The phone doesn’t stop ringing at Or Lacholeh’s emergency hotline. Each call tells the same heartbreaking story: “We have no food.”
Crisis Explodes Overnight
It was 2 a.m. this past Saturday when the first desperate call came in. By dawn, the phones at Or Lacholeh (Heal Israel) had not stopped ringing. Over 250 emergency calls have flooded in from families across Israel—all with the same desperate plea for help.
Right now, hundreds of Israel’s most vulnerable families are going without meals. These aren’t just any families—they’re the ones we’ve served for years, families already battling serious illness who now face an impossible choice between medical care and basic nutrition.
The faces behind the crisis:
- Mothers struggling to feed their diabetic children
- Elderly Holocaust survivors afraid to leave their shelters
- Families huddled together, listening to sirens, praying for safety—and for their next hot meal
- Patients discharged from overcrowded hospitals with nowhere safe to cook
For years, Or Lacholeh has quietly provided humanitarian aid to Israel’s most vulnerable populations—those facing serious illness. But nothing prepared us for this unprecedented wave of hunger.
Families Can’t Wait Another Day
“These families need hot meals NOW,” says Miri Schreiber, Or Lacholeh’s Global CEO, her voice urgent with the weight of 250+ emergency calls.
“We’re not talking about tomorrow or next week,” Schreiber explains. “Children with chronic conditions need proper nutrition today. Elderly patients can’t survive on crackers much longer.”
Sarah’s Story
Sarah, an 82-year-old Holocaust survivor, captures the desperation we’re witnessing daily. Living alone, she’s been sheltering for almost a week, surviving only on crackers and water.
“I never thought I’d be hungry again in Israel,” she told our volunteers through tears.
Her words haunt us. This is why we do what we do. This is why we can’t stop.
Our Emergency Response: Racing Against Time
Or Lacholeh has launched an immediate emergency response, but the overwhelming demand is stretching our capacity to its limits:
What We’re Doing Right Now:
- Mobile meal teams working around the clock
- Hospital partnerships providing hot meals and food vouchers to patients and families
- Emergency hotline operating to respond to crisis calls
- Special distributions of comfort items for chronically ill patients
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“Families are calling us at 2 a.m. because they’re not just hungry—they’re terrified,” notes Schreiber. “Children are crying. Elderly patients are rationing medication because they can’t eat properly. This is a humanitarian emergency.”
The Immediate Need is Stark
250+ families need hot, nutritious meals TODAY. Many have depleted their savings, lost income, or face crushing medical expenses on top of their ongoing health battles. They cannot wait.
Our Emergency Response Includes:
- Immediate hot meal delivery for homebound families
- Food vouchers for families afraid to venture out to shop
- Special care packages with comfort items for chronically ill patients
- 24/7 crisis support through our emergency hotline
Every Minute Counts
Families are going hungry right now. Or Lacholeh operates entirely on donations, and we need emergency funding to feed these 250+ families who have nowhere else to turn.
“Every minute matters,” emphasizes Schreiber. “$36 provides an emergency hot meal for a sick child TODAY. $72 feeds two elderly patients NOW. $250 supplies an immediate food voucher for an entire family.”
How You Can Help Today
Your support has always been the backbone of our work. Today, when 250 families are crying out for help, we know you’ll respond.
Every dollar becomes a lifeline. Every meal says to a frightened child, “You are not forgotten.”
Make an immediate impact:
- $36Â – Emergency hot meal for a sick child
- $72Â – Feeds two elderly patients
- $250Â – Food voucher for an entire family
- $500Â – Emergency food support for multiple families
Israel cannot wait. These families need food, they need hope—and they need it now.
DONATE NOW: www.healisrael.org/war25
Don’t let another family go hungry tonight. Time is running out, and these families need you today.
