There are wars we follow through headlines, and there are wars that quietly reshape daily life. In Israel today, it is both.
As the country continues to confront ongoing security threats, another, less visible front is expanding inside Israeli homes: a deepening struggle to maintain economic stability. This is not a side effect of the war. It is one of its consequences.
And as Passover approaches, that reality is becoming harder to ignore.
Passover and poverty
Passover is built around something tangible: a table, a meal, a sense of dignity and continuity. It is one of the few moments in the year when that expectation is nearly universal. But this year, for a growing number of Israelis, that basic expectation is no longer guaranteed.
New data from Latet’s annual pre-Passover socioeconomic report reveals just how widespread this strain has become. Today, more than half of Israelis (52.6%) either fear economic deterioration or are already experiencing financial distress. This is no longer confined to traditionally vulnerable populations. Economic pressure has become a shared reality across large parts of society.
Nearly one in four Israelis (24.1%) will celebrate Passover in a more restricted manner this year due to financial constraints, while over a third (37.1%) lack sufficient means to cover basic holiday expenses, including food for the Seder.
Behind these numbers lies a profound shift. Economic insecurity is no longer the exception. It is becoming the norm.
Among families already living in poverty, the situation is far more severe. An overwhelming 95% of aid recipients report that they do not have the means to purchase essential items for the holiday, and nearly 80% struggle to cover their day-to-day expenses. For many, the question is no longer how to celebrate Passover, but whether they can participate in it at all.
This is what nutritional insecurity looks like in practice. Not necessarily hunger, but constant compromise. Fewer items in the shopping cart. Skipping meals. Parents prioritizing their children’s needs over their own. Elderly people are forced to choose between food, medicine, and electricity.
Over time, these decisions accumulate. By the time a holiday arrives, the gap becomes visible - not as a headline, but as an absence.
According to the report, over 30% of Israelis say their economic situation has worsened in the past year, with many citing the rising cost of living and loss of income linked to the war. Among aid recipients, nearly half report a deterioration in their financial situation.
At the same time, the psychological toll is intensifying. Three out of four aid recipients report heightened stress due to the security situation, while across the general population, many describe a growing sense of uncertainty and instability.
This combination of economic strain and psychological pressure is what erodes resilience from within.
In times of conflict, it is tempting to treat social hardship as something to address later, once the immediate security threat subsides. But that approach misunderstands the nature of resilience. A society cannot remain strong if large segments of its population are struggling to meet their most basic needs.
At Latet, Israel’s largest NGO combatting poverty and nutritional insecurity, we see this every day. We provide monthly assistance to 500,000 Israelis in need, alongside dedicated programs supporting Holocaust survivors and elderly people. Now as Passover is approaching, we receive a surge of additional requests.
In moments like this, that work takes on added urgency.
Families displaced by rocket fire. Elderly individuals unable to reach protected spaces. Parents are navigating both physical insecurity and financial collapse. These are not separate challenges. They are interconnected.
Providing immediate assistance, including food, is not only about meeting urgent needs. It is about preserving a sense of stability in the face of disruption.
Despite the pressure and hardship, there is also hope - nearly half of Israelis (45%) say they intend to contribute to holiday meals or emergency assistance efforts this Passover. This reflects a deeply rooted sense of mutual responsibility - an understanding that resilience is not only built through institutions, but through collective action.
This is where the story is not only one of hardship, but of choice.
This moment calls for a broader understanding of what it means to support Israel. It is not only about standing with the country in times of war. It is also about strengthening the fabric of civilian life, ensuring that families can maintain dignity, that elderly people remain supported, and that traditions like Passover remain accessible to all.
Because the cost of war is not measured only on the battlefield.
This Passover, as we gather around the Seder table and retell the story of the Exodus, we should remember that freedom is sustained by responsibility. A strong society is one that does not leave its most vulnerable members behind, especially in wartime.
That is not charity. It is national resilience.
The writer is the CEO of Latet.