Why we opened this campaign
Sometimes life weaves plots more dramatic than any film. You read them and think, “That can’t be real.” But reading is one thing; finding yourself at the center of the storm is another. Esther and David are fighting with all they have, yet their circumstances are objectively stronger than they are. Without our help, they cannot stay afloat.
They met on a MASA program — she, a graduate of a Jewish orphanage; he, a young yeshiva student on his way to becoming a shochet and a rabbi. Together they left for shlichut in Ukraine to help build up the local Jewish community. David not only taught; he also took on the heavy task of organizing Jewish burials. With joy in their hearts and peace at home, the young couple awaited their long‑desired first child …
One medical mistake turned their world upside down. A severe birth asphyxia left their newborn in critical condition. The parents rushed for help, traveling across Europe and receiving treatment in Israel, selling everything they owned. Yet they could not save their child. After the funeral of their beloved son, the family stayed in Israel and started life from scratch. They took any work they could find — caregiving, construction.
At last, Esther became pregnant again — and another blow followed. For almost a year they visited specialists, and finally received the diagnosis: their child had low‑functioning autism and a severe form of atopic dermatitis that requires expensive daily care. Esther had to leave her job; David carried the full financial burden. Then disaster struck again: an unscrupulous employer withheld his wages, plunging them into debt. The family did not give up — they took out a loan to escape the crisis and start anew. It was September 2023. On 7 October, war broke out, freezing the construction sector and leaving David without work.
Matters worsened when a friend defaulted on a lease and David, who had signed as guarantor, was held liable for the debt.
Even war did not stop them from fighting for their future. Esther returned to work in a kindergarten as soon as their youngest child turned three months old. An assistant caregiver’s job is physically demanding, and after eighteen months she all but ruined her back. Continuing is impossible — especially since the family is expecting another baby in three months. The apartment they rent has been sold, and they must vacate it in exactly the same three months. They have no money for a new rental, moving costs, baby expenses, or paying off their debts. Unless we intervene now, a family with three children will end up on the street.
Esther and David still believe they can pull through, but they need help to pay down their debts and secure a roof over their heads. They need our help. Every shekel matters.
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