As our major hub for war-relief efforts, the Meir Panim branch in Or Akiva has been working overtime since the very first day of the war, now over three months. This branch, and enormous task, is fueled by over 50 volunteers each day, cooking, preparing, packaging and distributing meals and goods all over the country. 

In order to keep up their sense of mission and truly get to understand the impact and importance of their work each day, Meir Panim coordinated an experiential evening at the site of some of October 7th’s worst atrocities. 

The team, a group of loyal volunteers and leaders led by our branch manager, Ilanit Hafuta, visited Keren Shalom, a town on the Gaza and Egypt border. During this visit they met with evacuated families and troops who defended the town on October 7th, and have remained steadfast to the security of the entire country on that border. Their guides were residents, who while evacuated from the area now, came back home momentarily to provide this insider briefing. 

While this meeting was emotionally challenging to bear, it served as a deep reminder, again, months into war, of the lifesaving work our troops are doing each day, and the challenges our displaced families are encountering, and provided so much meaning for the work Meir Panim is doing providing whatever we can for them.

Of course, a group of Meir Panim staff and volunteers would not arrive without our signature warm and nutritious meals, and concluded by hosting a BBQ for a group of 350 troops who were on a break before continuing on in their mission. Truly, the work we do each day is an honor.