The single mom of a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces is selling off her belongings to finance a move from Queens to the Holy Land because she says “Israel needs all of us right now.”
Elana Kirschbaum, a 53-year-old former special education teacher from Forest Hills, is raising money to live in the war-torn country, scarred deeply by the Hamas massacre that claimed 1,300 lives and left 3,000 Israelis injured.
“I want to be closer to my son and I want to be with the Jewish people in Israel,” Kirschbaum told The Post from her longtime Queens home.
“In the midst of war-torn hell, I am still getting on a plane. But I need to raise money to live there – nobody’s working right now, and they’re especially not hiring teachers now since all the schools are closed.”
Kirschbaum is making the move while scores of Americans are scrambling to fly home from Israel to the US – and she’s willing to sell “literally almost everything that I own in this world, to move there.”
“I need this money to be able to survive,” she added.
Friends are flooding online message boards with appeals to support Kirschbaum’s weekend estate sale including “an entire lifetime of memories” and precious collectibles from her grandmother.
“[Kirschbaum] is selling her household items to finance a move back to her second homeland of Israel so she can be closer to her son, who is currently serving in the Israeli army,” reads the notice.
“She has some gorgeous antiques and other lovely and useful things. If you’re able to go support her, please do.”
Looking to help? Donate here to UJA-Federation of New York’s emergency fund to supply critical aid to the people of Israel, working with a network of nonprofits helping Jewish communities around the world.
Kirschbaum was overwhelmed by the turnout and support from total strangers “wanting to support the Jewish people.”
“Strangers came to my home and genuinely hugged me, saying, “You’re not alone’,” she said, recounting an exchange with one woman who bought two one-dollar glass items.
Even with friends begging her to indefinitely postpone the move, Kirschbaum is determined to stare down evil.
“It’s very comfortable here in New York. But life isn’t meant to be comfortable – life is meant to be challenging, good and bad. I’ve learned to fight. I can’t sit here and just wait,” she said, explaining a powerless feeling stateside.
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“I feel like I’m not worthy right now, sitting on my couch and watching the news and posting on social media. I want to be hands-on deck helping.”
Her 23-year-old son, David, works in high tech but was called up to fight along with scores of new husbands, dads, grandfathers, and even 95-year-olds.
“Everybody’s putting on a uniform,” she said.
Kirschbaum prays for everyone on the frontlines and behind the scenes “keeping everyone on the frontlines in high spirits.”
She admitted that while she’ll miss her pizza, Chinese food and pumpkin spice creamer, it’s a small price to pay for a heart at peace.
With many carriers suspending direct routes to Israel, Kirschbaum’s biggest worry is being able to fly out in two weeks.
And she already knows the first thing she’ll do upon arrival, a custom of many visitors: “I’m going to kiss the ground.”
