Many women dreamed for years of starting their own independent business and managed to fulfill their dream, but then the war came and their spouses were drafted into the reserves.
Galant: "The reservists showed up, without setting conditions. The state has a supreme obligation to take care of all their needs" // Yoni Rikner
More than 17,<> women, who own their own businesses, found themselves in one day with a partner who had been drafted into the reserves and with the need to maneuver between home and business. They cannot take paid leave or sick days. The entire business, its continued functioning and operation, maintaining its reputation, is on their shoulders and the price they pay is heavy.
Most independent businesses close within three years of their establishment, and begin to be profitable only in their fifth year of existence. In the wake of the war, their numbers are expected to rise further as more businesses close, if not already closed. As we published in Israel Hayom last week, in a survey conducted by "Brain Database" for "Fighting for Home - Forum of Reservists' Wives," among 1,246 salaried and self-employed women whose spouses are in the reserves, 91% of self-employed women reported a decline in work and income.
More than 17,<> women, who own their own businesses, found themselves in one day with a partner who had been drafted into the reserves. Reservists (archive), photo: Dudu Greenspan
The survey examined the implications of the war on women who are employed or self-employed. 78% of all respondents reported a decline in household income since their spouse left for reserve duty, of which 46% reported a decrease of between NIS 2,000 and NIS 10,000, while 10% reported a decrease of more than NIS 10,000. The war and the absence of the father have a profound effect on the mental state of both spouses and children. In a survey, 98 per cent of respondents agreed that they had felt sad or unhappy in recent months, and 79 per cent reported negative changes in their children's mental state since their spouse went on reserve duty.
Sagit Bachner from Givat Brenner, mother of three and one of the leaders of the Forum of Reservists' Wives, is an organizational consultant who established a business to develop board games and original workshops. 2023 was supposed to be the breakout year for her new business. When she gave birth to her young son eight months ago, it was her husband Matan who took maternity leave so she could promote her new business. But then the war broke out and Matan was drafted as a fighter in the 55th Paratroopers Brigade, and has been inside Gaza for more than a month.
"A big blow to self-sufficiency." Sagit Bachner, Cinematography: Yossi Altie and Ella Pausas
"Before the war, we had closed workshops months ahead and another game in development, and everything just stopped. A year and a half of work went down the drain. I'm at home with my little boy, unable to develop the game. It takes action and thinking – and I'm not there. My mind is preoccupied with fears and worries about how I will survive the day-to-day. The children are crying and want their father. Even in my work as an organizational consultant, I was left with 20% work," she says. The grant it is supposed to receive from the state will not cover the losses it has incurred now and in the future.
Earlier this week, the government approved the first phase of the outline of assistance to reservists, which includes financial grants to the self-employed. The independent women of the reservists were left out of it. "At the end of the day, we are one family unit, and there is great harm to self-employed women whose spouses are in the reserves. There is no reason to make a distinction between a reservist who is independent and a reservist's wife who is independent," Sagit says.
Matan, Sagit's husband, together with their children,
With the kids 24/7
Yasmin Almog-Strick, a resident of Anatot, is a naturopathic and graduate student in psychotherapy who accompanies people coping with chronic diseases. A few years ago, she opened a clinic and began receiving patients. On 7 October, her husband, Uri, was drafted into reserve duty in Samaria, and since then he has occasionally made visits of less than 24 hours. For the first few weeks, she was at home with the children.
"I received quite a few calls during this period, but I was with the children 24/7 and couldn't get patients at home. Even when they were back in the frameworks, I couldn't see patients in the afternoon because the children were with me, and not even on Fridays, because the frameworks didn't work."
"Everything just evaporated." Yasmin Almog-Strick,
"Can't go away"
Yasmin says her husband's absence greatly affected the children's condition. "He's a significant figure to them, and it's evident in their experience and behavior, and I have to be one hundred percent with them. I can't disappear to their clinic in the afternoon because they're very anxious. The main volume of my work was in the afternoons and on Fridays, and everything just evaporated. People reach out to me, and I tell them I can't start a process with them because I have to own a house by myself with all the implications of that."
Even in Jasmine's case, the NIS 2,000 grant she received from the state due to the damage the war caused to the business did not cover the losses she suffered. "These compensations are just a shame, there's no other word. From a thriving clinic, which I worked very hard to build, I got to the point where I haven't put anything in for almost three months," she says. "I expect the state to recognize that the women reservists are at the front. They are not the home front, they are the ones who hold it all. I've also been in reserve duty for more than 90 days. I wasn't compensated for not being able to work, because my husband is in reserve duty and my business is collapsing because of it. We need the help of the state now - not in a few months. I feel like we're transparent and it's a very difficult experience."
Asaf, Jasmine's husband, together with their children,
The thriving business of Hadassah Yitzhak Sharett, a Yeruham resident and mother of three young daughters, was also severely damaged in the war. Her husband Yaniv, a commando officer, has been in reserve duty since October 7 and has been inside Gaza for more than two months. Hadassah is the owner of Zoak, a Moroccan art studio that also serves as a cultural and tourist center. "In normal times, hundreds of participants passed through us every month. Since the beginning of the war, our scope of activity has dropped by almost 100%. There is no group activity, no tourism activity, the income has almost completely stopped, but I still have expenses for the business – rent, municipal taxes, social security," she says.
"In such situations, you have to raise your head, think creatively and act in different directions so that business activity doesn't stop. But in a reality where Yaniv is in Gaza and his head and heart are with him - it's not a situation where you can be creative, both mentally and certainly when you have to take care of the mental health and resilience of your little girls. I can't really break through with new things."
"Revenue has almost completely stopped." Hadassah Yitzhak Sharett, Photo: Yossi Elti and Ella Pausas
The grant she received from the state barely covered some of the expenses. "I paid thousands of shekels to the state every month, but in such a challenging time, when my husband is at the front, I have no rights at all. I can't go on unpaid leave or get sick days. There are no benefits or concessions for women in the reserves, the kind that will help me continue to move the business wheels and maintain financial and family stability. On October 7, it was clear to Yaniv and I what price we as a family had to pay in order for our entire society to return to a safe life.
"The head and heart are with him." Hadassah and Yaniv, Photo: Yossi Elti and Ella Fausas
We had no doubt that Yaniv would be there, and we as a family would be strong and pay the required price. We fulfill our part of the social contract. I expect that the state will also fulfill its part of this contract and take care of us."
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us