Committed to National Leadership

Since it was founded in 1977, the Tel Aviv Foundation has worked diligently to raise the quality of life in Tel Aviv-Yafo – leading more than 1,000 projects in the fields of education, culture, welfare, environment and innovation. Chaired by Ron Huldai, Mayor of Tel Aviv-Yafo, the Tel Aviv Foundation deserves much of the credit for the fact that residents rave about living in the city and visitors love to flock to its many attractions.

The devastating events of October 7 sent enormous shockwaves throughout Israel, igniting a deep desire to reach out and help one another in every way possible. Dr. Hila Oren, CEO of the Tel Aviv Foundation, immediately realized that it was vital to breach the Foundation's geographic boundaries in order to support other communities in their hour of need.

"At the Tel Aviv Foundation, we woke up the next morning and asked ourselves 'how can we act on a national level?' Our cultural institutions attract people from all over the country; our beach is open to everyone. But the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo sees itself as having national responsibility and, after October 7, we asked ourselves how we can go outside the city and help. We needed to stretch the borders of Tel Aviv," she recalls.

When the Registrar of NGOs decreed that Israeli non-profits would be allowed to operate beyond their official areas of activity, the Tel Aviv Foundation rapidly switched gears. From one day to the next, 20,000 evacuees from the Gaza Envelope area and from northern Israel moved to hotels and temporary housing in Tel Aviv. Mayor Huldai set the tone, warmly welcoming the traumatized evacuees and rapidly assuming a national leadership role.

"Local governments filled a vacuum after October 7," says Dr. Oren. Led by Huldai, the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality and the Tel Aviv Foundation embraced the evacuees who found refuge in Tel Aviv, making sure that they would feel welcomed in their host city. The newcomers were immediately granted all the benefits of other Tel Aviv residents, including access to all municipal services, and official representatives were assigned to each hotel to help solve individual problems as efficiently as possible.

Fostering a true partnership with the city of Sderot

As soon as the war broke out, Mayor Huldai approached Alon Davidi, the mayor of Sderot and Chair of the Sderot Foundation, to offer help and support. The city of Sderot is one of the communities in the Gaza Envelope that was brutally attacked by Hamas infiltrators and subsequently evacuated.

Dr. Oren says that the two cities – Tel Aviv and Sderot – developed a close and productive partnership for the benefit of all residents. "We formed relationships with their Treasurer, Chief Engineer, and their Municipality's entire management. We went there every week to meet with them. In just a few months, we designed an entire strategic plan with specific projects for rebuilding the city," she says.

One of the flagship projects that the Tel Aviv Foundation helped establish in Sderot is the Urban Living Room initiative. Tel Aviv is full of these wonderful public spaces, where locals can meet each other and also just relax. They are outdoor urban oases, with facilities such as shaded benches and tables that are conducive to interacting with others and also simply encourage people to leave their apartments to study, work or enjoy a pleasant break. As such, these spaces have proven therapeutic benefits, since they help ease loneliness, strengthen communities, and build resilience.

The urban living room which the Tel Aviv Foundation helped establish in Sderot was recently inaugurated and quickly became a popular venue for the residents – most of whom have already returned to their homes. "The mayor of Sderot asked me how to close the gap with Tel Aviv. This was a great way to bring Tel Aviv to Sderot, but not in an artificial manner. Rather, Sderot's new urban living room, situated near its commercial center and movie theater, fits the city's identity – it's a very friendly city with a resilient population that isn't afraid to be outside. This enables people to meet in a welcoming and safe environment, accessible to all, like in Tel Aviv," explains Dr. Oren.

"I strongly believe in the importance of public spaces to enable people from different backgrounds to interact. These spaces help people overcome loneliness, which is a real epidemic, and they contribute significantly to people's physical and mental health, including dealing with post-trauma," she adds.

The Tel Aviv Foundation also worked with officials in Sderot on a memorial project for Sderot's police department, after the local police station was overrun by Hamas terrorists on October 7 and 35 police officers and civilians were killed there.

Supporting stricken communities

In addition to Sderot, the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo reached out to many of the kibbutzim and moshavim near the Gaza Strip that experienced atrocities on October 7. For example, the entire population of Kibbutz Reim, which was attacked by terrorists and then evacuated, was offered free temporary housing in two new apartment buildings in Tel Aviv – enabling the entire community to remain together. The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality also nurtured a close relationship with Moshav Netiv HaAsara, where particularly vicious battles occurred and 22 people were murdered – providing strategic fundraising and long-term development consulting and resources.

Kibbutz Beeri is one of the communities whose names have become synonymous with the massacre of October 7. Prior to that horrific day, Beeri was known for its flourishing industry, famous printing press, and impressive art gallery – which was entirely burned down. Following a strong and fruitful ten-year long partnership with the German Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building, the Tel Aviv Foundation was invited to take part in the rebuilding of Beeri's art gallery. "The Tel Aviv Foundation was invited to be active partners in the project because of our experience and our ability to deliver. So now Tel Aviv is building in Beeri, with the support of our Board and Mayor Huldai. We expect to inaugurate the new Beeri Art Gallery In 2026," Dr. Oren elaborates.

The new Beeri Gallery will serve as a regional cultural and art center for the population of the Western Negev as well as for visitors from around the country, and will contribute to the region's rebirth and resilience. In the meantime, until construction is completed, the City of Tel Aviv-Yafo has allocated space enabling the Beeri Gallery to reopen in a temporary venue last May.

Cultivating national philanthropy

"We help everyone who asks. Throughout the war, we always found resources to help every person who contacted us," Dr. Oren emphasizes. In addition to pinpointed programs to help those in need, the Tel Aviv Foundation has also significantly expanded its largescale philanthropic initiatives.

As such, the Tel Aviv Foundation has been generously supporting Israelis who have been affected by the events of the past year, including soldiers and their families, security forces, evacuees, those suffering from PTSD, and many others. The Tel Aviv Foundation Orphans Fund has been providing immediate assistance and support to hundreds of Israeli children who lost a parent in the October 7th attack and in the Swords of Iron War.

"We are Israel's economic capital, and we have a national responsibility," stresses Dr. Oren. Looking to the future, the Tel Aviv Foundation is committed to continuing its national leadership role, helping all Israelis, and Israel as a whole, heal, overcome and rebuild.

For more information, please visit telavivfoundation.org/Oct–7/>>

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