Tzlil’s Story: Finding Relief and Safety During a Time of Crisis

June 20th, 2024 |HaTikva Aid

Tzlil is a 70-year-old woman living in Ashkelon. She and her husband are parents of a disabled son, who, at the age of 40, is still dependent on their support. Tzlil’s mother is a 101-year-old Holocaust survivor who lives in a nursing home. During the initial months of Israel’s October 7th war, a missile fell four buildings away from their house, and the force of the blast caused all of their windows to shatter.

In Tzlil’s home, the emergency bomb shelter is on the first floor of the building, and their apartment is on the second floor. Her disabled son could not reach the shelter within the 15 seconds that residents of Ashkelon have between hearing an air raid siren and impact. In light of this, Tzlil decided to temporarily uproot her family and seek lodging in a safer part of Israel.

They also moved the 101-year-old grandmother to a more protected facility. The Israeli government did not officially recognize the need for this family to relocate to a safer place with easier access to bomb shelters, so the family had to bear all the expenses of the relocation, including the new nursing home. Tzlil works as a full-time accountant and provides the sole income for the entire family. HaTikva Project was blessed to be able to comfort this family by helping to lighten their financial burden.
*Name changed for privacy