War Fades, But Reservists Don't: The Woman Supporting Families Left Behind
As official aid for reservists' families decreases, Natali Hatuel Ochnik, owner of a Be'er Sheva pizzeria, has launched a personal initiative to provide meals and support to those left behind. Her efforts have become a lifeline for many in the community.
The fading of the war has largely led to a decrease in the scope of aid activities for the families of military personnel. This is despite the fact that reservists continue to serve for dozens and even hundreds of days, and their families are left behind. In Be'er Sheva, about 700 wives of reservists organized to join the "A-Ogen" ("The Anchor") organization, which provides wives of reservists with extensive accompaniment and support.
"A-Ogen" is an organization established on October 7, 2023, in Jerusalem to provide a full support system for families where one of the parents is in active reserve or career service. To date, 40,000 families have joined the organization, which is about 180,000 people. The organization operates about 20,000 volunteers in 700 branches across the country. It maintains collaborations with many bodies, including the IDF, the business sector, authorities, and more.
"I heard about this organization and joined. My husband is on reserve duty for a great many days, so I know what it's about," said Irit Kindler from Be'er Sheva. "One evening, a courier arrived and brought me pizza, pasta, and plenty of treats. I tried to find out who was behind this delivery to me, and I reached Natali Hatuel Ochnik, from the 'After' pizzeria in the Old City of Be'er Sheva."
"I treat the families of reservists to dinner," Natali Hatuel Ochnik, the woman behind the initiative, told Maariv. "It started because when the Iron Swords war began, I wanted to do my part. I don't serve in the reserves, so what is better than treating the families to a good dinner?" Ochnik and the pizza staff initially brought many pizza trays to the army units that defended the city and were deployed around and inside it.
"At first, we brought trays of pizza to the soldiers at the Iron Dome batteries. But I wanted to reach others too, and then the idea came to me to do something good for the wives of the reservists and their families. It worked out well, because after receiving a delivery, they would come here as customers," Natali said with a smile.
Hatuel Ochnik has been the owner of the "After" pizzeria for 17 years. "I have been managing the place since 2009. My husband and I have three wonderful daughters who help me a lot. This contribution fills me and gives me the strength to keep going. My late father told me to do something good every day. When I receive a thank-you message, it is the best."
Kindler and her husband are parents to three children, one of whom is also sometimes on reserve duty. The couple has four grandchildren. She said that after the women of the organization heard about Ochnik's extensive work, they organized to bring her a gift as a token of gratitude and appreciation for her activity.
"She receives the names of the reservists' families from one of the volunteers, and before preparing the delivery, she inquires in depth about which family will receive the treat meal, how many people are in it, if there are sensitivities to various foods, and such. She is simply an extraordinary personality."
