Why we opened this campaign
Marina-Efrat came to Israel in 1992 with her husband and two small children. Even before aliyah the family situation was far from harmonious; immigration multiplied the tension. Conflicts over everything—child-rearing, money, the children’s future—turned life together into an impossibility and ended in a painful divorce.
Marina was left alone with the boys. Her elder son was diagnosed with a severe form of Tourette’s syndrome and needed constant care and supervision. For years she juggled a gruelling shift job at a factory, household duties and the fight to stay out of debt. And she did it: both sons, despite their disabilities, finished school and served in the army. A few years ago they left Israel in search of better opportunities, and Marina suddenly found herself alone in an empty house.
All those years she had no time for even basic medical check-ups. Every working hour meant bread on the table and one more physio session or massage for her beloved boys; pain in her own body could always wait. When the time finally came to breathe, the deferred illnesses surfaced all at once.
Today Marina has been diagnosed with a tumour in her spine and a severe balance disorder. She cannot walk without a walker, frequently loses consciousness and falls. She urgently needs physiotherapy and major dental work. Reaching the bank or post office on foot is impossible, and being alone at home is dangerous—one fall could be fatal. She is still too young to qualify for a state-funded caregiver (metapelet).
We are trying to tackle Marina-Efrat’s situation on several fronts. She needs a paid metapelet for at least the next two to three months to accompany her to Beer-Sheva for tests and treatment. A dental clinic has agreed to treat her mouth and teeth free of charge, and our social worker is in touch with the Arad welfare office, but bureaucracy moves slowly while help is needed now. Her children cannot fly in to assist—they are barely coping with their own challenges.
Let us help a woman who has spent her life caring for her family finally live with dignity. It is very hard for her to ask, but she has no choice—she is desperate.
She has no one but us. Every shekel matters.
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