Since the beginning of the war in Israel, countless figures have come out with speeches, videos, articles, artwork and other expressions of their creativity and skills to enliven the nation and contribute to the overall wellness of Jews in Israel and abroad. One of those figures is 26-year-old Meira Cowland Kolatch, who began posting publicly to her Instagram story on Oct. 9, 2023, utilizing her experience in international politics to become an online political commentator.
Meira was on her honeymoon in Thailand on Oct. 7, and realized that the accounts of media outlets were starkly different to what her family was telling her. In an attempt to understand what truly had occurred, Meira started researching every available news site in both Hebrew and English, subsequently posting that information to her Instagram to get the word out to others abroad who were also desperate for news.
She quickly gained a substantial, loyal following of 60,000 over Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp who appreciate her candor, accurate and verifiable information free of the graphic and shocking images that news sites often rely on. Meira’s voice is laden with empathy, grace and wisdom, often tackling the viral controversies that follow the Israeli government and IDF on today’s social media. Her emphasis is on combating online anti-Israel rhetoric, as she strongly believes that the war must be fought on social media as well as on the battlefield. Kolatch does all this while managing a full-time job and more recently, expecting her first child while her husband fights in reserve duty in the IDF.
When friends offered to throw her a baby shower, Meira at first declined before admitting how much support she might actually need. In her outward thinking nature, she realized there must be others in the same position as her — a baby on the way and a husband away fighting a war, feeling the same fear, anxiety and isolation as she was in the newest stage of her life, one that should be shared between two now relegated to one. A post to her Instagram was all it took before the nominations came flooding in for pregnant wives of soldiers who could benefit from some additional love and care. The plan came together: a baby shower for 40 pregnant women of soldiers, all joined together in the hopes of feeling just a little less alone and a little more taken care of.
My own visit to Israel coincided with Meira’s request for extra helping hands, so I took the trip to Modi’in, joining the fray nearly two months into planning for the event. That day, volunteers spent nearly seven hours unpacking and sorting through the myriad of suitcases that had all been fully donated by Kolatch’s followers and well-known baby product brands. After organizing everything, we started separating the products into personalized duffle bags with the names of each woman embroidered on the front to act as the ultimate grab-and-go hospital bag when the time came. Hygiene products, comfortable pajamas, skin care, slippers and snacks were all packed into the bags, while another box held extra goodies for baby, like toys, spoons, muslins, onesies, a photo book, hats — anything imaginable that might have brought a smile to each mother’s face and given them one less thing to think about in preparation for their next steps.
Three days later, the day of the baby shower dawned, and women from all over Israel started pouring into the Modi’in apartment. All of the women were at different stages of pregnancies; some were even unable to make it due to having already given birth. The event was called “Our Jewish Revenge,” which Meira explained in her speech. In a time when the Jewish nation has suffered so much loss and sacrifice, “This is something that we all share together, even if we don’t know each other … we’re all fighting for the same thing.”
After a first round of catered food with a beautifully detailed tablescape laid by designer Yehudit Kosowsky, the mothers were ushered into different activities and booths. Mini-massage sessions were available in one room as well as individualized pregnancy photoshoots in another. Women switched off between that and a station that had all the necessary items to make personalized pacifier clips and baby mobiles, and were also given the opportunity to clothing shop from racks of brand-new donated clothing and loungewear.
There were also tables for meetings with pregnancy and postpartum professionals including a midwife, doula, clinical dietician, pediatric and pelvic floor physical therapists, and a lactation consultant. Each was chosen with care and the intention to fill a need that these women might not have had the headspace to do for themselves. Not all were first-time mothers; one woman remarked to me, “I’ve never had a baby shower before and this makes up for all of them.”
Meanwhile, I spent that time helping set out the aforementioned duffle bags and boxes around the table before slipping inside each one a printed out letter obtained from each of their husbands, and a coupon for a free baby photoshoot donated by tens of photographers around the country, each matched up to be within the best distance to each mother’s home, just another example of the thought that went into every aspect of the event.
After a deluxe dessert of cinnamon buns, smoothies, cupcakes and customized cookies, printed out and her talented assistant, Arella, led the group of expecting women in song. Arms linked together and eyes closed, the room echoed with the Misheberach for soldiers and “Acheinu,” knitting these women together in their shared, unique experience, and imbuing each one with hope and a feeling of solidarity. It was not hard to find the “why” in that gathering intertwined with song; it was a necessary reminder of what our nation fights for continuously.
The event ended with a raffle of other exciting prizes, including six brand-new strollers donated by Valco and Doona, every winner treated to a genuine round of applause from their fellows. Each mother was also given baby clothes based on the gender of her baby, a sketch drawing of her and her husband, as well as a paint by number of another picture to use as a relaxing activity for the future. Then, they were sent on their way, with a bag of frozen soups donated by Yael’s Soups, as well as the countless other packages and presents they had amassed over a few hours toted over their shoulders.
Having gotten a little peek behind the scenes, I can say with certainty that there is nothing more rewarding and special than putting in the extra effort on the homefront. In a war that sometimes feels endless and steeped in pain, there is so much light to be found in the things that seem small but have lasting impacts. It’s not that one woman received some free baby clothes, rather it’s that the gift represents the arms of her nation, holding her up when the darkness gets heavy.
