Reservist's Plea for Aid After Business Collapse Raises Over $130,000

Yahav Ohana, an Israeli reservist and plumbing business owner, has launched a public appeal for financial assistance after his business collapsed due to extended reserve duty. Ohana, from Gan Yavne, shared a personal video detailing his struggle with hundreds of thousands of shekels in debt, explaining that loan payments and supplier bills continued to accrue even while he was serving. The public has responded generously, contributing over 494,000 shekels (approximately $130,000 USD) towards a goal of 500,000 shekels, with less than 6,000 shekels remaining.

Ohana stated in the video, "Dear people of Israel, I have done quite a few reserve duty days, and I would be happy to do it again and again and again and contribute to the country." He opened his plumbing business at the beginning of 2026, but was called up for reserve duty just two weeks later. "Unfortunately, because of the reserve duty rounds, the business could not take off and even fell," he recounted.

He emphasized that the financial obligations did not cease during his service, saying, "Loans that keep coming down, payments to suppliers, during reserve duty it doesn't leave me." This situation, he explained, led to his current inability to manage the debts alone. Ohana and his wife, Rotem, who is also a reservist, are facing hundreds of thousands of shekels in debt. Their first child, a daughter, was born while Ohana was on duty. Ohana concluded his appeal by directly asking the public for help to "start a new page" for his family. Donations are recognized for tax purposes under section 46.