By:  Anastasiya Gooding

Since the times of the Hebrew Patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – the town of Beersheba has always been viewed as a place of safety and respite for weary travellers. For those on the ancient paths through the Negev desert, it was the well of Beersheba which drew them, and gave renewed hope and strength for the remaining journey ahead.

Today, we see this becoming a reality once again. In the heart of modern Beersheba, Israeli women who are traumatized, troubled and alone can find a haven and source of refreshment in an ICEJ-sponsored women’s shelter located in the heart of the city.

Since May 2020, there have been 31 women along with their children who have found a secure refuge at the shelter to rebuild their lives. Depending on each woman’s needs, the shelter provides lodging for the short term (several days) or for longer periods of a year or more. In addition, they are provided such basics as food and clothing, while the shelter’s staff offer sound counselling and help the women resolve various health, social and legal issues in their lives.

Moreover, while staying in the Beersheba women’s shelter, the women are made to feel loved and precious in God’s eyes and in the eyes of others. This care and support are crucial, as most have seldom experienced these throughout their traumatic pasts. Along the way to rebuilding their lives, the women are encouraged to develop new skills and realize their talents and potential. They also learn about accountability and taking responsibility.

Nevertheless, this important work comes with many challenges. First, it requires trained staff who can invest a large amount of time to understand the women and the challenges they face. A personal approach is required for every individual to help them deal with serious emotional traumas. It can be a great challenge for women who have lost their hope to gain the motivation to start life anew. Despite all these difficulties, the work of the shelter has brought great benefit and is transforming the lives of many women. Here are a few brief stories:

*Nataliya, a Russian-Jewish immigrant, came from a detox facility, where she was getting help with her alcohol addiction. She had no social allowance, no money and nowhere to go, and she found a safe haven at the shelter for half a year. During this time, she got her documents in order, received disability recognition and government assistance, and finally moved from the shelter to a rented apartment.

*Lena is another lady who has been staying in the shelter for a year already. She came with a new-born child (the first child she was allowed to keep by the social services) and made beautiful progress. As a result the social services agreed to let her take back one of her older children who had been living in a foster family. What a joy to see a family reunited!

*Alexa is a mother of two children who came from another shelter for battered women. Her condition was so hopeless that social services were ready to take her children from her. Thankfully, after half a year in the shelter she was able to improve, and social services was pleased with her progress, especially the way she was taking care of her children. Finally, Alexa was able to rent an apartment and moved out of the shelter to begin writing a new page in her life.

Please consider a generous gift that will enable the ICEJ to help ‘Give a Future and a Hope’ for many Israeli women. You can offer them a fresh point to start over in their lives.

[*Names are changed to protect their privacy.]