Israel Emergency Relief Efforts

Israel needs our support.

Below is a list of vetted organizations to support during these difficult times. While not comprehensive, these choices represent some of the best options in Israel, working in various areas with a proven track record of success.

Many well-known organizations, such as the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Friends of the IDF, and Magen David Adom are also strong choices. This list is different, and designed to broaden the scope of options for Foundation clients, by providing opportunities that are essential but less well-known.

The Center for Designed Philanthropy team are also available to discuss tailoring your individual giving priorities. Please don't hesitate to contact us.

Watch a recent webinar with our Israel Consultant Offi Zisser on how to support Israel through this crisis.

Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles

  • Swords of Iron Federation Emergency Response – The Los Angeles communal response to October 7, providing support for frontline communities, evacuees, victims of terror, emergency relief, trauma relief, medical services, and more.

Trauma Support

  • Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel (fiscal sponsor: PEF Israel Endowment Funds) – Working with Oct. 7 sexual assault survivors, ARCCI is offering carefully adapted interventions to support their therapeutic and material needs while also training professionals in the field on sexual trauma.
  • Kfar Izun (fiscal sponsor: PEF Israel Endowment Funds) – Kfar Izun therapists are providing long-term mental health support for hundreds of survivors of the Nova music festival and their families. The organization has expertise in treating youth experiencing mental health crises coupled with drug use.
  • NATAL – The Israel Trauma and Resiliency Center (fiscal sponsor: American Friends of NATAL) – Support to direct and indirect victims of trauma due to terror and war in Israel.
  • Eran (fiscal sponsor: PEF Israel Endowment Funds) – Emotional support therapeutic hotline for Israelis in distress.
  • The Community Stress Prevention Center – Northern Resilience Program (fiscal sponsor: PEF Israel Endowments) – a Kiryat-Shmona based organization that leads trauma-focused and resilience-building interventions for the Israel’s Northern border communities and those from the North who are currently displaced.

Direct Assistance and Community Support

  • Dror Israel (fiscal sponsor: US Friends of Dror Israel) – Dror Israel is providing children with a stable and supportive routine, one of Israel’s most immediate needs. In 30 different locations, it is providing childcare facilities, therapeutic programs for children evacuees, and offering activity kits and online programming for those sheltering in place.
  • ELEM – Youth in Distress (fiscal sponsor: Elem Youth in Distress Inc.) – One of Israel’s leading organizations addressing youth at risk, ELEM is rapidly expanding to address the needs of young people who are now displaying PTSD, dangerous behavior, and delinquency as a result of Oct. 7.
  • Israel Association of Community Centers (“Matnasim”) (fiscal sponsor: American Friends of the Israel Association of Community Centers) – Providing emergency aid packages to affected communities and regional councils; providing retreats, activities, and outings for families who have been evacuated.
  • Hamaniot/Sunflowers (fiscal sponsor: PEF Israel Endowments) – social and mental support for orphans and advocating for their rights.
  • Regrow Israel/Volcani International Partnerships (fiscal sponsor:  PEF Israel Endowments) – a Farmer’s Fund that acts to help farmers restore the damage and grow back stronger for the future.
  • SVF Emergency Fund (fiscal sponsor: Jewish Funders Network) – The Social Venture Fund for Jewish Arab Equality and Shared Society in Israel is consolidating funding to organizations that: (1) provide basic needs and mental health support for the Bedouin communities in the South, and (2) work to prevent incitement and violence between Jews and Arabs in mixed cities.

Hostage and Military Support

  • Bshvil Hamachar (fiscal sponsor: American Friends of Bshvil Hamachar) - Helps IDF soldiers to overcome combat-related trauma, with professionally guided meetings, support-group activities, and ongoing personal support.
  • Hostages and Missing Families Forum (fiscal sponsor: JGive) – A forum of the families of kidnapped relatives and hostages in Gaza, who work together to urge an increase in diplomatic efforts to release their loved ones, and raise awareness of their plight worldwide.
  • Lone Soldier Center (fiscal sponsor: Michael Levin Lone Soldier Foundation) – Providing emotional and material assistance for lone soldiers in Israel without immediate family to support them.
  • Israel Conservatory of Music’s PTSD program (fiscal sponsor: PEF Israel Endowments) - SOUL Key is a musical rehabilitation program to alleviate PTSD due to military service trauma, using music as a tool for integrating back into Israeli society.
  • Partners of Fallen IDF Soldiers (fiscal sponsor: PEF Israel Endowments) – psychological and emotional support for partners of fallen IDF soldiers (boyfriends, girlfriends, significant others) who have no official status and do not receive a similar level of support to married spouses.

Health and Medical Care

  • Soroka Medical Center (fiscal sponsor: American Friends of Soroka Medical Center) – A major medical center for those living in Israel’s South, Soroka is providing care for the majority of those injured in the attacks and the war.
  • Sheba Medical Center (fiscal sponsor:  American Friends of Sheba Medical Center) - Leading medical center in Israel, treating serious rehabilitation cases of injured soldiers as well as providing psychiatric care for evacuees.