Making a Real Difference

Jewish Federations of North America have been at the center of the North American Jewish response to October 7, expanding on a 100-year history of helping build, support, and sustain Israel through the good times and the bad. The extraordinary scope of the donations raised by Jewish Federations in the past year has made a real difference on the ground, with the money being used to support hundreds of worthy NGOs that help individuals and communities with basic, vital needs as well as with efforts to rebuild and boost long-term resilience.

"The rapid and thoughtful distribution of these funds is a testament to the skill and dedication of our professionals in Israel and North America. By coordinating with partners and meticulously vetting organizations, we enabled donors to give generously and confidently, demonstrating the power of the Federation system," asserts Eric Fingerhut, Jewish Federations President & CEO.

Jewish Federations were able to mobilize quickly to address the needs of evacuees, victims, IDF soldiers, and others – providing vital aid, emergency medical services, economic relief, and other essential support. This remarkable fundraising success demonstrates the extraordinary collective impact and dedication of all 146 Jewish Federations and the vast network of Jewish communities.

Among the many lifechanging initiatives that the Federations' Israel Emergency Campaign has enabled: the Mental Health in the Community project, ReGrow support for agriculture, and the First Contractions midwives project. Every donor to every Federation campaign which allocated funds to JFNA's Israel Emergency Response Committee can take pride in contributing to these remarkable initiatives.

Community-based mental health centers

To improve access to mental health care in Israel, Jewish Federations are contributing nearly $7 million to a new project in partnership with Israel's Ministry of Health. The project, Mental Health in the Community, is establishing 16 community-based mental health centers that will provide much-needed services to 200,000 Israelis each year. Budgeted at $14 million, the new centers are critical due to the enormous surge in the number of Israelis suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. The centers will provide day-treatment and hospitalization in a welcoming environment, without the stigma attached to mental health treatment in hospitals.

Jewish Federations' Israel Emergency Response Committee allocated $3.45 million to support the initiative and invited interested local Federations to join and help complete this effort. Chicago provided $2 million, while Toronto, Houston, and Dallas contributed $950,000, $500,000, and $300,000 respectively.

Rebecca Caspi, Director General of Jewish Federations of North America's Israel Office, said: "Given the deeply traumatic nature of the horrific terror attacks that day, the high number of people who were and remain evacuated from their homes, and so many other aspects of the war over the past year, addressing Israel's mental health challenges is a central component of the work we are doing."

"UJA has years of experience funding and witnessing the transformative impact of mental health services in Sderot. We have been seeking a partnership to expand this initiative on a national basis. These centers will help save lives, empower vulnerable individuals, and fortify Israeli resilience," said Adir Koschitzky, Co-Chair of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto's Israel & Overseas Committee.

Joe Kaplan, Jewish Federation of Greater Houston's Israel Emergency Committee Chair, said the initiative felt like an opportunity to give back. "Trauma partners from Israel came to Houston after Hurricane Harvey and provided impactful and valued relief services to our community, for which we are eternally grateful. I am very proud of the way the Houston community has stepped up to meet the significant known needs in Israel since the October 7 attacks."

Rebuilding devastated farms

On October 7, Hamas's vicious actions against humans overshadowed other despicable deeds carried out that day. In particular, few people are aware of the extent to which Hamas systematically and thoroughly destroyed the Western Negev's agricultural industry – taking their time to severely damage the kibbutzim's equipment and facilities. They did this knowing that the Western Negev is Israel's breadbasket, supplying 75% of its vegetables, 20% of its fruit, and 6.5% of its milk.

Determined to repair the colossal damage and revive the region's agriculture, local farmers soon discovered that the compensation offered by the government only covered about half of the cost. Jewish Federations of North America stepped in to help, partnering with ReGrow, a project of Volcani International Partnerships. Federations immediately pledged to provide grants of up to $12.5 million to urgently replace equipment destroyed and looted by Hamas terrorists.

"Right after October 7, we pivoted from our usual work promoting Israeli agriculture around the world in order to focus on rebuilding the farms of the Western Negev, to ensure that they emerge stronger than before," explained Danielle Abraham, Executive Director of Volcani International Partnerships. "After learning about the extent of Hamas's efforts to undermine Israeli agriculture, we knew that we needed to help them."

The agricultural damage incurred on October 7 was valued at around $25 million, of which the government would cover about 50%. ReGrow was determined to help close the gap. "Jewish Federations stepped up in the most incredible way. They displayed true leadership, and were instrumental in leading the way for philanthropic support of Israel's farmers, just like in the early days of Zionism," Abraham enthused. "We are proud to be able to play such a significant role in restoring agriculture to the Western Negev," added Rebecca Caspi, Director General of Jewish Federations of North America's Israel Office.

Midwives in Northern Israel

With ongoing rocket barrages and the heightened conflict with Hezbollah in Israel's north, residents of the region worry about receiving timely medical care. For pregnant women, this concern is especially pressing.

In response to this need, Jewish Federations are funding First Contractions, an initiative devised by the Israel Midwives Association in partnership with Magen David Adom. The idea is to assist women throughout their stressful pregnancy and especially in delivering their babies safely – even when war, terror attacks or blockades prevent immediate transport to a hospital. First Contractions matches professional midwives with expectant mothers, providing the midwives with the training and equipment they need to best assist pregnant women at home.

The first phase of the project involves mapping expectant women in the north who may need midwife services, and helping to connect them with on-call midwives who are geographically close to them. "The purpose of midwifery is to accompany women during both routine times and emergencies," explains Yifat Rubanenko of the Israel Midwives Association.

These are just a few of the many initiatives which are helping Israelis cope with the aftermath of October 7 and the ensuing war, and which are made possible thanks to generous donors throughout North America who contributed to the Federations' Israel Emergency Campaign.

Reviving Kibbutz Nahal Oz

Kibbutz Nahal Oz, which borders the Gaza Strip and is known for its extensive cutting-edge agriculture, was one of the communities infiltrated by Hamas terrorists. In addition to killing 13 people and taking seven more hostage, they meticulously destroyed Nahal Oz's state-of-the-art dairy, its entire irrigation system, water reservoir and more. "Out of ten tractors, they stole nine and burned one," says Moran Freibach, head of agriculture and security for Kibbutz Nahal Oz. "They threw a grenade at our cowshed, punctured every irrigation pipe, burned down our offices and shot holes in all the milk vats. They took their time."

As soon as he saw the damage, Freibach was determined to repair as much of it as possible as quickly as possible, even though Nahal Oz was evacuated and considered a war zone. "From the beginning, ReGrow was a huge help. Thanks to them, we were able to buy new tractors and other vital equipment. Each tractor costs $50,000 and it will cost around $400,000 to repair our reservoir." Today, Nahal Oz is once again growing bananas, avocados, potatoes, carrots, onions and wheat. "This is a strategic national issue. We are working very hard to ensure that Israel continues growing its own food. We must farm our land right up to the border; otherwise, it will become no man's land," Freibach insists.

"The Israel Emergency Response Committee has identified this initiative as an urgent priority as part of its work in the area of economic relief and rescue, and a central first move to help the communities of the Western Negev rebuild following the devastation of October 7," adds Jeff Schoenfeld, Co-Chair of Jewish Federations' Israel Emergency Fund.

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Partnered with Jewish Federations of North America