As a third nationwide COVID lockdown weighs on Israel’s economy, the Employment Service reported that twice as many working women were laid off or put on furlough, as compared to their male counterparts.

More than two-thirds—68.5%—of Israel’s unemployed, as of the third lockdown, are women. Already, 84,493 women have lost their jobs since the beginning of the lockdown, which began December 27 and has already been extended into February with no end in sight. Figures from one year ago, two months prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, indicate that the percent of unemployed men (49.4%) was nearly identical to that of women (50.6%).

In families where single women are the household heads, the impact of losing income is devastating, immediately plunging the already struggling family below the poverty line. That’s precisely what Meir Panim’s Restaurant-Style Soup Kitchens encounter daily. As COVID lockdowns continue to take their toll on Israeli society and its economy, more and more single-parent families suffering from food insecurity are finding themselves at Meir Panim’s doors for the first time in their lives.

Meir Panim has done an impressive job keeping up with this ever-increasing influx of families who are new to the world of poverty… but there’s more to the problem. The economic crisis is not only increasing the demand for Meir Panim’s services, it is also straining its financial resources to keep up with the higher costs of meal production. That’s why Meir Panim is now turning to friends of Israel around the world to open their hearts and take action for their brothers and sisters abroad.

Can you take a moment to support Meir Panim’s efforts? If the answer is yes, make your donation online at www.mpdonate.org, through their toll-free number 1-877-736-6283 or by mail to American Friends of Meir Panim at 88 Walton Street, suite B1, Brooklyn, NY 11206.

By Marlene Goldman