When Israel Comes Together

Israel has been at war since October 7, 2023. The darkness of these days cannot be overstated, but at the same time the most miraculous of things have been occurring all the while: as life collapsed around us, people rose up and came together in the most amazing ways. Israel is a country like no other – a land full of upstanding people who truly exemplify what kindness really means.

2-year-old Uri Lifshitz hugging his friend Giura Raz-Rosenzweig in Kibbutz Givat HaSholosh, 1938, Yakov and Chaya Lipshitz REI-PTA, this item is part of the Israel Archive Network project, and has been made accessible thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Oded Yarkoni Historical Archives of Petach Tikva, the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage and the National Library of Israel

“We need to come together and help” read the Rabbi’s message on the community WhatsApp group. “If anyone can house a Jewish refugee family from the North of Israel, please consider opening up your home.”

Israelis sorting clothes to give to displaced individuals, 1991, Vered Peer, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

My friend saw the message and immediately responded to the Rabbi. He had a spare room in his apartment in Jerusalem and was willing to host a displaced family.

Israeli woman cooking food for orphaned children, 1950, World Union OSE Photos, the National Library of Israel

But only a little while later, he received a reply from the Rabbi saying “thank you for your offer, but we’ve already found homes for all of the families now.” My friend was confused – only 45 minutes had passed since the Rabbi had sent out his request.

Thousands of Israelis check to see if their blood is compatible with a little boy suffering from Leukemia in order to save his life, 1993, Vered Peer, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

“Okay, let me know if I can help in any other way” he wrote back, before tentatively adding another line “oh, and by the way, how many families did you manage to find places for?” As the Rabbi’s reply came through, my friend’s breath caught in his throat: “five thousand.”

Religious IDF soldier helps his friend put on tefillin, 1973, David Weisfish, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

Israel has been at war since October 7, 2023. That dreadful Saturday was one of confusion and horror, and for most Israelis, the days since then have continued to be filled with terror, loss and fear.

Handing out treats to IDF soldiers, 1985, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

The darkness of these days cannot be overstated, but at the same time the most miraculous of things have been occurring all the while.

Israeli woman donating blood, 1978, Dani Gottfried, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

As life collapsed around us, people rose up. Communities pulled together, families started initiatives, the young and the old, people from across all the religious spectrums and political persuasions, put any differences aside and came together in the most amazing of ways.

IDF fundraising campaign, 1980, IPPA Staff Photographer, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

The acts of kindness and charity, resistance and aid, from Israelis literally across all walks of life has been astounding.

Israel Air Force Hercules transport plane transports 14 tons of medicine and food relief supplies, 1992, Oleg Gaspar, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

To write about them all would be impossible, for there really is no end to the acts of support happening across the country, even as you read this article.

Children selling their toys and books and donating the money for a Phantom aircraft for the Israeli Air Force (1 / 2), 1969, IPPA Staff Photographer, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

But I can tell you the story of the 22-year-old olah (immigrant) from South Africa. She shares a small apartment with a friend, and when the war broke out their university studies were postponed. She could have spent the next month watching Netflix and seeing her friends, but instead she decided to put a message online asking for supplies to send to IDF soldiers fighting on the front lines.

8 Hercules aircrafts are loaded with medical personnel and aid equipment including a complete field hospital, antibiotics, water, food and chemicals for water purification, 1994, Gideon Markowiz, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

Before long, people started showing up at her door, arms laden with goods. And they didn’t stop. Day and night, her small apartment filled up until there was no more room to stand. The boxes she had organized were far from enough and no matter how many hours she spent packing them up, there were always more donations.

Israelis donate money to build a new synagogue, 1923, Francois Scholten, this item is part of the Israel Archive Network project, and has been made accessible thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Yad Ben Zvi Archive, the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage and the National Library of Israel

She reached out to all of her friends and asked for help packing the boxes, and designated people to visit each local supermarket and collect their spare cardboard boxes and as many plastic bags as they would give her.

Israel offers free medical aid to southern Lebanon residents, 1976, IPPA Staff Photographer, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

She organized teams of other volunteers in their early 20s to take this aid from army base to army base, even when it meant going into areas which were unsafe.

Orphaned Israeli children plant trees, 1955, World Union OSE Photos, the National Library of Israel

As of now, this young, unassuming girl has delivered over 15,000 aid packages to soldiers across Israel. By the time you read this, the number will have risen yet again.

5,000 Israelis volunteer to clean up trash from their local beach (1 / 2), 1993, Vered Peer, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

She is not the only person helping out our brave soldiers. It seems that everyone wants to offer a hand. In their late 60s, my friend’s parents tend to err on the cautious side, so it came as a shock when my friend got a call from them saying that they were heading down to the South of Israel for the day. A woman in their community had spent two weeks at home in her kitchen cooking and freezing literally hundreds of nutritious and hearty homecooked meals for soldiers, and needed help delivering them to bases.

Raising money on the streets of Tel Aviv for IDF soldiers during the Yom Kippur War, 1973, Boris Karmi, the Meitar Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

My friend waited for an update all day, and eventually as dusk fell, she got a call from her mother. “Sorry it took me so long to call you darling, we had to go to so many army bases! No one wanted us!”

Israeli man donating blood, 1978, Dani Gottfried, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

My friend thought she had misheard – who wouldn’t want platters of spaghetti bolognese and stir-fried vegetables? “The soldiers have been receiving so much food and so many volunteers that they simply don’t have room for any more!”

Israeli volunteers cleaning up debris following an Iraqi missile strike that hit Ramat Gan during the Gulf War, 1991, Danny Lev, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

My friend laughed, and asked what her mother meant. “Well,” her mother replied “at the first base we went to, their commander sent us away because his soldiers had enough donated food to last them into the next decade – he was worried that his troops would all get too fat and not be able to fight… and as we went from base to base each commander told us the same thing.”

Israel sends over 20 tons of humanitarian supplies, including medical equipment, drugs and clothes to the Bosnian people, 1995, Beni Birk, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

“Volunteers have been arriving all day and night to lend a hand and distribute food, and they simply can’t take any more. Don’t worry, we got rid of our food eventually, but by the end of the day we were nearly forcing the schnitzels into the soldiers’ hands!”

Hundreds of volunteers take a break to eat after helping to build the new settlement of Sebastiya, 1975, IPPA Staff Photographer, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

These stories may sound phenomenal but they are not unique. Not at all.

Soldiers enjoying free refreshments provided by the residents of Netanya (1 / 2), 1974, IPPA Staff Photographer, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

Right now, there are over 200 American girls in a seminary who chose not to flee and return to the USA when war broke out in Israel, instead deciding to stick around and run a free daily children’s camp for displaced Jewish children from Gaza border communities.

Jerusalem residents receive aid from the Rabbi Maier Baal Haneis charity, 1955. This item is part of the Israel Archive Network project, and has been made accessible thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Yad Ben Zvi Archive, the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage and the National Library of Israel

Right now, there are teams of haredi men sitting in my husband’s yeshiva dying sheets of material army-green and tying tzitzit at their corners so that the IDF soldiers can wear ritual Jewish clothing even when camouflaged.

Israeli volunteers fundraising for IDF soldiers, 1980, IPPA Staff Photographer, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

Right now, there are weddings being organized on army bases as soldiers choose to get married amidst the chaos surrounding them. Photographers, dress-makers, rabbis, caterers and more offer their services for free to make these extraordinary celebrations happen, even at a few days’ notice.

Israelis collect clothes for Armenians who were made homeless after an earthquake, 1989, Vered Peer, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

Right now, there is a growing group of kohanim on call 24/7 to offer a priestly blessing to any soldiers entering Gaza.

Elderly man volunteers in the IDF, 1975, Oskar Tauber, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

Right now, therapists across the country are offering free sessions day and night to those traumatized by the war.

IDF soldiers help out with 1,500 Soviet immigrants to Israel, 1990, Danny Lev, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

Right now, people are queuing from morning to evening to donate blood at hospitals around Israel, and medical staff are even turning people away as the lines to donate get too long.

Israeli radio station holds fundraiser for the IDF, 1980, IPPA Staff Photographer, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

Right now, women are on call from different communities across the country to pause their lives at any given moment and accompany laboring women in their births while their husbands are away fighting in the army.

Young volunteers build a new youth center, 1938, the Israel Archive Network Project, and has been made accessible thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Yad Ben Zvi Archive, the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage and the National Library of Israel

Right now, thousands of shekels are being donated to the war effort by anyone who has a penny to spare.

Elderly man receives a hot lunch from charity workers in Jerusalem, 1968, Rolf Kneller, Euvre de Secours aux Enfants, the National Library of Israel

Right now, professionals from every field are offering their skills for free to anyone who needs them.

IDF gives free medical aid to southern Lebanon residents, 1976, IPPA Staff Photographer, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

Right now, the IDF army draft is at more than 100% due to people volunteering to fight despite having no obligation to.

Deputy Prime Minister Yigal Allon volunteers to build shelters in Kiryat Shmona, 1969, Yakov Elbaz, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

Right now, Israel is the only country to have more of its citizens return rather than leave during a war.

The Ministry of Agriculture sends tons of food aid to Soviet Union Hospitals, 1990, Roni Shitzer, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

Right now, despite fighting for our very existence, Israel has never been stronger.

Two IDF soldiers are married (the groom was recovering from an injury, the bride served in the navy) (1 / 2), 1971, IPPA Staff Photographer, the Dan Hadani Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, the National Library of Israel

We hope and pray that these good deeds will no longer be needed in the days to come, as Israel returns to a state of peace. But in the meantime, we want to recognize every person who is helping the country stand tall, and we continue to wish for the safety and success of Israel and all of her remarkable citizens.