Providing Immediate, Direct Relief for Victims
As soon as the war broke out, we promptly activated emergency response protocols, offering crisis intervention and vital assistance to families of victims and survivors. Financial aid was swiftly distributed to individuals, families and businesses impacted by the attacks, alleviating some of the immediate fiscal burdens.
Supporting Victims of Terror
With so many individuals and families horrifically impacted on October 7 on an unprecedented scale, and many more in the ensuing war, our Fund for Victims of Terror (FVOT) quickly began working overtime, with staff extending hours and volunteers helping answer calls. The FVOT supports those affected by terrorism and violence, offering emergency grants within 48 hours of an attack, followed by long-term rehabilitative care.
In the wake of October 7 through the end of 2023, we distributed 7,753 grants through the FVOT to 7,464 families and continued to deliver thousands more into 2024 during the ensuing war.
- Yael Raz, Director of Emergency Department of the FVOT
“With the outbreak of the war, we quickly understood we were facing an event of a very different scope, and that the Fund, which typically distributes around 1,000 grants per year, would now be dealing with many thousands more individuals and families impacted by these murderous attacks.”
Guy, who was severely injured at the Nova Festival, recovers in the hospital surrounded by family, and receives FVOT support from Danielle Mor (right) of The Jewish Agency
Photo: The Jewish Agency for Israel
Evacuees from Kibbutz Be’eri receive FVOT assistance
Photo: The Jewish Agency for Israel
“My wife and four kids stayed in our safe room for 26 hours until the army permitted them to leave at 8:30 Sunday morning. The Fund for Victims of Terror helped us first with immediate grants and I know the Fund was also supporting our regional council and the kibbutz itself,” shared Ayal, a Kibbutz Alumim resident and member of its security squad, who was injured fighting terrorists who had invaded his kibbutz, most seriously with a bullet that shattered his shoulder blade, punctured his lung, and broke six ribs.“We’ve overcome crises in the past and we will emerge from this stronger, too.”
The FVOT works in collaboration with government resources and aids victims in rebuilding their lives and managing persistent challenges such as PTSD care and job retraining. And beyond offering monetary aid and ongoing support to those impacted, the Fund also organizes respite camps for traumatized children during school vacations, bringing joy and relief.
"Our respite camps have been running for many years based on the understanding that child and teen victims of terror need the unique connections formed with other kids who have had similar experiences. Following the murderous Hamas attacks on October 7th, the need for these camps is greater than ever,” explained Ayelet Nahmias-Verbin, Chairman of the FVOT.
Additionally, recognizing the extraordinary challenges and cruelty of these attacks, The Jewish Agency established a special humanitarian fund for the most vulnerable victims – orphans, hostages, families on welfare, those who lost their homes, and isolated senior citizens.
Through that Fund, we provided 308 grants to individuals and families in need.
We also created a special emergency aid fund for Israeli border communities to assist with their rehabilitation and humanitarian needs, distributing a total of 20,000,000 ILS in critical financial support to eight southern and 15 northern regional councils.
Supporting Israeli Businesses
Many small businesses in the communities near the Gaza border closed or were forced to completely cease their operations due to the ongoing war and security situation. In the wake of October 7, in partnership with Shva, Klirmark Capital, and Israel Venture Network, The Jewish Agency launched Support Business IL, a special initiative to help small businesses in southern Israel. Support Business IL provided immediate grants to businesses in the impacted communities to help rehabilitate the local and national economy.
By the end of 2023, Support Business IL had provided 12,915,000 ILS in immediate grants to 1,721 businesses in the impacted communities to help rehabilitate the local and national economy.
- Shlomo & Shmuel, brothers and co-owners of Israeli Wood Art, an artistic woodwork workshop in Sderot
"We're incredibly grateful to The Jewish Agency and its partners who made the support from Support Business IL possible. They ensured the grant came quickly, giving us vital cash flow support. They really helped us get back on our feet."
Israeli Wood Art in action
Photo: Israel Wood Art
In addition, The Jewish Agency’s SparkIL program is continuing to facilitate peer-to-peer crowdfunded loans and support to small businesses throughout Israel that have been affected by the war. In cooperation with Ogen, SparkIL offers up to 100,000 NIS to applicable businesses in interest-free loans which will help them weather this crisis, so that Israel’s economy will emerge stronger.
Post-October 7 through December 2023, SparkIL facilitated close to $1.7 million in 84 loans to small business owners.
“My business was growing for years, and then in a moment after October 7, it felt like it was all gone,” shared Sarit, an organizational consultant for the nonprofit and the public sector, who runs her own business called Konnected. “The loan through SparkIL helped me pay the bills and gave me time to think about next steps to revitalize the business. Each SparkIL lender truly has a warm place in my heart.”
