Since October 7th, numerous Israeli families who flew abroad to Europe without expecting to be in a situation where they would be unable to return home have had to deal with getting stuck in a foreign land with little to no money to spare, concerns about their safety due to rising anti-Semitism, and the knowledge that their loved ones are under a deadly threat at any given minute.
Without hesitation, our volunteers in Bulgaria stepped up to assist these families and ensure their safety first and foremost. The volunteers quickly planned transportation from the airports to the residences that they had acquired for the families. Some of the units required large deposits, and others required volunteers to purchase basic devices such as washing machines.
Several families still had immediate family members in Israel, like the Lapitsky family from Ashkelon. Alexandra, the mother, and Ruth, her daughter, ended up stranded abroad, while Eugene, Alexandra’s husband, remains in Israel. Needless to say, Ruth and Alexandra got all the help they needed, and Eugene was more than grateful: “Thanks to MTI, I know that my family is safe, protected, and cared for in a foreign country. Thanks to that, I can fully devote my heart to volunteering and helping my people in our homeland, Israel.” In addition to Eugene, Alexander was also separated from his family and was deeply thankful for the fact that his family is in good hands.
These photos are just a few of the many families that we have helped that agreed to have their photos taken; unfortunately, a lot of them had to ask not to publish their photos due to safety concerns because of their Jewish identity.
We and our volunteers sincerely hope and pray for all the people and families affected by the terrible things that are going on. We would like to continue to help and assist them as much as possible in the near future.