London Resident Remains in Israel to Make a Difference

By Sruly Meyer – COLlive

The war has brought a lot of heartbreak to Israel, and the response by Jews all over the world has been overwhelming. Inside and outside Israel the Jewish world has mobilized to respond with acts of kindness and goodness.

One such person is Chayli Fehler, the Founder and Director of Project ImpACT and the Step Up who lives in London, and had traveled to Israel for Sukkos.

However, when the war broke out, she made the decision to extend her stay and offer her assistance in any way possible. Fehler has experience running humanitarian programs for children during conflicts and natural disasters, particularly in East Africa, having just returned from running projects in Rwanda and Burundi.

When she heard from a friend that the town of Ofakim in the south of Israel was in dire need of support, she began focusing her efforts on this lesser-known town, which is home to approximately 40,000 Israelis.

Chayli connected with Rabbi Shneur Konig, who operates a Chabad House and a Soup Kitchen called the Kitchen of Hope. Without hesitation, she mobilized her efforts and a crew of volunteers to aid this community situated about 12 miles west of Beersheba and support them to deliver vital food and supplies to almost 50% of families that had not evacuated.

Ofakim, originally established as a development town in 1955, had once been a thriving textile manufacturing center. However, the outsourcing of textile production outside of Israel led to economic stagnation, resulting in high poverty and unemployment rates for many years.

During the recent conflict, Ofakim was directly impacted by terror attacks that claimed the lives of at least 47 people and took two days to be cleared of terrorists. The residents displayed remarkable resilience, such as one individual who used a broken bicycle to barricade the door of a shelter, preventing terrorists from entering. Tragically, members of Rabbi Konig’s community, who had been joyfully celebrating Simchas Torah the night before, were among those who lost their lives. Despite the challenges, the community continued to find hope and miracles amidst the devastation.

Chayli Fehler wasted no time and, within 24 hours and with support from Machane Yisroel at Chabad Headquarters, managed to raise almost $20,000, with hopes of raising more. She expressed her deep sense of duty to remain in Israel and provide support during this devastating time. Chayli assembled a team of international volunteers, and together they went to Ofakim to support the Soup Kitchen and work with Chabad.

Chayli and her volunteers also distributed food and toys to children in Ofakim, bringing joy to their lives during a tumultuous period. Chayli expressed her deep desire to raise awareness and support for this resilient town that had endured so much hardship.

Tragically, the town lost beloved individuals like Debbie, a key figure in organizing the Soup Kitchen before Sukkot. Rabbi Konig tells us, “Just days before Yom Tov she was writing down the names of families who she knew needed before Simchas Torah began.

In the midst of the conflict, there was a remarkable and now famous story of Rachel Edry, a resident of Ofakim, who displayed incredible hospitality towards terrorists who invaded her home. She served them treats, conversed with them in rudimentary Arabic, and even sang a Hebrew song with them. Her kindness may have saved her and her husband’s lives, as they were eventually rescued unharmed by the police.

Despite the pain and tragedy, the people of Ofakim emphasized the many miracles that occurred during the attacks. One man, Farug, who was also a volunteer at the Soup Kitchen, narrowly escaped danger by running home just before the terrorists arrived. His sukkah was miraculously mostly undamaged, and his family members were safe. His granddaughter even pointed out the sign of the Uspizin was left untouched still up on the Sukkah wall.

Despite the bullet holes and scars that marred the city, the community displayed immense resilience. One resident sacrificed his life to save his family, and volunteers continued to step up to ensure that the Soup Kitchen remained operational, providing food and comfort to those in need.

Rabbi Konig reports, “This week we distributed close to 400 food baskets, mostly delivered directly to families’ homes. We distributed 3500 meals this week alone. We’ve been helping bereaved families and we will continue to support these families throughout the year. We have been here for 19 years now. We are not going anywhere,” Rabbi Konig declares.

The Rabbi had his own miracle, as the town’s homes do not have bunkers, they use designated areas like the Chabad House to hide for safety when rockets fall. The Rabbi normally heads to the Shul at 6: 30 am to open it up, in the case of an emergency, yet on Shabbos morning when the sirens started the Rabbi’s wife told him not to go out, as she had a bad feeling. The Rabbi tells us, “Had I gone out to open the Shul I would have been killed, there were people shot and murdered right outside our home.”

The Mayor of Ofakim acknowledged the crucial role played by Rabbi Konig in the community’s survival, even going as far as to say, “In the merit of this Tzadik, our town had many miracles.”
Together with her team, Chayli also launched an international “Letters to Israel” campaign to uplift the spirits of soldiers, medical staff, and patients in Israeli hospitals. They have received letters from all over the world which are being printed every day and distributed by volunteers across Israel.

Chayli gives credit to her active volunteers, “We have an incredible team of volunteers that are working together at our Headquarters in (Noctorno) Jerusalem. Devora Laya Friedman, Mendel Shapiro and Avraham Raskin helped deliver letters to soldiers in the North, while Sima Goldstein, Etti Krinsky, Noemi Lasry and Kayla Roness helped with distributing toys and food in Ofakim. It touched the hearts of the residents to see British, American and Australian volunteers who came to give their time, love and support.

“These letters mean a huge amount to our brave soldiers, their faces light up as they read messages of support from around the world,” Devorah Laya explains.

To get involved, send your messages or drawings to send@letterstoisrael.org or @letterstoisrael18 and their volunteers will ensure your messages reach those who need them.

Their next widespread campaign gaining momentum is their innovative ‘Kits for Kids initiative’. Her team is currently preparing thousands of resilience ‘Kits for Kids’ with stress relieving toys and calming games to support the well-being of children together with the 12 Pesukim. These will be distributed by volunteers across Israel in the coming days. To be involved or support this project donate now at https://www.charidy.com/soupkitchen or contact kitsforkidsisrael@gmail.com