The State of Israel wants more and more migrant caregiving workers, it needs them. But it wants them without lives, needs, wishes or souls of their own. This is the message the state conveys when it seeks to deport dozens of women and their children, children who were born in Israel, most of them more than 9 years old.

559 caregiving workers have been employed in Israel for over 16 years, legally, with state-issued permits. 2,228 workers have been employed here between 12 and 16 years. What do these statistics mean? They mean the state allows and even encourages these workers to stay, on the condition they will suspend the course of their lives, without falling in love, raising children or starting a family. They are expected to freeze in time, in order to care for our parents, grandparents and disabled family members. If somebody has already gotten pregnant and given birth, she is required to send the child to her home country, parting from the child before they turn 5. If the mother’s partner is working in Israel as well, one of them is deported immediately because, in the eyes of the State. they are just caregivers who have come here to serve us, not human beings who possess needs and emotions.

Kav LaOved stands in solidarity with the thousands of women we meet day by day, who give their lives for the livelihood of their far-away family, who devote their time to work that serves all of us and our loved ones. The bare minimum we can do for them is prevent the deportation of them and their children who’ve grown in Israeli society and don’t know any other place. Hebrew is their language and Israel is their home.

Kav LaOved – Worker’s Hotline is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization committed to the defense of worker’s rights and the enforcement of labor laws designed to protect every worker in Israel, irrespective of nationality, religion, gender, and legal status. Since its establishment in 1991, Kav LaOved has helped thousands of workers from all sectors realize and uphold their rights.