ISC Emergency Response Fund
Support Urgent and Strategic Social Needs in Israel
The ISC Emergency Response Fund by Hatashtit is uniquely positioned at the intersection of long-term social development and immediate emergency response. We are deeply connected to grassroots initiatives and frontline organizations across Israel, giving us real-time insight into the most pressing and critical needs.
While our daily mission is to build resilient infrastructure for Israel’s social sector, today’s state of emergency—amidst the escalating conflict with Iran—demands rapid and coordinated action. Civil society organizations are overwhelmed, and your support can make a vital difference. Join us in standing strong by fueling a collective effort to deliver aid where it’s needed most.
Access Israel
Disabled population (General info)
Access Israel is a pioneering non-profit organization established in 1999 to advance inclusion and accessibility for Israel’s 1.7 million people with disabilities and senior citizens. For over 25 years, the organization has led legislative change, awareness campaigns, and practical solutions to ensure dignity, independence, and equal access. From transportation and healthcare to emergency preparedness, Access Israel is closing critical accessibility gaps—especially during times of crisis—through innovative programs like the Purple Vest” initiative and direct humanitarian aid.
Iran war response
Since the October 7 attacks and the escalation of missile threats from Iran, we have been on the ground delivering life-saving assistance through our Purple Vest Israel initiative (purple being the international color symbolizing support for people with disabilities). This includes accessible evacuations, medical equipment, and hotel accommodations for thousands in need.
Critical gaps remain: emergency teams lack disability-inclusive training, accessible vehicles are in short supply, and individuals with disabilities are too often left behind in shelters, hospitals, and crisis zones.
Your support is urgently needed to expand our impact:
Preparedness awareness campaigns & volunteer training – $300,000
Accessibility seminars for local authorities – $150,000
Wheelchair-accessible vehicles (3 units) – $300,000
Rescue trailers for 5 regions – $500,000
Funding Needed $150,000-$500,000
Aderet Leadership Academy
Supporting immediate needs due to the war working with pre army academy cadets (General info)
The Aderet Leadership Academy has been in operation for two decades and in youth villages for the last seven years. The Aderet network currently manages three branches: in Ayanot, Ben Shemen and Kfar Silver, and next year a fourth branch will be added in the Hadassah Neurim Youth Village.
The Aderet Academy sees a significant advantage of sharing an educational environment for both religious and secular students from various regions and from the left and right. By fostering a sense of shared responsibility to collectively contribute towards Zionism and create a model community for the State of Israel.
The network attracts approximately 140 students each year, 50% religious and 50% secular, all possessing high motivation and leadership ability. Aderet Academy employs an experiential learning approach, where students and instructors work together to create content centered around leadership, Zionism, Israeli society, economics, politics, and Judaism. The selection of branch locations in youth villages stems from the belief that hands-on experience and fieldwork cultivate a sense of responsibility. Each branch dedicates 1,500 hours per month to community service, integrating into the formal and informal education system within each village.
Iran war response
The academy suspended all planned activities, including end-of-year celebrations, and shifted to emergency operations. 140 cadets returned to outposts and joined national missions—medical assistance, hospital support, etc. The academy needs to fund transportation to volunteer sites and living expenses.
Funding Needed $50,000 total / $2,600 per volunteer-day
Ezrat Achim Beit Shemesh
Emergency Assistance for the community of Beit Shemesh (General info)
Ezrat Achim is a leading humanitarian non-profit based in Beit Shemesh, founded in 2005 by Rabbi Avraham Kopp. The organization provides essential medical, logistical, and emotional support to residents from all backgrounds—serving patients, seniors, vulnerable families, and children with special needs.
Each day, Ezrat Achim operates a secure and specialized care framework for over 250 children with disabilities—including autism and developmental delays—ensuring continuity even during times of conflict.
In emergencies, the organization translates and adapts safety instructions appropriate for the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community and English-speaking immigrants, using mobile teams, loudspeakers, digital signage, and call centers to reach over 50,000 individuals.
With a 24/7 hotline, ambulance fleet, and thousands of volunteers, Ezrat Achim handles more than 350 requests daily. It is widely recognized for being the first responder in any crisis—from COVID-19 to wartime—and works in full coordination with both local and national authorities.
Iran war response
Since the escalation with Iran, Ezrat Achim has reinforced and continued operating its specialized child care facility, serving 250 children with special needs daily. The organization also located, renovated, and opened a community emergency shelter for 200 residents who previously had no protection. It distributes food, medical supplies, and critical aid to individuals in the shelter and across the wider community.
Funding Needed $60,000–100,000
The Partners of Fallen IDF Soldiers
Emotional & mental support for bereaved partners (General info)
The Partners of Fallen IDF Soldiers (GFIDF) is the only official organization of its kind, dedicated to supporting the unmarried partners of fallen IDF soldiers. Since its establishment, the foundation has provided personalized emotional and rehabilitative care to help bereaved partners cope with their profound loss and to gradually rebuild meaningful lives—alongside, not under its shadow, of the memory of their loved ones. Recognized by Israel’s Ministry of Defense and the IDF as the representative body for this unique group, the foundation has, over 25 years, supported around 500 bereaved partners, regardless of the circumstances of death. Its professional support framework includes individual therapy, support groups, empowerment activities, and a dedicated memorial day.
Following the outbreak of the Iron Swords War and the tragic loss of over 900 soldiers, the foundation has taken immediate action to assist approximately 355 newly bereaved partners. Within 24 hours, it established an emergency operations center, hotline, and outreach teams comprised of experienced bereaved partners and volunteer mental health professionals. Each new partner is matched with a dedicated support team providing emotional care from the very first days of mourning and throughout their journey. In parallel, the foundation continues to support long-time members who are experiencing renewed grief due to the current crisis. The foundation has played a pivotal role in raising awareness and securing institutional and societal recognition of the pain and place of bereaved partners as an integral part of Israel’s bereaved families.
Iran war response
Zoom-based emotional processing and support sessions for bereaved women and men following the war events, facilitated by senior therapists from the organization.
Financial assistance for bereaved spouses unable to work during the war.
Resilience-focused programs for emergency volunteers, bereaved spouses, and their parents, aimed at stress relief and emotional support.
Funding Needed $45,000 (estimate)
Ripples of Healing
PTSD therapy at a treatment center in the south (General info)
Einot Bar is a pioneering therapeutic center located near Israel’s southern border, offering integrative healing for trauma survivors through a unique mind-body approach.
In response to the October 7th massacre and the ongoing war, Einot Bar rapidly transformed into a “mental health ICU,” providing over 12,000 emergency treatments—totaling 50,000 hours of care—for survivors, bereaved families, border residents, and combat soldiers. Its holistic model combines water and land-based therapies, including warm water treatments, breathwork, mindfulness, and more.
Recognized by Israel’s leading trauma experts, Einot Bar partners with organizations such as the Aviram Foundation and Beit HaLochem to deliver vital, immediate support that helps individuals regain emotional stability, reduce PTSD symptoms, and return to functional, balanced lives—even in the midst of ongoing conflict.
Iran war response
One-day therapy sessions for missile attack survivors and soldiers coming directly from combat zones in Gaza. The sessions aim to provide relief, healing, and inner strength. They include experiential workshops and a variety of therapeutic approaches—physical, psychological, cognitive, and spiritual—designed to alleviate post-traumatic symptoms, improve emotional regulation, and support a return to balanced, healthy daily life.
Funding Needed - Each treatment costs 1,250 NIS (approximately $360), with 550 NIS ($160) covered by the organization. We are seeking 700 NIS ($200) per treatment, totaling 245,000 NIS (around $70,000)
Yahalom Foundation
Expand emotional/ economic support for Yahalom (combat engineers) unit soldiers & families (General info)
The Yahalom Foundation was established in 2015 to serve as a home and support network for the veterans of the Yahalom Unit—an elite special operations engineering unit of the IDF. Since its founding, the foundation has been dedicated to the well-being of the unit’s reservists, both past and present, in recognition of their significant contribution to Israel’s security. It provides emotional support for processing combat experiences, guidance for bereaved families, and essential aid to lone soldiers. The foundation also helps discharged soldiers transition to civilian life through career counseling, academic scholarships, and mentorship programs. In addition, it supports reservists and their families and promotes community initiatives to strengthen the sense of belonging and mutual responsibility among unit alumni. Through these efforts, the Yahalom Foundation ensures that those who served receive the recognition and support they deserve, believing that their personal resilience is a vital component of Israel’s national strength. Yahalom soldiers are currently operating on the front lines in Gaza, undertaking missions that demand extraordinary personal risk and unwavering dedication. Simultaneously, they are engaged in additional critical operations across Israel, tasked with dismantling and neutralizing the remnants of intercepted missiles that land within Israeli territory—including advanced weaponry launched from Iran and Yemen. Facing the constant danger of handling explosive remnants and dangerous materials, Yahalom soldiers carry out high-stakes missions not only in the battlefield, but also in crucial, far-off zones under Operation “Raising Lion”.
Iran war response
Strengthen mental health support by recruiting additional therapists. - Develop an assessment mechanism among unit alumni. - Facilitate processing and therapy sessions for combatants’ parents led by senior therapists. Processing and therapy for partners, including emergency coping tools. Zoom support for parents of young/adolescent children with parenting guide, psychologist, senior social worker. Enhance individual therapy by social workers and psychologists for both soldiers and high-need family members. Provide financial aid to affected soldiers’ families. Send unique activity kits and links (creative distraction during shelter time), designed by a graphic artist.
Funding Needed $40,000–45,000 (estimate)
Venatata
Stress relief & nature bonding workshops for families (General info)
"Venatata" NGO works to create a deep and meaningful connection between people and nature through tree planting in urban spaces, the establishment of community gardens, urban food forests, and projects.
Iran war response
The emergency project by Ventata, titled “City–Forest: 18 Days of an Ecotherapeutic Journey of Hope and Growth,” is a nationwide initiative designed to strengthen the connection between people, nature, and community during times of crisis and uncertainty. Through daily online challenges, thousands of participants across the country engage in practical ecological activities—such as planting, foraging, and composting—combined with emotional healing exercises rooted in nature therapy. Guided by experts in ecotherapy, therapeutic gardening, and environmental education, the program creates a supportive virtual space that fosters sharing, belonging, and resilience, particularly for individuals and families in frontline and high-stress areas.
Since its pilot launch during Operation “Iron Swords,” the project has received widespread positive feedback, demonstrating significant benefits in enhancing emotional and community resilience. Running for 18 consecutive days, the initiative also includes thorough documentation and professional analysis to measure impact and inform future growth. This project exemplifies Ventata’s mission to bring nature, healing, and sustainable living into everyday life, especially during times of national emergency.
Funding Needed $50,500 (estimate)
Haifa Rape Crisis Center
General info
The Haifa and Northern Rape Crisis Center (HRCC) is a non-profit organization providing critical support to survivors of sexual violence across 41 municipalities in northern Israel. They operate a 24/7 anonymous crisis hotline, a national WhatsApp line, legal and medical accompaniment, individual and group therapy, and referrals.
In addition, we lead wide-scale prevention efforts through educational workshops in schools, professional trainings, and community outreach. With over 40 years of experience, HRCC offers a uniquely holistic and trauma-informed approach—helping survivors heal while working to prevent future harm.
Iran war response - Support for victims of sexual assault due to the war
Emergency conditions force many women to remain in sealed rooms or shelters with strangers or abusers. This often triggers trauma, creating urgent need for conversation and emotional release. Being in closed spaces makes it hard to call our hotline, so they established a WhatsApp support system (with dedicated volunteer training), which saw a several hundred percent increase (and growing)in requests at the outset of “Iron Swords”.
Funding Needed $30,000
Iran war response - Emergency support group meetings during wartime for survivors
The crisis creates elevated distress, disconnection, helplessness and loneliness among survivors. We want to maintain anchors by creating safe spaces for connection and support. Therefore, we are running remote support groups in line with Home Front Command guidelines to provide assistance, maintain routine, foster connection and presence for our participants.
Funding Needed $12,000
Iran war response - Support and training for center volunteers
We shifted all hotline shifts online. Our volunteers are coping with war stress: spouses in reserve duty, children at home, sleepless nights, and emotional distress. Despite increased demand, volunteers stepped up—now require enhanced emotional support and training during this period.
Funding Needed $15,000
Iran war response - Adapt facilitator training for youth workshops on sexual violence
Each year we train new facilitators as part of building workshops on sexual violence prevention and healthy sexuality in schools and informal youth settings. The emergency requires adjustments—updating content, reworking portions of the framework, and revising schedule and logistics.
Funding Needed $15,000
The Kibbutz Movement Rehabilitation Fund
Coordinate and respond to needs of kibbutzim and broader Israeli society—with emphasis on emergency support, volunteer deployment, and hosting families without shelters in public and private spaces in kibbutzim (General info)
The Kibbutz Movement, comprising 259 kibbutzim, stretches from the country's northern to its southern border and operates as a cooperative. After the devastating attacks on October 7th, The Kibbutz Movement set up a fund for assisting and restoring the southern and northern kibbutzim. The Kibbutz Movement Rehabilitation Fund was established in order to provide a response to the needs of the kibbutzim that were evacuated and damaged following the October 7 massacre and the subsequent Swords of Iron War. The Fund works to respond to the immediate needs of the kibbutzim, by assessing the needs to provide a response in the medium and long term, including the development of an up-to-date information center for the kibbutzim. The Fund supports the rehabilitation and construction processes of the communities, thereby ensuring the return to the kibbutzim as complete, prosperous and strong communities.
Iran war response
Civil & social mission command center to support Israeli society – full support of Kibbutz Movement’s national mission HQ. Established to centralize and respond to needs across kibbutzim and the broader population—emergency support, volunteer mobilization, hosting shelterless families in public facilities and private homes in kibbutzim. The Rehabilitation Fund fully funds HQ operations to enable support. The logistics hub, created after October 7 by the Kibbutz Movement and located in Kibbutz Ein HaMifratz with Mateh Asher Regional Council, receives broad donations—some for immediate needs and some for later (toys, mattresses, appliances). The hub’s purpose: serve as physical lever to support rehabilitation, hosting, community activities, and projects based on evolving needs—such as sending volunteer teams for various needs, while developing and strengthening new and ongoing partnerships. Major current needs include public shelter kits including: 20 chairs, 50 mattresses, 3 fans, routers, first‑aid kits, children’s play and activity boxes, and 2 folding tables.
Funding Needed $10,000 per shelter kit (currently 200+ kits needed)
Atida
General info
The Atida Association works to enable ultra-orthodox Haredi women to integrate into technological roles in the IDF, thus breaking a glass ceiling and bringing about real change that impacts all of Israeli society.
The association bridges the needs of the Haredi community, the IDF, and the Israeli high-tech industry.
We enable Haredi women to integrate into the IDF’s technological units, such as Unit 8200, the Air Force, and the Cyber Division. We provide the cultural support needed for these women to work in military bases and professional and personal infrastructure tailored to each participant's unique needs.
The program grants Haredi women the ability to establish economic independence, build careers in technology, and secure a professional future in the high-tech industry.
Iran war response - Support Haredi women working in IDF tech units
Within the “Hadassim” program, over 400 Haredi women work in IDF tech units. The NGO supports the women and commanders to ensure their access during emergencies. Provides around-the-clock support (including Shabbat) to solve problems — maintaining direct contact, consulting rabbis, hosting Zoom support lectures with social workers and rabbis for spiritual support, arranging Shabbat transportation to remote units, childcare solutions, etc. With the current emergency, staff availability increased—requiring additional full-time positions and wage increases.
Funding Needed $10,000/month (adds 2 full-time positions)
Iran war response - Unique support for Haredi women in operational IDF units – transportation and childcare solutions
About 200 Haredi women are employed in operational units and must be on call 24/7, including Shabbat. Integration is complex—requiring religious accommodations. They can’t sleep in bases but must attend shifts even on Shabbat/night. Some units relocated to remote locations where the IDF doesn’t provide transport for ~80 women. The NGO arranges night/Shabbat transportation per rabbinical guidance, sensitive to the community’s needs and norms. In addition, approximately half of the women are mothers. During the war, women are required for night and Shabbat shifts even while all schools are closed. To enable them to meet commitments, the NGO helps find and subsidize caretakers for children—allowing peace of mind.
Funding Needed $30,000–50,000 (estimate)
Israeli Volunteer Association
Support for National Service Volunteers in Hospitals
(including volunteers from the French-speaking immigrant community, the Bedouin community, and those serving in the “Rom” volunteer community at Tel HaShomer Hospital)
(General info)
Established in 1971, the Israeli Volunteer Association's mission is to bolster Israel's social fabric through long-term social programs that encourage and foster social leadership across the nation. It aims to fortify the social cohesion of Israel by forging connections among diverse segments of society. To date, over 157,000 volunteers from diverse segments of Israeli society have participated in the association's civil and national service programs and other long-term volunteer programs. Each program provides specialized attention to the volunteers, accommodating their unique backgrounds and cultural differences, contributing to the tapestry of Israeli society. We deeply value the cultivation and empowerment of the youth who choose to dedicate themselves to assisting and serving the country through various volunteer programs, fostering social involvement, and bridging social divides within Israeli society.
Iran war response
The Israeli Volunteer Association operates 5,000 volunteers who commit to a year or more of service. A significant portion of their volunteering takes place in hospitals across the country.
Our volunteers are working around the clock to support families under fire, children and youth in distress, and vulnerable populations across the country. National Service members continue to serve in hospitals, shelters, and at-risk communities forming the backbone of social resilience in these darkest hours. In response to the expanding humanitarian needs during the war with Iran, we are urgently supporting three targeted volunteer programs on the frontlines:
The Rom Rehabilitation Program: volunteers working in the rehabilitation ward at Tel Hashomer Sheba Hospital
The Bedouin Volunteer Initiative: empowering over 100 young Bedouin women currently volunteering at Soroka Hospital, Magen David Adom, and regional clinics and The French Olim Hub at Sheba Hospital supports 18 new French immigrants who are serving in Israel’s national service during wartime.
Funding Needed $60,500 – for the volunteer program for young women from France.
$70,000 – for supporting Bedouin women volunteering at Soroka Hospital and Magen David Adom (MDA).
Forum 120 Women’s Leadership Network
Launch a women-led civil command center connecting needs (General info)
Forum 120 – Unifying Leadership -
A women’s leadership space bringing together voices from across Israel’s diverse sectors, communities, and “tribes”—including Haredim, Religious Zionists, secular Jews, immigrants, and more. The forum seeks to reclaim the voice, wisdom, and heritage of Jewish women throughout the generations, translating them into a contemporary language of healing, connection, and action—especially in this time of national crisis and societal fragmentation.
Pnima
A National Initiative to Reduce Polarization in Israel — Especially Critical in Times of Emergency and Beyond.
Advance an inclusive national service model that ensures equal contribution, strengthens unity, and counters dangerous efforts to institutionalize inequality—especially amid a national emergency.
(General info)
PNIMA locates strategic core issues for the future of Israel that can reduce polarization and offer a shared vision and values. Alongside research and in-depth learning of the issues, PNIMA specializes in building broad and diverse partnerships that jointly develop applicable solutions with a broad consensus. PNIMA promotes the solutions together with the government and the Knesset and adapts them to the Israeli reality. The state is responsible for implementing the solution and budgeting for it. Through the Israeli Workshop, PNIMA focuses on establishing a strong ideological center, in addition to being a ‘House of Solutions’. Through men and women of spirit and action who represent Israel’s society as a whole, this house of ideas and thoughts assumes an orderly ideological agenda.
Iran war response
Pnima works to reduce social, emotional and ideological polarization in Israel and to increase belonging and mutual responsibility among communities. From our experience, in emergencies—like after October 7—Israeli society displays extraordinary unity. Based on deep knowledge and research, our goal is to design policy tools and mechanisms to preserve unity and partnership in routine times. We promote public, conscious and inter‑sectoral discourse, as well as civic resilience metrics and policy initiatives that strengthen democratic resilience and trust. To continue this work, we seek funding to support ecosystem-building, project coordination, field initiatives, and public engagement activities.
– Service for All: Pnima views national service—military, civilian, or community-based—as a vital resource for strengthening Israel’s security, economy, and social fabric. Amid ongoing attempts to enshrine unequal service arrangements, we are leading a coordinated, values-driven campaign to promote an inclusive, universal service model. Funding is required to support strategic policy development, build broad coalitions, and operate an integrated public communications effort across traditional and digital media.
Funding Needed Fighting polarization within Israeli Society - $120,000, Service for all $350,000
MINYAN
General info
MINYAN is a grassroots spiritual initiative based in Tel Aviv, creating contemporary Jewish experiences for young adults seeking meaning, connection, and community. Through prayer, music, learning, and shared gatherings, MINYAN bridges Jewish tradition with modern life, offering an open and accessible space for spiritual resilience in times of crisis and disconnection.
Iran war response - The project provides an immediate response to a critical emotional and spiritual need: restoring a sense of connection and hope among people who have lost their homes, routines, and basic sense of safety. Prayer and shared singing offer emotional release, community, and a framework for processing trauma—even for those without a spiritual language. Status and Scope: A national team of musicians and facilitators is being assembled to lead 50 prayer circles in the next two weeks (~1,400 participants), with 80 circles planned for the upcoming month (~2,400 participants).
Target Audience: Evacuees from the south and north residing in hotels and absorption centers, wounded individuals and their families in hospitals, young adults in central Israel experiencing loneliness, and temporary communities in public shelters and emergency spaces.
Project Description: A joint initiative of MINYAN and HaMaagal, Rak Biglal HaRuach establishes live circles of music and prayer in sensitive locations across the country—shelters, hospitals, and evacuation hotels. Each gathering includes live music and accessible prayer, led by a musician and a spiritual facilitator.
Funding Needed Requested Budget: ₪120,000
Budget Use: Facilitator and musician fees, sound equipment, logistics, transportation, insurance, printed materials, and documentation.
Iran war response - Context: Since the beginning of the war, tens of thousands of Israelis—especially young adults—have been living in conditions of loneliness, anxiety, and emotional disconnection. Many are isolated in small apartments or staying in hotels, unable to gather, and cut off from frameworks of community and meaning. This platform provides a response no less critical than material aid: a path to the spirit—spaces of closeness, human connection, and hope. Especially now—when hearts are open but paths are closed—KAROV enables people to meet, connect with accessible Jewish tradition, and strengthen personal and collective resilience.
Spiritual Dimension: The app is grounded in core values from Jewish tradition: hospitality, mutual responsibility, and shared prayer. It brings spiritual tools—Shabbat, learning, conversation—to people who don’t turn to synagogues or religious institutions but are seeking meaning and connection.
Target Audience:
– Israelis across the country, particularly those experiencing isolation, anxiety, or lacking the ability to gather in community
– Evacuees staying in cities or towns without a support framework
– Individuals seeking to connect to Jewish spirituality through an open, inclusive community
Funding Needed Requested Immediate Budget: ₪65,000
Includes: MVP design and development, creation of user and host databases, technical support, community management, educational content, and field implementation.
Civil Squads of Israel
Following the war with Iran and the escalation in other regions in Israel, there is a pressing
demand from emergency team leaders for tactical gear, firefighting equipment, and drones.
About the Association:
The association was founded by Nir Alon, a member of Kibbutz Sufa, who was in the protected
room (MAMAD) with his family in Kibbutz Sufa on October 7, 2023. During the incident in Sufa,
three kibbutz members were killed. One of them was Ido Hubara (of blessed memory), a
member of Kibbutz Sufa, a friend of Nir, and a member of the emergency response team who
was killed in the battle held by the team members against Hamas terrorists.
Iran war response
The association is currently focusing on two main areas:
1. Supplying Tactical Protective Equipment to high-threat border-adjacent communities
(such as Bat Hefer).
2. Providing Ongoing (Quarterly) Firefighting Training and supplying protective gear for
communities at high risk of wildfires (such as those around Jerusalem, the Gaza
envelope, and the Triangle region).
Funding Needed
● Tactical Equipment:
The cost of tactical protective gear for each community is $35,000. Once a donation is
received, we can deliver the equipment within 2–3 weeks.
● Firefighting Training:
The annual cost of the firefighting training system is $400,000 (including logistics,
professional instruction fees, insurance, and equipment kits for 20 communities).
"100 Dagim"
Originally launched in the Gaza Envelope, the project is now expanding to the north and center of the country, in response to the growing demand for culturally sensitive and community-based support.
New groups are planned, including a joint Jewish-Arab Master Class in the Beersheva area, as well as groups designed for caregivers, educators, and post-trauma populations, including soldiers.
(General info)
The “100 Dagim” initiative, founded by the Israeli hip-hop band Hadag Nahash, is a cultural first aid project for trauma processing and community healing. It emerged in the wake of the October 7th attacks, as a direct response to urgent needs identified on the ground.
Hadag Nahash, known for its longstanding commitment to social change, has been a powerful voice for equality, tolerance, and civic engagement. Over the years, the band has combined music and activism to support underserved communities and respond to national moments of crisis with creativity and hope.
Since September 2024, the initiative has been operating in Gaza Envelope communities, offering music as therapy workshops to teens and adults. These Master Class workshops create a safe and creative space where music, writing, and
conversation support participants in processing trauma. To date, approximately 70 participants have taken part in small groups led by professional musicians and social workers.
Iran war response
The sessions offer a delicate yet powerful process of emotional expression, community connection, and resilience-building, using music as a bridge to articulate feelings that are often too difficult to put into words.
The initiative supports individuals and communities facing profound personal and collective trauma, rooted in the understanding that recovery begins only once the immediate threat to life has passed.
“Musical tools enable free expression, which—through guided facilitation—is transformed into lyrics and melodies that reflect the experiences they’ve been through, and are still going through,” (accompanying social worker).
“Before the workshop, I would go to Be’eri… I started creating out of the darkness… The workshop opened it up,” (G., participant from Be’eri) – Listen here.
Funding Needed A $30,000 grant will enable the launch of two additional Master Class groups, including the recruitment and training of facilitators, the integration of musicians, the development of participant-centered content, full logistical coordination, and continuous emotional guidance.
This funding will help us respond to real-time requests from the field and provide professional, compassionate support at a time when many communities are entering the early stages of personal and communal recovery—seeking meaning, expression, and resilience in a protected, creative, and inclusive environment.
Studio 448
Studio 448 is a creative and therapeutic space born out of the personal and collective pain of war survivors, offering a renewed sense of connection to oneself and others through art, music, and community.
(General info)
Located at the Herzliya Marina, facing the open sea, the studio provides a safe and inspiring home. Activities include professional art workshops, musical evenings and masterclasses, diverse creative spaces, accessible yacht outings, and personalized emotional support—all in a warm, welcoming atmosphere that encourages self-expression, listening, healing, and belonging.
Iran war response
In response to the war with Iran, a courageous civilian-led rescue operation has been launched to bring back essential IDF soldiers who are stranded in Cyprus without a way home. Led by an IDF veteran and supported by the Fighters’ Club 448 at the Herzliya Marina, this mission mobilizes professional skippers and sailing resources to ensure a swift and safe return—at no cost to the soldiers themselves. This is not just a voyage; it is a lifeline. Every boat launched, every soldier brought home, is made possible by collective action, determination, and public generosity.
Funding Needed to carry out the rescue mission, we aim to raise ₪200,000.
To strengthen and sustain the Studio 448 space and its healing activities, we are seeking an additional ₪100,000.
Kehilanu
Helping Israel Heal
(General info)
Even before Iran’s missile barrages, nearly 40% of Israelis were experiencing trauma-related symptoms. Untreated trauma doesn’t fade—it deepens. Each siren, each strike, intensifies the pain. And once the rockets stop, the trauma doesn’t vanish—it lingers, festers, and, if ignored, can lead to life-altering or even life-threatening consequences.Kehilanu was created to meet this urgent need for healing. Founded by leading trauma experts, we offer an innovative, accessible, and stigma-free model that combines evidence-based, multi-disciplinary SUPPORT GROUPS with TRAUMA-INFORMED COMMUNITY BUILDING (TICB). Our approach transforms trauma from an isolating experience into one of connection and strength—fostering belonging, resilience, and long-term healing on the individual as well as collective level.
We provide:
1. Customized, multidisciplinary support groups using both traditional and innovative therapies—such as our groundbreaking Poker Support Group for soldiers and reservists suffering from battle trauma, support groups for wives of reservists, aunts of fallen soldiers, grandparents of fallen soldiers, Therapeutic Collage for Mothers of Children traumatized by the war, “Curation Therapy” for Nova Survivors in partnership with The Tel Aviv Museum of Art, and much more.
2. Emergency Resiliency workshops and “Open Studio”- we are facilitating resiliency workshops in public shelters in accordance with the Homefront Command’s safety directives. We are also forming “Open Studio”- a therapeutic process space for supporting evacuees, grieving families and others suffering from acute crisis.
3. Trauma Informed Community-building connects participants across different trauma backgrounds, through activities such as cultural events, sports, arts, education, volunteering and activism.
4. Helping the Helpers/Training Professionals- to support frontline professionals - mental health, welfare and medical professionals- and prevent secondary trauma as they support others.
5. Strategic partnerships to scale the model nationwide, especially in areas hardest hit by the conflict.
Iran war response
In response to the current crisis, Kehilanu has developed two contingency plans. If missile attacks continue, we will offer therapeutic and resiliency workshops—both on Zoom and in person where safe—including collage therapy in shelters, a tiered “Open Studio” for acute support, and sessions for frontline professionals experiencing secondary trauma. All of this is done in partnership with Lo Levad—an art therapy network that has already aided over 1,400 survivors since October 7th. Simultaneously, we are preparing for long-term recovery, with scalable infrastructure ready to launch a broad range of support groups, professional trainings, and Trauma-Informed Community Building initiatives once safety allows.
Funding Needed
To actualize the immense potential of this crucial healing programming we are respectfully requesting $100,000 for opening as many emergency resilience workshops, ‘helping the helpers’ trainings, support groups and Trauma Informed Community Building activities as possible. However, every amount donated will be used to scale this vital support to help as many traumatized people as possible.
Friends by Nature
General info
Friends by Nature - Community Strength is committed to strengthening the identity of the Ethiopian-Jewish community by recognizing and honoring its origins, highlighting its culture as a valuable asset to the local community, Israeli society and the Jewish people as a whole. Founded in 2005 by a group of young pioneers engaged in community building, at-risk youth and informal education, Friends by Nature is renowned for its experience and expertise in creating sustainable community projects. We train and guide community leaders to identify and leverage their culture as an asset with the power to contribute to society and utilize it for the community's benefit.
Iran war response - “Tana-Adam” – an Ethiopian-Jewish community space generating resilience
A unique community initiative by Friends by Nature in cooperation with Gvanim—to address growing mental health needs in youth. In a community agricultural garden, youth facing mental challenges meet older community members—sharing life and Ethiopian farming wisdom. They work soil together, engage in intergenerational healing dialogue, and strengthen belonging. The initiative connects three key groups—young people, elders, and mothers—creating learning communities. Farming + cross‑generational wisdom + professional support builds meaning, eases loneliness, relieves stress, and fosters empowerment and pride. Amid constant emergencies, ongoing program operation is critical for healing through compassionate community bonding.
Funding Needed $50,000
Iran war response - “Warka” – community leadership training space
Inspired by the Ethiopian Warche tree symbolizing roots and deep connections, this training space builds a unique and in‑depth platform for community leadership development—drawing on the strengths and internal resources of the community. Aimed at Ethiopian community leaders and others, honoring decades of accumulated knowledge. Through peer learning, participants deepen personal/community identity, strengthen bonds, and enhance leadership and communication skills—from social, cultural and ecological perspectives. Combines theoretical learning with practical experiences, focusing on organic agriculture, sustainability, community initiative leadership, and inter-generational integration. Aims: strengthen environmental leadership, build community resilience, address migrant-community crises, deepen connection between people, culture and environment.
Funding Needed $50,000
The Israeli Women’s Network
Women's rights during the war hotline
(General info)
The Israel Women’s Network (IWN), one of the oldest and leading feminist organizations in Israel, has been working for over four decades to advance gender equality and women’s rights in Israeli society. IWN’s distinctiveness lies in its integration of individual support and broad legal, public, and political impact. The IWN operates a legal help-line for women in the labor force, advocates for gender equality policies and pushes back anti-feminist policies in the Knesset and Government. It leads strategic litigation, conducts research and publishes reports, participates in Knesset and UN committees, and promotes gender-mainstreaming in government and parliamentary institutions. Over the past decade, IWN has concentrated on four core areas: gender equality in the labor market, women's representation in decision-making positions, safe and accessible public spaces for women, and combating gender-based violence. IWN places particular emphasis on intersectional work with marginalized populations, including Arab, Haredi (ultra-Orthodox), Ethiopian-Israeli, and newly immigrated women. The IWN also recently established an international department to build partnerships with global feminist and UN entities.
Iran war response
A multilingual hotline in four languages offering guidance on women’s rights in the context of the war (leave days, work, education, etc.). Established by the Israel Women’s Lobby in January 2024, it provides professional, accessible support to thousands nationwide—assisting with labor rights, National Insurance, compensation, benefits, aid for reservist families, housing for evacuees, family issues, and more. It’s not only a vital service but also a lever for long-term policy change. Given the escalating war, we are expanding our activity with a wide campaign to reach every woman in need—but we cannot do this alone.
Funding Needed $112,000
