Business woman Chomi Shklar has owned a beloved boutique in Jerusalem for over 20 years. When war broke out on October 7th, Chomi’s boutique transformed into an operations room that would solve the problem of providing clothing to women who were evacuated from their homes.
Chomi’s Boutique
Together with her partner, Shabtai Michael Levy, Chomi has developed a unique method of serving the women who come to shop in her high end store. “I try very hard to get to know the woman standing in front of me. Who are you? Where are you from? What’s your background? Are you buying something for a special occasion? If everything goes well, the woman will make a purchase and become a friend.”
Corona Home Boutiques
During the Corona epidemic, with stores closed and shoppers stuck at home, Chomi made her first bold pivot. Knowing that what set her apart was the in-person customer service experience she offered, she reached out to her clients, asking them to become hosts for a week. The hosts then invited their friends to be part of an intimate boutique showing where women could meet face to face, touch the clothes, talk about their experiences, and enjoy each other’s company. At a time when the world felt lonely and afraid, these home boutiques brought human connection and joy.
After Corona ended, Chomi decided to start her own line of designer clothing.
Chomi’s Free, First Hand Traveling Boutiques for Women from the North and South
At the start of the war, Chomi received a call that women who had evacuated from their homes were in need of clothing. She immediately contacted her friends in the fashion business, collected boxes of clothing, and delivered them to the evacuees.
More calls started to come in. Women who had left home with just a small bag of summer items, who had no idea when they would be permitted to return home, were in dire need of clothes.
Chomi understood the importance of treating these courageous Israeli women with the utmost respect. Rather than providing them with used clothes that might highlight the fact that they were evacuees, she thought back to the days of Corona, and decided to set up boutiques which would offer new clothing. Chomi collected items from other boutiques and drove to Netanya, where a group of evacuees were being temporarily housed. There, she opened a free, first hand traveling boutique.
Chomi and her volunteers designed this pop-up shop to look and feel like a dignified, retail store. They invited each of the women to choose new clothes, free of charge, each according to their personal needs and tastes. Chomi and her volunteers helped guide them to choose beautiful items for themselves and their daughters; pieces of much needed clothing that were stylish and practical, that made the women smile, reminding them of their worth and of better days to come.
Since November 8th, this troop of volunteers has visited hotels and guest houses around the country, reaching over 30 locations where the evacuees are being housed. They have been invited to expand their services to include mothers of wounded soldiers who are staying in hotels indefinitely so that they can be at the bedsides of their hospitalized children.
Today, Chomi is facing a new challenge. Retailers who had been donating leftover summer stock to the evacuees have run out of clothing. They, too, are dealing with financial difficulties and are unable to continue donating. Cold weather has come to Israel, but the war has disrupted supply lines, and winter clothing is not arriving in stores as scheduled. The women who left their homes are unprepared for the changing season. Already accustomed to pivoting, Chomi has decided to use her clothing line to design and produce warm, practical clothing for these women in need.
Recognizing the healing and humanizing power of new clothing, Chomi’s goal is to give every evacuated woman a shopping experience where she can walk away with something that is brand new, restoring her dignity and reminding her of her value. However, she cannot accomplish this alone. Chomi needs funds to continue manufacturing winter clothes to women who have had to leave their homes. Your donation will aid her in creating practical winter clothing for displaced Israeli women.
The Project:
Emergency Assistance for Evacuated Women is raising funds to provide new warm clothing to women evacuated from their homes. Their team of 50 volunteers are committed to reaching every evacuated woman in Israel to supply her with new winter clothing and a feeling of respect.
How to Give:
Emergency Assistance for Evacuated Women has teamed up with Israel Gives and Or LaNegev U’LeGalil to provide donors with tax deductible receipts. Click here to donate
Kosher Status:
The Emergency Assistance for Evacuated Women initiative has partnered with the Or LaNegev U’LeGalil organization who receives the earmarked donations and is responsible for the finances. Or LaNegev U”LeGalil is an Israeli nonprofit founded in 2013 to strengthen the periphery- the Negev and the Galillee- and its people. It holds a Certificate of Proper Management and Section 46 status.
Fine Print:
Kosher Giving is dedicated to providing information and insights about charitable projects to assist donors in making informed decisions. While we strive to offer valuable resources and vetted information, we do not endorse or recommend specific projects. Ultimately, the choice to support a particular project is a personal decision that should align with your individual philanthropic goals and values.