Starting Over at 31. Let’s help a young mother overcome financial struggles and become a nurse

"Caring for people, helping them – this is my calling," says Meira Ruth. She is 31 years old, a loving mother to an active and curious seven-year-old boy, and a junior nurse (Koach Ezer) at one of the most overcrowded hospitals in Israel, Maayanei Yeshua in Bnei Brak.

Medicine runs in her family—both of her parents are doctors in Russia. As a child, Meira loved playing "doctor" and was certain that her future would be dedicated to saving lives. However, life doesn’t always unfold as we dream, and Meira is no exception.

At 18, she graduated high school with honors and was admitted to the Maimonides State Academy in Moscow. In her search for Jewish identity, she found her way to the Moscow Choral Synagogue, where she completed an Orthodox conversion and soon after, at 23, got married. Unfortunately, the marriage was unsuccessful, and life in Bnei Brak, confined to the role of a wife and homemaker, became unbearable for Meira—it was simply not the right environment or community for her. Three years ago, she and her husband divorced, maintaining joint custody of their only son.

Alone, without parental support, without a recognized degree or profession, and in an unfamiliar setting, Meira had to rebuild her life from scratch. That’s when she remembered her childhood dream—helping people. She found work as a junior nurse in a hospital. Meira never turned down any task, no matter how difficult or unpleasant, willingly covered shifts for colleagues, and took on extra hours. Her dedication was noticed, and she was recommended for an educational scholarship to study nursing.

On one hand, life finally had a purpose. On the other hand, with only 24 hours in a day and low wages for junior staff, the reality was harsh. Studying in Hebrew, especially in such a demanding field, required immense time and effort. At the same time, her growing son also needed attention and care. Balancing long hospital shifts, childcare, and intensive studies proved impossible, forcing Meira to reduce her working hours.

Now, her income barely covers basic needs—rent for a tiny apartment in Givat Shmuel (moving elsewhere is not an option due to her son's school, as his father refuses to change it), utilities, and daily expenses. Debt is piling up, and she can barely afford to turn on the heater in winter.

A crucial stage of her education is approaching—a long cycle of hospital training, requiring her to further cut down on work hours. This means even less income when she is already struggling. To secure a stable future and become fully self-sufficient, Meira needs to get through these six months of practical training without falling into financial ruin.

Let’s help Meira get through this challenging time, complete her studies, and stand on her own feet. Every shekel makes a difference—not only in helping her out of hardship but also in making her dream come true.

Project Update:

Meira’s hospital internship is currently in full swing! She spent the first month in the pediatric oncology department, and there are five more months of training ahead in other medical facilities. It’s a challenging ordeal, but an incredibly valuable experience that brings her closer to becoming a fully qualified nurse.

Thanks to our coordinator, we’ve managed to arrange a caregiver for Meira’s son so he can get to school—her internship starts at 7:00 a.m., while his classes begin at 8:00. This solved one of the major issues and allowed Meira to focus on her studies. We also managed to partially compensate for the shortage of work hours, yet there are still many difficult months ahead, and her financial situation remains extremely tight.

We continue to raise funds to help Meira complete her studies, go through the entire internship process, and finally achieve stability in both her life and profession.