The Ultra-Orthodox Women Behind Israel's Largest Command Center: "We're Creating a Revolution"

Could it be that decades of struggle against the image of the ultra-Orthodox community as one that does not contribute to the state might be ending during these days of war? Is it possible that the ultra-Orthodox sector is on the verge of an unprecedented transformation, where its volunteering forces will propel it, strengthening the hundreds of thousands of fighters on the front lines?

If you ask Dr. Nahumi Yaffe, a researcher of ultra-Orthodox society at the School of Public Policy at Tel Aviv University, and her partner Odelia Perush, a business coach, we are now on the brink of a major revolution. And no, it's not something theoretical but a special initiative they are driving these days, conquering goals one after another, advancing the ultra-Orthodox public towards an unprecedented reality.

An Idea Turned Initiative

"It all started ten minutes after Simchat Torah ended," recalls Dr. Yaffe, "even before any of us knew the extent of the disaster, it was clear to me that I was going to do something about it."

Dr. Yaffe has led numerous studies on the ultra-Orthodox public and is considered one of the country's leading experts in mapping it. "I know what the ultra-Orthodox think about issues related to the state, and I assumed there would be a huge mobilization to contribute to the state in ways available to them," she explains. "I also knew that if a war developed, a strong civilian rear would be needed. In my past, I was a history teacher, and the situation really reminded me of what happened on the eve of World War II, when men were recruited to fight, and women were left behind taking roles on the civilian front. I realized that filling roles on the home front is what the ultra-Orthodox society is now facing."

Dr. Nahumi Yaffe

And what exactly did you plan to do?

"Initially, I reached out to a few more partners, and together we outlined several goals that the ultra-Orthodox society could mobilize for and be a part of. For this, we collaborated with the Kikar HaShabbat site and consulted with them on various issues. By Sunday morning, we had already started recruiting volunteers from the ultra-Orthodox community, determining who could help, and my children entered the data into the computer. We all felt this was a huge opportunity to act."

What goals did you think the ultra-Orthodox public could achieve?

"I set seven main goals suited primarily for the ultra-Orthodox community, such as organizing funerals, based on the understanding that as religious people, we know the practice better and know how to do it. Another goal is to organize food donations for anyone in need during the war, which also fits the ultra-Orthodox society because it is known for acts of kindness. Another goal was civilian transportation since many in the ultra-Orthodox community have vehicles, and they can greatly assist in this. This way, I continued to list small and large things where the ultra-Orthodox could take part if needed, and I knew it would be needed."

"Involved, Not Just Reactive"

At this stage, Dr. Yaffe recruited her friend Odelia Perush for the mission, an organizational consultant and CEO of 'Gwap' – a strategic consulting firm working extensively with ultra-Orthodox organizations and companies. She also has a deep familiarity with the sector, and it was tasked with examining things from a broader perspective, as an overall system and not a collection of actions.

"We are working quickly not to lose a moment," says Odelia. "Currently, our focus is divided into arms. For example, we established an arm that provides assistance to soldiers concerning equipment they need in any field, for which we maintain contact with donors from Israel and abroad. The second arm focuses on supporting mourning families, we are also recruiting manpower from the field for fulfilling essential roles on the home front, like supply chains for medicines, and similarly, we operate in other areas. Above all, we have the answer to the security issue, which is currently lacking, especially in ultra-Orthodox areas or areas with many men recruited to reserves. In this matter, by the way, we are also trying to invest in the long term, to see how the security system in the ultra-Orthodox community can be strengthened, both by unarmed individuals trained in defense tactics and diverse methods, and by increasing armed personnel in the ultra-Orthodox sector, which is vital in itself."

Odelia Perush

Odelia wants to emphasize something important: "This past year, as we all know, we have witnessed a very deep rift between the groups constituting the state of Israel, and I believe that now we, as an ultra-Orthodox public, have a historic opportunity to take an active part and become involved, proactive, and not just reactive to the reality unfolding in the country. Just as someone working in our command center asked me: 'Do they really need our help?' And when I asked him: 'Who is they?' he was a bit confused and initially replied: 'the state.' And then immediately corrected himself: 'the state is us, we need our own help.' "To be honest, that's exactly the engine prompting me to leave everything these days and be here at the command center," says Odelia. "These days, I'm here for 15 hours and even more, taking on tremendous tasks, all driven by the belief that the moment has arrived for the rules of the game to change, for the ultra-Orthodox society to become a much more active part of the systems in the State of Israel.

"By the way," she adds, "this does not contradict the fact that some of the ultra-Orthodox responsibility is not only to volunteer in these areas but also to contribute to Torah study. For instance, recently an amazing initiative has emerged where yeshiva students 'adopt a soldier' and study in their merit. It's very moving and certainly no less important than the practical activity."

How many volunteers are currently involved in the activity?

"Our numbers are incredibly impressive, and the scale is much larger than one might imagine: we have ten closely collaborating command centers spread across various neighborhoods, each one doing excellent work, driven by a spirit of volunteerism and a desire to contribute. We have thousands of volunteers active in many fields, we send volunteers daily to dozens of funerals, provide tents for sitting shivah, and also make contact with large funds operating in the ultra-Orthodox sector, collaborating with a very wide range of organizations, some bringing equipment worth millions of dollars to the country. We try to make use of the big volunteering power flowing now in the ultra-Orthodox sector, and simply bring it to action on the ground."

Odelia emphasizes that to know the existing needs and let the most suitable people handle them, they maintain contact with various bodies dealing with them, such as the Labor Center, Joint, and various guidance centers, creating amazing connections leading to significant collaborations.

Opportunity from Tragedy

Which streams in the ultra-Orthodox community are especially supporting your initiative?

"Everyone, really everyone," replies Dr. Yaffe. "We have volunteers from all streams – Hasidic, Lithuanian, and also Sephardic, including yeshiva and seminary students. Everyone understands that we have reached a point where we must act, and they are mobilizing to contribute."

The command center in action

And what do you plan to do with this entire setup after the war ends?

"It's still hard to know, but one thing is clear: what was is not what will be. The ultra-Orthodox society is currently undergoing a process it hasn't experienced during the existence of the state, connecting it to Israel and bringing it closer to other sectors. It developed from a tragedy, but there is no doubt it ultimately offers an unprecedented opportunity to find ways for deeper partnership and citizenship within something that is just as much ours as it is others'."