Decades ago, their grandparents looked death in the eye, survived, and built families. Today, these women are doing all they can to help Ukrainian refugees
Elisheva Luger
Walking into Keter, a new “shop” in central Jerusalem, I see it’s buzzing. Women are inspecting the wares and selecting items from well-stocked racks and bins, while polite and helpful saleswomen hover nearby. There’s no cash register, because everything in the store is free, and the saleswomen are all volunteers, eager to help the “shoppers”— all refugees who have recently escaped war-torn Ukraine — get whatever they need to rebuild their lives and start anew.
This one-of-a-kind pop-up shop is stocked with anything the recent refugees might need: clothing, shoes, toiletries, medication, toys. Over 400 people have volunteered so far, helping to locate items for donations, transporting them to the pop-up shop or directly to hotels, where the refugees are staying. Keter has also received numerous humanitarian requests for dental emergencies, medical care, and even bashful requests to help throw a birthday party for a small child.
In the shop, I see men and women enter hesitantly, and leave with full arms and visibly lighter emotional loads; I see children’s faces light up, delighted to receive new toys of their own.
The refugees can come to the pop-up store and “shop” in a dignified manner, or even have a volunteer act as a personal shopper for them and then bring the items to their hotel room.
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