Israel Emergency Relief Efforts

Israel Emergency Relief Efforts*

Israel needs our continued support. Below is a carefully vetted list of organizations responding to urgent needs on the ground, ongoing wartime needs, and the long-term recovery efforts already underway in Israel. While not exhaustive, these trusted partners have a strong track record and come highly recommended by The Jewish Community Foundation and experts in the field. They represent some of the most immediate and effective ways to make a meaningful impact during this critical time.

The Center for Designed Philanthropy team is available to help you navigate these options or explore other areas that align with your interests. Please don’t hesitate to contact us.

* This is a working list and will be updated regularly as the situation on the ground in Israel evolves. Updated October 2025.

 

Emergency assistance to Those Immediately Impacted

  • American Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)
    The JDC is delivering critical humanitarian aid to Israelis affected by ongoing attacks—providing food, clothing, and mental health support, and assisting evacuees now living in temporary shelters. Building on its large-scale response since October 7, JDC continues to expand services for vulnerable populations, from children and seniors to people with disabilities, while helping devastated communities recover and rebuild.
  • Jewish Agency for Israel-North American Council (JAFINA)
    (Note: Rising Lion Emergency Fund)
    An emergency initiative providing immediate financial aid, trauma support, and resilience programs to Israeli families who have lost loved ones, been injured, or had their homes destroyed in recent attacks. In partnership with JFNA and Keren Hayesod, the fund ensures swift, direct assistance and long-term recovery for those most affected.
  • Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA)
    (Note: Israel Emergency Fund)
    JFNA’s Israel Emergency Fund supports Israelis affected by the recent Iran-Israel conflict. Funds are supporting hospitals, victims of attacks, emergency services, and vulnerable populations, including mental health programs, bomb shelter upgrades, and food aid.

 

Food Insecurity

  • Latet
    (Fiscal Sponsor: American Friends of Latet Humanitarian Aid Inc.)
    Latet has launched an emergency operation to provide vulnerable populations across Israel with essential supplies. Their target populations include Holocaust survivors and elderly individuals with limited access to basic necessities, families who have been evacuated due to missile damage, and other populations who might need vital assistance as a result of the ongoing security situation.
  • Leket
    (Fiscal Sponsor: American Friends of Leket Israel)
    Leket is directly purchasing prepared meals and fresh produce to support vulnerable populations, including the elderly, homebound individuals, single-parent families, and those living in poverty. The traditional food sources it relies on such as the IDF, corporate cafeterias, and farms are currently inaccessible due to the war.

 

Psychological First-Aid

  • Eran
    (Fiscal Sponsor: US Friends of Eran)
    ERAN has been on the front lines of emotional first aid in Israel for over 50 years, providing immediate mental health support to hundreds of thousands of people in crisis. During the current Operation Rising Lion, ERAN has already responded to over 10,000 calls in just a few days, with more than 520,000 distress calls received since the start of the war. Through a 24/7 national hotline, multilingual services, and a network of 1,850 trained volunteers, ERAN offers life-saving care to soldiers, families, immigrants, and vulnerable populations, ensuring no one faces trauma or despair alone.
  • NATAL
    (Fiscal Sponsor: American Friends of NATAL)
    NATAL is providing vital trauma support for the ongoing crises, assisting individuals overwhelmed by anxiety, fear, and isolation. Operating 24/7 helplines staffed by trained professionals and volunteers, NATAL responded to over 700 calls in the first week of the Iran war, placed therapists in hotels hosting the displaced, and conducted guidance to health funds, damaged businesses and youth villages, offering continuous care essential for helping Israelis navigate the evolving situation.

 

Direct Hit Public Institutions

  • Soroka Medical Center
    (Fiscal Sponsor: American Friends of Soroka Medical Center)
    Soroka Medical Center, the only major hospital in southern Israel, suffered a direct hit from an Iranian missile on June 19, causing severe damage, injuring nearly 100 people, and halting most services. In response, Soroka has launched an emergency fund to rebuild its critical infrastructure and restore life-saving care for the region’s most vulnerable populations. Despite the devastation, Soroka’s dedicated staff remain on the frontlines, embodying resilience and an unshakable commitment to healing.
    • Weizmann Institute
      (Fiscal Sponsor: The American Committee for the Weizmann Institute)
      (Note: Emergency and Recovery Fund)
      The Weizmann Institute of Science, which is recognized worldwide as a leading multidisciplinary research center that is associated with six Nobel laureates, sustained a direct hit on June 15th, which damaged or destroyed five buildings and more than 40 laboratories.  Approximately 400 researchers and their families have been displaced, years of scientific research have been lost, with damage estimated at about $600M.

 

At-Risk Youth

  • Dror Israel
    (Fiscal Sponsor: US Friends of Dror Israel)
    Dror Israel works to bridge gaps and solve local problems through their youth movement (Noar Haoved Vehalomed), schools, educational projects, pre-military programs, and more. With 1,300 trained educators in 14 communities, Dror Israel betters the lives of 200,000 people every year. Dror Israel’s amutah Yesodot L’Zmicha focuses specifically on emergency issues in response to October 7th.
  • ELEM
    (Fiscal Sponsor: American Friends of ELEM)
    Israel’s leading organization which works with the most at-risk youth and young adults on the streets of Israel’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods, namely those suffering from domestic violence, substance abuse, neglect, bullying, homelessness, and prostitution. ELEM’s expertise is in engaging these youth, and helping them access a variety of programs that address their emotional, social, and educational needs. The organization offers services such as street outreach, counseling, mentoring and referrals to other services, to help young people overcome challenges and build better futures. It reaches around 12,500 youth annually.
  • Yeladim
    (Fiscal Sponsor: P.E.F., Amuta # 58-0109254)
    Yeladim is providing urgent emotional, financial, and housing support to children and young adults with no family safety net. Their emergency response includes trauma-informed care for orphaned and abandoned youth, immediate aid and mentorship for young adults facing homelessness and reserve duty, and critical resources for residential staff navigating prolonged crisis.