Three thousand years ago, King Solomon wrote in Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) that there is “a time to be silent and a time to speak.” In today’s Hebrew slang, there’s also something known as a she’ilat kitbag (a “kitbag” question)—the kind of well-meaning query better left unasked.
The expression comes from a legendary Israel Defense Forces (IDF) anecdote: Before a long and strenuous march, a military commander instructed his soldiers to bring only weapons and vests. One earnest soldier asked, “Should we bring our kitbags too?” He was referring to the canvas bags used for carrying a soldier’s clothes, supplies and personal possessions.
The commander paused, then said, “Good idea—bring your kitbags.” The result? Every soldier had to carry the extra burden just because of one unnecessary question.
Since then, a kitbag question has come to mean a needless inquiry, one that complicates things for everyone else. While the idiom is rooted in frustration, it has sparked a powerful and uplifting response in one corner in southern Israel.
Across a footbridge from the train station in Hof Ashkelon, a small group of dedicated women has transformed a caravan trailer into a full-fledged lifeline for IDF soldiers and reservists. The initiative, now operating with the nonprofit Yashar LaChayal (Direct to the Soldier), supplies soldiers with everything needed to fill a kitbag: boots, blankets, winter gear, toiletries, and more—all entirely free of charge.
At the heart of the project is Beth Kesselman Newmark, who began collecting extra supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I had stuff,” she recalled in an interview with JNS. And she had time. Her children, social media savvy and proactive, helped spread the word. They even came up with a name: She’ilat KITBAG. The name was a twist on the Hebrew slang phrase and a nod to the idea that soldiers shouldn’t have to ask.
“What do you have?” they asked friends and followers. “We’ll borrow or lend what we can.” A recurring Facebook post in a private Anglo parent group about the high cost of “extras” for IDF service sparked a grassroots volunteer network.
Newmark, who made aliyah from the United States, initially lived with her family in Ra’anana before relocating to Ashkelon. Her husband, a civil engineer, came to work on the construction of Terminal 3 at Ben-Gurion Airport. They enrolled their children in Israeli public schools and when the project ended six years later, “the kids didn’t want to leave,” she said.
Newmark currently manages Emmaleh Student Housing in Be’er Sheva and recalled visiting the city a decade ago on a Nefesh B’Nefesh “Go South” tour, when WeWork at the Gav Yam hi-tech park was still under construction. “I’m thrilled that we made the move,” she said. “The energy is very inspiring, and we are all finding that we’re working more efficiently and creatively. We also meet fascinating people—and everyone speaks English!”
After Oct. 7, 2023, the project took on new urgency. Just two days after the Hamas terror attacks, on Oct. 9, tens of thousands of reservists—many in their 30s and 40s—were urgently called to serve their country. Most lacked basic gear. Within hours, everything—from dubonim (army jackets) to warm blankets—was cleaned out for those heading north to the border with Lebanon.
At the time, She’ilat KITBAG was still operating out of Be’er Sheva, using an empty apartment near the local train station to sort and distribute donations. Today, Newmark and a growing team of volunteers have now relocated to the Hof Ashkelon regional council, setting up a dedicated space near the city’s train station, outside ORT Kfar Silver.
There, a caravan trailer with proper shelving serves as the new distribution center. A “soft opening” was launched recently. A formal dedication has been postponed twice due to flight cancellations and the ongoing war. Still, the volunteer work continues.
The “gemach” (free-loan center) is now supported by a core team of 15 women who sort and organize items for soldiers’ kitbags. While She’ilat KITBAG primarily focuses on soldiers, both men and women, from financially distressed homes (estimated to make up nearly 20% of all IDF troops), their services are available to anyone in uniform.
No questions are asked. Everything is donated, mostly second-hand, but in excellent condition. Socks are neatly folded and toiletries are arranged with care on the new shelving.
“We want them to feel honored,” stressed volunteer Tali Frank Horwitz. “To show our love, our gratitude, and help them carry not just a kitbag, but our support.”
“We are a group of volunteers from all over the country who work to meet the needs of every soldier so they can serve with dignity and respect,” Horwitz told JNS. “And like any good mother, we help pack their kitbag, for free! And with love!”
Today, she donates several hours a week to She’ilat KITBAG, balancing it with regular pickleball games played by a group of 20 local women. “We’re a team on the court and off,” she said, describing how their friendships have extended into this shared volunteer effort.
The organization operates through a grassroots network, coordinated through a dedicated WhatsApp group. Each city has a point person. Tasks are divided: Horwitz is reaching out to army mental health officials to make certain they know of the new location, others organize pickups, rides, or sort donated goods from homes and businesses.
“Everyone has a role,” Horwitz explained. “We gather items from all over, sometimes second-hand, sometimes brand-new, and we make sure they get to the soldiers who need them.”
The organization’s Hof Ashkelon center is open on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, when soldiers are most often in transit. The schedule, however, remains flexible due to need and security concerns.
“During the Iran war, we couldn’t open. It just wasn’t safe,” Newmark said. Even during uncertain times, the team keeps the flow going, quietly and efficiently.
Among the most requested items are functional and durable: Dri-Fit T-shirts, warm gloves, thermal gear, religious items, military-standard goggles and toiletries. Sometimes, even specialized items such as a military-grade watch were in demand when cell phones weren’t permitted in the field.
“We raised the money and moved it forward,” Newmark said.
The new Hof Ashkelon She’ilat KITBAG center was dedicated in loving memory of Cynthia Gasner, a woman known for her generous spirit. Her children, Myra Mechanic, Brenda and Brian Lass, Jon and Ellise Gasner in Toronto, Robert and Julea Gasner in Ashkelon, are sponsoring the center. Their donation helped transform a makeshift effort into a dedicated center that provides dignity, not charity, a place where soldiers don’t need to ask awkward kitbag questions.
As Horwitz explained, “A mother would not want to send her child to school with an empty pencil case. We want to make sure every soldier has what he or she needs in their kitbag. They come and receive what they need.”
She’ilat KITBAG ensures that no soldier’s identity is exposed.
Eitan, a lone soldier from New York, shared with JNS: “KITBAG not only gave me some clothes that I needed, but they also made it easy for me and made me feel like I could come back whenever needed.”
