Ayin Tova: Therapeutic Knitting Circles in Israel

Ayin Tova (literally: 'a good stich' or 'a good eye') is a community organized group of knitting circles that serve over two dozen hotels housing evacuees and survivors from Israel's south and north. Our volunteers go to hotels with donated and purchased yarn, knitting needles, and embroidery supplies, and invite everyone that wants to sit and knit with us, to learn to knit or teach a new technique, or even just to untangle a mess of yarn.

Busy hands meet the meditative qualities of knitting and are able to smooth out a little bit of the noise - both internal and external - that are present in the current situation. It also keeps hands away from endless scrolling on phones and creates an opportunity for conversation, connection, and laughter, during a time when those things are so needed.

Our circles are mostly made up of elderly women who are feeling the challenges of this period in very acute ways, though we often have children and teenagers join us, and we are excited to share our love of knitting with a new generation.

We go through an incredible amount of yarn every week (sometimes more than 100 balls of yarn for a single knitting circle), and need donations so that we can continue to purchase yarn from local shops in Israel, supporting small businesses at the same time. Our knitting circles are entirely run by volunteers and funded by donations, so we need your help!

Every $5 buys a skein of yarn and knitting needles - please help us continue knitting together during a time when the tears in the fabric of our lives feel especially deep.