https://www.facebook.com/384548141408348/

The Helmet Fairy

Home
Israel
Tel Aviv
The Helmet Fairy

Proud mom of combat soldier, fundraiser and purchaser of soldier's equipment.

www.thehelmetfairy.com

In my other life - Owner of Laura Cowan Modern Jewish Gifts

www.lauracowan.com

20/09/2026

URGENT: We need 20 tactical helmets for soldiers currently operating in Lebanon.

I’ve been contacted by R, a company commander in the Artillery Corps, who I originally helped with equipment two years ago. He now commands a newly established unit created specifically to counter the growing threat from enemy drones in Lebanon.

His teams attach to infantry forces in some of the most threatened areas. They deploy drone detection, interception and jamming systems, protect forces from aerial threats at their positions, and accompany them on operational missions. All of his teams are currently operating inside Lebanon.

One of his teams is a group of six female combat soldiers operating beyond the Litani River. They deploy anti-drone equipment and fly drones to locate enemy forces. Only their officer and sergeant have appropriate helmets. Four of the six women do not.

The unit has fallen between the cracks administratively. It was established under the Artillery Corps with the intention of transferring elsewhere, but that process stalled while the operational need continued to grow. They are being sent into Lebanon regardless.

They have tried every available route through the normal military channels to obtain the equipment their soldiers need. Nothing has worked.

R told me:

“This should deeply concern the commanders giving these orders. But right now, I’m the one who will have to give answers to the families of my soldiers.”

That is why he has finally turned to us for help.

His soldiers themselves are asking:

“If nobody cares about us, why are they sending us on missions like these?”

R believes replacing these helmets will do more than improve their physical protection. It will make an enormous difference to their confidence and morale, knowing that somebody is looking out for them.

I want to provide 20 proper tactical helmets so that every soldier going into Lebanon has this most basic piece of protective equipment.

Cost per helmet: ₪650 / $218
20 helmets: ₪13,000 / $4,350

With Yom Kippur approaching, and tzedakah very much in our thoughts at this time of year, I can’t think of a more tangible way to help protect someone.

You can sponsor one helmet, several helmets, or simply contribute towards one.

https://arifuld.org/campaigns/helmet-fairy/

06/09/2026

I have a burning desire to share what I did this weekend.

About a month ago, I saw a post on Facebook about a young man who had had a difficult childhood and had been estranged from one or both of his parents since the age of 14. What kept him going through this period was his dog, Mika, who was one of the most stable parts of his life.

He wrote that his dream as a child and as a young man was to get a driving licence and take Mika for a tiyul in nature. Because he had been estranged from his family for years, it never really happened.

I reached out to him and told him that I have a big jeep, experience with dogs and experience volunteering with young people, and that I would love to help him. My instinct was simply to help.

There were about 100 comments on the post, many of them saying it was a scam or a sting and asking why he was looking for a stranger to help him. But I know how Facebook works. It’s very easy to write things from behind a screen. It’s much harder to actually show up.

Yesterday, we arranged to meet. I drove two hours to pick him up, and then we picked up Mika. She is now 16, blind and has difficulty walking. To be honest, I don’t know how much time she has left.

We packed lots of snacks, and we found a sitting area beside the river at Ein Migdal. For those of you who don’t know it, Ein Migdal is at the far end of Nahal Hakibbutzim in Park HaMaayanot. The water is absolutely clear, it’s a really easy walk from the car park and it’s relatively quiet.

We sat down, had a picnic, and he took Mika into the water. Watching them both relax and seeing the weight of the world come off their shoulders was one of my best moments of this year.

Why am I writing this?

The Israeli elections are coming up, and we will all do our part by voting and hoping that our vote will make a difference, and that someone who represents us and wants to change Israel for the better will do their job properly.

But I truly believe that we don’t have to wait for politicians or organisations to change the world around us. Sometimes, if you open your eyes and see that somebody needs help, you can change their world from their perspective. Sometimes changing one person’s world is enough.

If it means getting out of your comfort zone, driving three hours in each direction or spending time with someone you have never met before, I think it’s worth it.

Chag sameach.

31/05/2026

I’ve opened a new fundraising campaign to help me respond faster to urgent requests from soldiers and units on the ground.

I’m not sure how much international coverage this has received, but the latest drone attacks against both soldiers and civilians have been especially brutal. The threat is changing quickly and, together with other hamalim and volunteers across the country, I’m working on creative ways to help protect people on the ground.

Some of the solutions are surprisingly simple, including fishing nets and other low-tech ideas that can help reduce the danger from drones. Other things I’d prefer not to discuss publicly.

Every donation helps me move faster and get equipment and materials where they are urgently needed.

Please help me get this campaign off to a strong start ❤️

Love,
Laura
The Helmet Fairy

I’ve chosen to host this campaign through the Ari Fuld Project. While they support many important initiatives, The Helmet Fairy remains completely independent.

Link in comments.

09/04/2026

Back again with a Lego for injured soldiers campaign.

I’m working with Dror for the Wounded and JUF Chicago to bring Lego sets into the Back to Life ward at Tel Hashomer. I’ll be buying and delivering them myself.

Lego helps with motor recovery and gives them something to focus on and build when everything else is on hold.

With my daughter now working as an injured soldier liaison, this one has even more meaning for me.

Link to donate in comments 🙏🏽

31/03/2026

Amazing to be included in the round up of orgs doing great work for Israel
https://www.instagram.com/p/DWjTyt1CF4o/?img_index=14&igsh=dHpyNnNjdDBjbW10

30/03/2026

I just finished helping a north Tel Aviv org on a gigantic drone project.

Budget 2,000,000₪
34 battalions

Drones, most $10,000–$50,000:

7 Flycart 100 (new release, delivers 80 kg of equipment without risking soldiers in enemy territory)
16 Evo Night
4 Evo
2 Matrice 4T
2 Mavic Pro
2 Mini 5 Pro
1 Avata

4 parachutes
4 electric winches
50 batteries

15 suppliers
102 signatures
5 months
148,974,357 messages
2 WhatsApp groups
2 Excel sheets
1 Google form

I did this alongside my art business and The Helmet Fairy.

This was a massive, one-off project I was brought in to help coordinate.

Now I need some rest 🫠

19/03/2026

My latest project for Pesach.

I’m partnering with an organisation that is subsidising over half the cost of food vouchers for lone soldiers and soldiers without family support.

Each voucher is worth 350 NIS ($115), and through this partnership I can get them for just 150 NIS ($50).

The soldiers receiving these are either verified or come through their welfare officers and these are physical food cards, collected in person.

Some are lone soldiers from the US, France, Brazil, Ukraine, Russia, South Africa and Ethiopia. Others are Israeli soldiers who are estranged from family or dealing with financial hardship at home.

If you’d like, this can also be given as a meaningful Pesach gift in honour of your Seder host, message me with your receipt and I’ll send a gift card.

Links in comments

18/03/2026

For those who’ve just joined the page, a bit of background:

I’ve been helping source equipment for soldiers since Tzuk Eitan (Operation Protectivr Edge) in 2014.
On 8 October I stepped this up into a full operation, starting with a drone project, and I haven’t really stopped since.

This is all fully voluntary.

Requests come to me directly from soldiers, mostly through word of mouth, across all kinds of units and ranks.

I take verification very seriously, I check everything through my network of army contacts and volunteers, and also ask for army ID, photos, or a quick video call when needed.

My focus is first and foremost on life-saving equipment: drones, helmets, and vests.
After that I help with things that make a real difference day to day, like boots, thermal clothing, and protective eyewear.

I also take on a small number of morale projects, like sending pizza into Gaza or Lego for injured soldiers, the kind of things that lift them (and me!) a bit in the middle of all this.

I help both mandatory and reserve soldiers.

I work closely with around 10 reserve logistics officers and stay with their units when they’re called up, helping them get what they need.

My adopted unit is a classified special ops tunnel team and we’ve built a close, ongoing relationship over time.

13/03/2026

We just raised funds here for 15 helmets for a team in Sayeret Givati.

The mother of one of the soldiers contacted me.

While we were messaging, she mentioned that one of the soldiers from the unit who was injured in Gaza recently ran the Tel Aviv 10km race with a prosthetic leg.

I suddenly realised I had seen the video. I had watched it several times over because I was so moved to tears by his bravery

Her son ran beside him.

Sometimes the dots connect in ways you don’t expect.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVQnOFzjNK3/?igsh=MTQxMXAzMDNmdjhqbA==

11/03/2026

A message today from the Special Ops tunnel team the Helmet Fairy adopted.

They are about to begin dangerous operations in Lebanon.

The equipment they carry is extremely heavy, and with the longer walking distances in Lebanon the boots many of them have simply aren’t holding up.

They asked if the Helmet Fairy could help them upgrade their boots before they start the mission.

The boots they need are Lowa combat boots, about $300 / 900₪ per pair.

If anyone would like to help cover a pair, or contribute toward one, I've put the links in the comments.

Everything is purchased and delivered directly to soldiers. All work is 100% voluntary.

Laura Cowan

Address

Tel Aviv
65151

Website

facebook.com

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Helmet Fairy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to The Helmet Fairy:

Want your organization to be the top-listed non profit organization in Tel Aviv?