Hats off for a new fundraising initiative to help IDF soldiers
Yaron Bob is an artist in southern Israel who transforms shrapnel from Hamas rockets into menorahs for light. Similarly, the BRUSH organization, founded by Michael Kahan and Dr. Ilan Preiss, has invited Israeli artists to turn military helmets into works of art to raise money for soldiers who were injured or suffering from war trauma.
A huge fundraising effort was undertaken right after the Oct. 7 massacre to make sure each IDF reservist had the equipment they needed. There was a scramble to gather enough helmets for the 360,000 Israelis who were suddenly called to the front lines to defend the country.
Now, some of those helmets, worn by soldiers in battle, are being repurposed for the project.
The poignant initiative, reminiscent of Isaiah’s words about beating swords into plowshares (Isaiah 2:4), was spearheaded by BRUSH in collaboration with NATAL, Israel's Trauma and Resiliency Center.
BRUSH funds cutting-edge research and therapies that advance work in the area of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Together with Israeli artists, the organization created a new source of funding for the present crisis.
Each helmet has been creatively transformed into a meaningful masterpiece, and the entire collection has been displayed at events in London and Tel Aviv. All manner of symbolism and beauty has gone into transforming military equipment into messages of hope and significance at the hands of the Israeli artists.
Artists including Sigalit Landau, Eran Reshef, Maya Gold, Orit Fuchs, Miriam Cabessa, Ilan Baruch, Shira Barzilai (Koketit), Tzvika Lachman, and others showcased their artworks in both London and Tel Aviv at an event aptly named, “Helmets for Heroes.”
The customized helmets were auctioned by the TIROCHE auction house at the Carlton Hotel in Tel Aviv.
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Jo Elizabeth has a great interest in politics and cultural developments, studying Social Policy for her first degree and gaining a Masters in Jewish Philosophy from Haifa University, but she loves to write about the Bible and its primary subject, the God of Israel. As a writer, Jo spends her time between the UK and Jerusalem, Israel.
