have known difficulties and simply through the strength of our spirit and our inner faith we have always overcome,” Slozki said. “We have built a wondrous nation in spite of all. We have always prevailed not because of the tank, but because of the man that is in the tank.”
ACHVA plans on creating a giant network of volunteers to provide refreshments for IDF soldiers to supplement the rations they receive on the front lines. They say that the potent byproduct of unity which results from these seemingly insignificant interactions is what will save the Jewish people.
“Our strength as a Nation has always been in our unity,” reads an ACHVA statement, “we will work together in order to strive for national unity, clarifying our position at every possible opportunity in order to restore Jewish and National values to our people.”
Asked if the spirit of unity would be extended to those who wish to see the residents of Gush Katif expelled from their homes or the demonstrators who last week held placards reading ‘IDF soldiers are war criminals’ near the Kissufim checkpoint, Slozki responded: “On the one hand we shall dispel each and every lie and distortion that we encounter, and on the other hand we invite each and every person who is willing to sit with us to hear us.”
Asked what message she wants to send to Israel's soldiers, Slozki said: "We love you, we embrace you, and we are rooting for you," Slozki said. "Never lose hope - the Jewish people are an eternal nation."
Mothers for Fortitude and Unity (ACHVA) can be contacted at: efisloz@012.net.il
ACHVA was initiated by a group of mothers from Gush Katif, but has been joined by mothers and supporters from all across the Jewish State with a message of strength and active support for Israel’s troops on the front lines.
“We were all just sick of the monotonous message of despair and cowardice being repeated on the radio and television – trying to manipulate Israel’s mothers into believing that retreat and abandonment are the only answer,” said Slozki. “We want to let our sons and daughters know that there are strong people standing behind them who know what they are fighting for.”
The women refer specifically to “three horrific photographs in the last few weeks, which reached almost every single house in Israel and shook the very fibers of the people.” The first was Tali Chatuel and her daughters, brutally murdered by terrorists at point-blank range. The second was the cowering mourners being shot at during the memorial for Tali and her daughters. The third was of Arabs in Gaza and Rafiach reveling in the body parts of IDF soldiers killed when their APC was blown up.
The mothers say the “depths of the shock and pain that each of us felt following those pictures was compounded by the broadcasts claiming, ‘We must immediately abandon Gush Katif’, ‘The settlers are to blame for the horrible security situation, and of course for the economic and social problems we have’, ‘Get the I.D.F. out of Gaza’ and other such displays of despair.”
They decided to form an organization to counter the defeatism, calling it "Mothers for Fortitude and Unity" – the acronym of which is "ACHVA.”
Slozki says the purpose of the organization is, “to impress an atmosphere of strength of will: personal and national fortitude brought forth from faith and knowledge of the justification of our direction - to mothers and sons and to all of the various sectors of our
nation.”
She says the mothers wish to send a powerful message to IDF soldiers and officers: ”We appreciate your courage and spirit and the hard work that you are doing. Don't be discouraged - go forth with the strength of the faith in what you are doing and you will succeed.”
“In the past we have known difficulties and simply through the strength of our spirit and our inner faith we have always overcome,” Slozki said. “We have built a wondrous nation in spite of all. We have always prevailed not because of the tank, but because of the man that is in the tank.”
ACHVA plans on creating a giant network of volunteers to provide refreshments for IDF soldiers to supplement the rations they receive on the front lines. They say that the potent byproduct of unity which results from these seemingly insignificant interactions is what will save the Jewish people.
“Our strength as a Nation has always been in our unity,” reads an ACHVA statement, “we will work together in order to strive for national unity, clarifying our position at every possible opportunity in order to restore Jewish and National values to our people.”
Asked if the spirit of unity would be extended to those who wish to see the residents of Gush Katif expelled from their homes or the demonstrators who last week held placards reading ‘IDF soldiers are war criminals’ near the Kissufim checkpoint, Slozki responded: “On the one hand we shall dispel each and every lie and distortion that we encounter, and on the other hand we invite each and every person who is willing to sit with us to hear us.”
Asked what message she wants to send to Israel's soldiers, Slozki said: "We love you, we embrace you, and we are rooting for you," Slozki said. "Never lose hope - the Jewish people are an eternal nation."
Mothers for Fortitude and Unity (ACHVA) can be contacted at: efisloz@012.net.il