Temporary Dwellings

 

The Beer Sheva shelter provides a refuge for women escaping tough domestic situations and a secure place for them to rebuild their lives. Working in cooperation with an anti-violence group, the shelter provides women with emotional and practical support.

One in every four Israeli families suffers from domestic violence! Some of the women are able to escape abusive situations but then have nowhere to live and no one to help them.  They are set up for failure if they try to stake out on their own. They know they have to start from zero. They must find a place to stay and a job. As a rule, they also need emotional help.

One entrant into the Beer Sheva shelter was L., a girl who was picked up living on the streets of Ashqelon.  She had a traumatic past and now receives therapy.

For the Men

The Beer Sheva shelter also runs a men’s rehabilitation center, and they report: V. is a rehabilitant who came to us from Ashkelon. He immigrated to Israel 20 years ago alone, served in the army, worked, lived quite well, but then his health started deteriorating rapidly.  The doctors were not able to give a diagnosis and this situation cut the ground from under his feet and threw him into a deep depression.

Our friends later found V. lying beside a dumpster on the street. Today he is in our rehab, going through additional medical check-ups, and receiving therapy to get out of the depression.

A recurring need for these shelters is daily food for meals for the homes.  This is where Israel Relief Aid would like to get involved.  The shelters need weekly fresh food like milk, lettuce, cheese, chicken, vegetables, fruits, eggs, potatoes, bread, butter, etc.  If we can give them food for an extended period, they can concentrate on other needs.

 At Sukkot, let’s give them food.