Jerusalem, 30 March, 2026 (TPS-IL) — When schools and daycare centers shut down during the war with Iran, Roi Offenbacher was looking for a way to keep his two young children occupied. Within weeks, the 46-year-old social worker from Jerusalem found himself producing a one-page magazine for families spending long hours in neighborhood shelters.
What started as a small idea in his home in Beit Hakerem has since become a weekly tradition for dozens of residents.
Offenbacher and his wife created “Miklaton,” a name their eight-year-old child came up with, combining the Hebrew words for shelter and newspaper. The result is a simple, single-sheet, double-sided publication designed specifically for life inside a shelter.
“I thought it would be nice to help people in shelters because our neighborhood is mostly filled with such shelters and not safe rooms at home,” Offenbacher told the Press Service of Israel. “So we decided to create a page with stories and activities and distribute it ourselves in shelters around the neighborhood.”
His wife, a state employee, created the page using Canva, while Offenbacher wrote the content. Each issue features a mix of light and engaging material: a trivia quiz, a short story, a poem, a section called a “shelter critique,” and a list of five facts related to the current situation.
The initial run consisted of 100 copies, printed at the family’s own expense. Offenbacher then went with his two young children through the neighborhood, finding shelters in older residential buildings and leaving copies inside.
“It was quite an experience to go and find the shelters in the neighborhood’s old buildings,” he said. “We just left a copy in each shelter.”
The response, he said, was immediate. “People really loved it and asked for more. So we made it into a weekly publication.”
For Offenbacher, the project is familiar territory. He mentioned that he has enjoyed writing for a long time and used to organize pub quizzes at local bars. However, under current conditions, the importance of his effort has changed. When asked if producing the magazine adds pressure during wartime, he said it has the opposite effect.
“It’s like therapy,” Offenbacher said. “Thinking creatively during wartime helps people cope, and it also fosters positive interactions in the shelter.” Residents say the effect is noticeable. Natalia, who also lives in Beit Hakerem, described the initiative as both simple and effective.
“I think it is an amazing, genius idea,” she said. “It creates a great atmosphere in the shelter. Children love it. It’s great.”