As massive IDF call-ups leave families adrift, volunteers step in to act as lifesavers

This past Hanukkah, Rose Modlin and her two young children celebrated at the home of their dear friends Tal and Yossi Breuer. Tal held Rose’s youngest, Rif, while 5-year-old Regev stood next to Yossi as they sang the Hanukkah blessings. To an outsider, it may have seemed like a typical family gathering — but the Modlins and Breuers had only met in November 2023 through a program called HaOgen for Drafted Families.

HaOgen, or the anchor, offers support to families of Israeli military reservists, connecting them with volunteers who assist with tasks such as cooking, childcare, tutoring and laundry. The initiative, founded by former Knesset member Rachel Azaria, grew out of her experience as deputy mayor of Jerusalem, when she was struck by the overwhelming demands placed on families during military call-ups and wanted to provide practical support.

Azaria’s initiative began as a small-scale operation in 2014, but following the October 7, 2023, Hamas invasion, she relaunched HaOgen on a national level. As of December 2024, the Israel Defense Forces has officially endorsed the project as part of an umbrella of programs utilized by 130 municipalities across Israel.

Some 300,000 reserve soldiers were mobilized by the IDF in the wake of the October 7 massacre, leaving businesses without employees and families bereft of parents for months on end as Israel fought the Hamas regime in the Gaza Strip and defended against Hezbollah bombardments on the northern border.

Among them was Modlin’s husband Yogev. At first, she was reluctant to accept aid.

“I didn’t think I needed help,” Modlin said. “But the emotional toll was much harder than I expected.”

Families and supporters of HaOgen. (Hadas Kuznits)

Modlin’s family was already grieving the loss of her cousin, Sharon Gordani, who had been killed on October 7 during the Supernova music festival massacre. Balancing the grief with raising two young children alone, Rose reluctantly turned to HaOgen. Within days, Ruchama Shriber, the coordinator in her home city of Ra’anana, connected Modlin with nearby volunteer Tal Breuer.

Breuer, a retired professional, had been motivated to volunteer after seeing an ad for HaOgen.

“I felt a strong pull to help,” she said. “It was impossible to just sit at home.”

A longstanding need

Though it has only recently gained national recognition, HaOgen’s roots go back to Operation Protective Edge, a 50-day war fought between Israel and Hamas-led fighters in Gaza in 2014. At the time, Azaria was deputy mayor of Jerusalem, home to many reservists called up to fight in the war.

“Everyone was asking, ‘How can we help the reservists?’” Azaria recalled. “But I asked, ‘What about the families?’”

Azaria had personally experienced the challenge of balancing career and family when her own husband was called into service, leading her to create a network of volunteers.

The response was overwhelming, with more than 500 families served, but when the fighting ended, efforts to scale up the program were unsuccessful.

“It was a big deal. People were thankful, but the army didn’t understand the need to expand,” she said.

It was only after October 7, and the largest call-up in the army’s history, that it became clear that the IDF needed to partner with more organizations to help them meet the needs of reservists and their families, according to Michal Fatal, assistant to the IDF’s Chief Reserve Officer.

“We created a pilot program [to help reservists] prior to the war, and then after October 7, we realized we needed to include many more organizations,” she said.

The decision to revive HaOgen came when Azaria received a message from a mother who had been helped by the original program, as Israel went to war against Hamas in Gaza after the October 2023 onslaught led by the terror group, in which over 1,200 Israelis were slaughtered and 251 kidnapped to the Strip.

“I wasn’t sure at first if I should take action, but when I got that message, I knew it was time,” Azaria recalled. “I reached out to some of the women who had helped before, and we decided to go national.”

Since then, the program has quickly expanded, with regional coordinators across the country. HaOgen now assists over 20,000 families, providing practical and emotional support to help them cope with the absence of their loved ones.

Since December, it has been part of a network of programs that collaborate with the IDF to support reservists.

“We created a community of 130 municipalities, and we tell them who are the organizational leaders in each city,” Fatal said, adding that leaders in each city connect with IDF-backed organizations to conduct activities that best serve the reservists.

For Azaria, HaOgen’s value goes beyond logistics. It fosters a sense of community.

“We want these families to know they’re not alone,” she said. “What they’re doing is important, and we appreciate it.”

Volunteers answer the call

Once paired with Modlin, Breuer’s first task was to help her manage the emotional burden of attending a memorial for her cousin. Breuer and her husband Yossi took care of the children so Rose could attend her cousin’s “shloshim,” or 30-day memorial service.

Breuer’s help didn’t stop with childcare. She continued to visit regularly, offering both practical support and emotional relief.

“Having Tal around made me feel like I wasn’t alone,” said Modlin. “She didn’t just help with the physical things, but with the emotional weight of what I was going through.”

As their relationship deepened, Modlin began to view Breuer as more than a volunteer.

“Tal became part of our family,” she said. “My children love her, and I can talk to her about anything.”

For Breuer, the experience was just as meaningful. “I feel so connected to them,” she said. “Watching the kids grow has been such a joy. I’m retired and have the time to help. It’s a pleasure to give back.”

Over time, Modlin’s son, confused by their bond, began calling Breuer his “grandmother.” While she laughs at the notion, she understands why he sees her that way.

“We’ve become so close,” she said. “I’m not their grandmother, but I’m proud to be their ‘adoptive grandmother.’”

Reflecting on the experience

For Modlin, life as the spouse of a reservist is emotionally complex.

“People outside of Israel don’t fully understand the sacrifices we make,” she said. “My husband leaves behind a stable high-tech job to serve, and the emotional strain is immense.”

HaOgen’s mission is to ensure that families don’t have to carry that burden alone.

“Serving in the reserves is a national duty, but it shouldn’t just fall on them to shoulder the country’s problems,” Azaria said.

Breuer, for her part, emphasized the crucial role of being someone nearby when support is needed.

“I imagine that when you have parents who live nearby, we pick up the phone and the parent comes and it’s over,” she said. “But if you have parents who live a couple of hours away, if you need something right away, then it’s preferable to have someone nearby who can help immediately.”

As far as she’s concerned, Breuer believes she is that person for Modlin. Their connection, forged through HaOgen, has transcended the typical formalities that come with new relationships — and both women say the relationship will continue even after Yogev’s reserve duty ends.

“I think Rose and I have a connection that will continue as long as she wants it to,” Breuer said.