An ordinary day at the office of Hidabroot. The phone rings in the department, and one of the volunteers immediately tenses, ready to listen. On the line is a girl who managed to evade her abusive Arab mother-in-law for a few minutes in the Arab village where she lives, and to try to explain her location so they can come and rescue her. This time she adds that she has two small children with her, and they should take that into account …
Another incoming call. This time it’s a young girl on the line, confused and afraid, who discovered that she is pregnant and is considering an abortion because she can not cope alone.
Sounds farfetched? For the IMA Department, these two stories are commonplace. These are stories that unfortunately continue to take place under our noses every single day. But from now on, these women will no longer be alone in their distress. From today on, they have an address to turn to.
The IMA department has made it its mission to save hundreds of babies every year who are threatened by abortion, often resulting from a pregnant mother’s psychological distress. The department is run by hundreds of volunteers who help the mother during the pregnancy and after birth. Among other things, IMA takes care of the newborn mother in various ways: a volunteer closely accompanies the mother and offers her emotional support, provides a nanny for her other children, helps with cleaning, accompanies her for testing, provides doulas and postpartum counseling, drives her to have testing done, collects and gives out contributions, legal advice and more.
The Shvuyot department to prevent assimilation has similarly accomplished much in its field. For those who still do not know, more than 3,500 Jewish women are currently living in Gaza, and tens of thousands more of young Jewish girls are involved in romantic relationships with Arabs and Bedouins. The results of their falling in the trap set for them are painful, and sometimes even critical. The men’s operating method is familiar: Young Arab men court Jewish girls and develop intimate relationships with them, until they are agreeable to move in with them to their village, where they get them to convert to Islam and marry them. After that, their husbands drop their guise and subject them to abuse and cruelty on a daily basis. In even worse cases, their Jewish wives are treated like slaves whose function is to enrich the coffers of the man and his other wives and children. Every case involves various types of violence, and mental and physical suffering. The heartbreaking end for most of them is to simply disappear in the village and never leave it, and a significant number of cases even end in murder. The department’s principal activity is to rescue the girls and to help them rehabilitate themselves mentally and physically towards a new life. This year alone, thanks to the department’s activities and in cooperation with various agencies, hundreds of girls were saved from a hellish existence.
It was for just this reason that Hidabroot established the Department to Prevent Assimilation and Abortion. Our heart goes out to them, to every mother-to-be in mental distress, who might make a fateful decision that she’ll regret all her life; to every young and innocent girl who is endangering her life when she goes out with an Arab, sometimes without even realizing that he is an Arab. Make no mistake: this is not just about girls who come from slum neighborhoods, but happens even to girls from the best of homes.
We need you: If your heart goes out to them, if you also want to be part of these two extremely vital commandments and help us save Jewish lives — whether by donating or joining our volunteer organization — please call now.
Wish to join and help us?
For volunteering, donations, contributions of equipment for mother and child: 1-800-800-110
For counseling and guidance, please contact Tel: 1-800-800-110 or 052-9551591 or email [email protected]
