Father Designs T-Shirts to Ease Children's Anxiety Over Reserve Duty

A series of "Heart with Reservists" fairs, organized by Channel 12 News, will launch this week to support businesses run by IDF reservists. The first fair is scheduled to take place at Warehouse 2 in Jaffa Port from September 8th to 10th, operating daily from 2 PM to 11 PM. This initiative follows the success of a previous fair, "Heart with the North," which attracted approximately 40,000 visitors.

The "Heart with Reservists" fairs aim to bolster businesses, encourage "Made in Israel" purchases, and connect the public with reservists who have temporarily left their civilian lives to serve the country. Similar fairs are planned for Haifa (September 22-24), Jerusalem (September 16-18), and Beersheba (September 29-October 1).

Yakir Boaron, a reservist who has served over 380 days and is a father of three, will be participating with his business at the Jaffa fair. Boaron, originally an industrial designer of medical products, shared that after October 7th, he noticed his children experiencing sleep difficulties and emotional distress, which he described as a form of "separation anxiety" due to his repeated reserve duty call-ups. To help them cope, he began designing and producing t-shirts, bags, and stickers featuring characters representing different emotions and inner voices.

Boaron also spoke about the financial challenges reservists face. "I'm still feeling the difficulty with livelihood," he stated, explaining that his focus on reserve duty led to a halt in his regular projects, causing financial losses as clients moved on. He expressed his determination to persevere, saying, "I'm trying to fight for life."

Registration for businesses interested in participating in upcoming fairs remains open. The selection of vendors will be managed by the respective fair organizers in each city.