It was cold and rainy on a recent evening at Shuva Junction, near the Gaza border.

But inside a roadside stopping point, Shuva Achim (Shuva Brothers), all was warm and cozy.

Reserve soldiers in their 40s sat on wooden benches sipping hot soup, while conscripts dug into plates of steaming goulash.

“This is real home cooking,” said one. “It’s like being at home.”

In a corner, a soldier played guitar while a volunteer from Germany sang along.

Nearby, retired physiotherapist Yevgenia Menschikovsky doled out food. A resident of Netivot originally from Kazakhstan, she and her husband, Boris, have become regulars here.

“My husband peels and cuts, and I cook,” she explained, gesturing to her spread of rice, quiche and potatoes.

While the nation’s attention focuses on the possibility of missiles from Iran and Lebanon, soldiers are still moving in and out of Gaza.

Before they enter and just after they leave, Shuva Achim awaits them. Its guiding spirit, Dror Trabelsi, 31, calls the gathering spot a “Tent of Abraham,” where everyone is welcome.

Trabelsi is a whirlwind of energy, frequently breaking off a conversation to hug a soldier or solve a logistical problem. Whether a soldier needs Teflon plumber’s tape or has to organize a quiet place for commanders to sleep, Trabelsi finds the solution.

“Shuva Achim was never about the tables and food,” he said, “but about people who can help you now, with zero bureaucracy.”

Part of the wooden roadside stop has a special section for clothing, underwear, hygiene items, and more — all provided free to soldiers.

Just eight minutes from the Gaza border and a minute from Route 232, Shuva Junction was largely commandeered by Hamas on October 7, 2023. After IDF forces neutralized the terrorists who attacked rescue vehicles that morning, the army designated the junction as a safe point for a field hospital.

The initiative began that very day........

© The Times of Israel