On Saturday, October 7th, the lives of Israelis living on the Southern border were turned upside down. We watched in horror as people of all ages were brutally murdered and entire communities burned to the ground. Even those who managed to escape lost everything. Since that day, which has come to be known as Black Shabbat, Israelis – including Jews, Arabs, Bedouins, Druze, and many others – have mobilized in incredible ways to support the survivors, giving them the space to grieve and one day rebuild.
We are a woman-owned Israeli brand called Kisim, operating in Israel since 1999, producing bags and accessories designed by Yael Rosen. All of our products are handmade with lots of love and attention to detail – with a portion of our products made by our Palestinian neighbors in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Since October 7th, we have been hard at work volunteering on the civilian front – from making hundreds of sandwiches for reserve soldiers to furnishing temporary apartments for displaced families.
Even as we continue to focus on helping those around us, we also fear for our own livelihoods amidst this war. These are not easy days to be a small business in Israel, and we know that the road ahead will be a long one. Today we are launching a new initiative of women supporting women: for every bag purchased we will send a second to a woman from the South. By purchasing one of our beautifully made products from Kisim, you can support women who have lost so much, a woman-owned small business, and the many workers who we employ across Israel and Palestine.
It may be a small gesture, but we believe that in these dark moments, it is the cumulative impact of these small gestures that bring light into darkness.