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Why we opened this campaign
Today, we are asking for help for an incredibly brave and selfless family. Zalman and Oksana Novikov are people who have never asked anyone for anything in their lives. But today, they find themselves in a situation where they desperately need support.
Zalman came to Israel as a boy through the Naale program. Alone, without parents, in a foreign country. He studied, made Aliyah, married, and served honorably in the IDF. Zalman is a man with "golden hands." There is nothing in this world he cannot fix. A tiler, a furniture painter, a renovator — he has never been afraid of hard work and has taken every opportunity to provide for his family.
Oksana came from Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, where she taught Jewish traditions and Torah. For her, passing on Jewish knowledge to children was her life’s purpose. In Israel, she started from scratch: first as an assistant in a private pharmacy, then working for 13 years at a Kupat Holim pharmacy. Oksana is the foundation of the family — reliable, strong, always supporting her husband and caring for their children.
The family grew. Yonatan, the eldest, is in 13th grade; Daniel, 12, is a talented basketball player; and little Gabriel is just 21 months old.
And then, their niece arrived from Ukraine. A young girl whose parents cannot leave the war zone. A child traumatized by war. Zalman and Oksana didn’t hesitate for a second — they took her in. They did this while already struggling to make ends meet. Today, they are navigating the bureaucracy of citizenship and legal guardianship, working with her every day at home so she can eventually begin her studies in a Jewish school.
As Oksana says: “She is our own child now. We couldn't leave her to her fate. She has already suffered so much.” A family that was already treading water reached out a hand to pull another child to safety. Because it was the right thing to do. Because you don't abandon your own.
Then, everything began to collapse. After the baby was born, Zalman lost his job, and Oksana was on maternity leave for over a year. With zero income and a large family to feed, debts began to snowball. One unpaid bill led to another, followed by late fees and penalties.
Today, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Both are back at work. Two months ago, Zalman started his own business as an independent contractor (painting and finishing). He already has orders and a plan to reach a stable income within six months. Oksana is back at her job.
But standing between them and that light is a debt of 20,000 shekels. It is a weight that makes it impossible to breathe. If this debt isn't settled now, their bank account will be blocked. A family that finally sees a way out will be dragged back down to the bottom.
20,000 shekels. That is all they need. This isn't an astronomical sum or an endless request for help. It is one specific debt standing between this family and a normal life. If we clear this debt, they will manage on their own.
The Novikovs have no extended family to turn to. No grandparents or siblings to lean on. But they have wonderful children, a rescued niece, and they have us.
Let’s help the family that refused to leave a child behind in a war. Your support means Daniel can keep playing basketball. It means Yonatan can finish school. It means a little girl from Ukraine can finally feel home and safe. And it means Zalman won't lose the business he is building with his own two hands.
Without us, they won't make it. With us, they will stand tall.
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