US students launch initiative to support wives of IDF reservists

(Israel Hayom via JNS) — American students volunteering in Israel launched an initiative to show appreciation to wives of IDF reservists serving in Gaza and Lebanon.

The project is a collaboration between the IS-Resilient organization and the OU-JLIC (Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus) student association.

The volunteers, mostly university students, visited the homes of soldiers from reserve units stationed on the Gaza and Lebanon fronts. With the wives managing their households alone, the students provided them with much-needed support by checking on their well-being, delivering gift cards, and offering gratitude for their sacrifices.

A Jerusalem resident whose husband is stationed at the northern border shared her experience after the visit: “Just when I had hit rock bottom and felt completely overwhelmed, three sweet Americans knocked on my door. … They handed me a card that said: ‘Thank you for your husband’s service and for keeping us safe all this time.’”

“After Oct. 7, I felt like I wanted to do more,” Hodaya Camargo, a student from Miami, shared. “I can’t describe the excitement I felt when I saw the light in the eyes of the women whose husbands are fighting right now. It was an incredible experience because I wanted to connect more closely with the people who are fighting for the entire Jewish nation.”

Gilad Gantz, one of the leaders of IS-Resilient Israel, said: “Having served for many months in reserves, I know that the main concern of the soldiers is not about themselves, but about the families they left behind. That’s why we saw great importance in reaching out to support the wives of the soldiers.

Originally published by Israel Hayom.