I know I wrote about Israel earlier this week. Today, I want to write about Israel in a very different way. As you know, the Jewish Federation allocates funds to Israel. Let me be clear that no money goes to fund the Israeli government, the Israel Defense Forces, nor are any funds allocated over the “Green Line.”

The Jewish Federation has our longstanding partners on the ground in Israel – the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) -- who have expanded their work since the start of the war. We are also supporting orphans in Israel through the endowment established by Marvin Harris. At the same time, we work hard to find “Portlandesque” projects in Israel that serve a variety of needs and vulnerable populations. We recognize that despite the war, life goes on. Therefore, in June, we allocated funds to support the following special projects in 2025-2026:

Kfar Galim was established in 1952 as an educational youth village and today is a vibrant multicultural education institution and boarding school. Kfar Galim serves 332 students (ages 12-18) from around the country, the vast majority of whom are from disadvantaged backgrounds and struggling immigrant families. We are supporting the school’s horse therapy program for 40 special needs students.

NACOEJ (North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry) works toward the advancement and integration of the Ethiopian community into Israeli society by reducing educational gaps, promoting excellence, and providing equal opportunities for the Ethiopian community, aiming for their full integration as equals in Israeli society. NACOEJ also wants to make sure they preserve their unique heritage. We are once again supporting the "Academic Reinforcement Program" for Ethiopian students who live near the Gaza Strip and are being affected by the ongoing war.

Neve Michael is a safe haven for over 400 children at-risk (ages 5-18 from all over Israel) whose biological parents can no longer care for them. Recognized for its professionalism and effectiveness by the Israeli Ministry of Welfare and Social Services, the program provides sustenance, education, therapy, and a warm, caring, family-like environment for children who have suffered physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse. They have a petting zoo which provides animal therapy for severely abused children. We are supporting Neve Michael’s "Emergency Response Program," addressing the urgent need for expanded therapeutic care and tutorial assistance.

Ohaley Kedar is a 15-year-old organization that recruits volunteers to repair damaged medical equipment, mainly wheelchairs. We are supporting additional wheelchair repair workshops and a food distribution program.

Sahar, established in 2000, has been at the forefront of providing anonymous emotional support through text-based platforms (chat and WhatsApp), with the mission of preventing suicide, particularly among children, teens, and young adults (overall, ages 10-30), who represent 70% of the organization’s callers. During Israel’s most significant mental health crisis to date, Sahar remains the only organization in Israel offering round-the-clock mental health support via chat to bolster Israel’s social and mental health resilience. We are continuing our support of Sahar’s "Outreach Patrol," a groundbreaking service that proactively identifies distress messages online and provides timely emotional support and referrals. Our funds will be used to increase the response capacity of Sahar’s Outreach Patrol by training 20 new volunteers.

Tel Aviv Sexual Assault Crisis Center, founded in 1978, provides immediate and long-term support to survivors of sexual violence while driving systemic change in Israeli society. As Israel’s first and largest sexual assault crisis center, serving over one-third of Israel’s population, its mission is to offer crisis intervention, advocacy, and trauma-informed care to individuals from all backgrounds, empowering them to heal and reclaim their lives. The Center operates 24/7 helplines for women, men, and religious men, responding to over 10,000 calls annually, and provides a range of support services, including individual support sessions and group therapy, legal assistance, and specialized programs for vulnerable populations. We are supporting “Voices of Courage,” Israel’s only national hotline and support program dedicated to male survivors of sexual abuse, providing a safe and confidential space for men to seek help, process their experiences, and begin their healing journey.

Youth Futures was established in 2006 as a pilot project in six Israeli communities and has since expanded to 49. Youth Futures is dedicated to guiding and empowering youth and families facing risk and exclusion across all sectors of Israeli society. Through a community-based mentorship model addressing various life domains, the program aims to assist children from Israel’s geographic and socioeconomic peripheries in overcoming challenges and realizing their potential. We are continuing to support Youth Future’s "Family Space" project in Sderot (on the Gaza border), aimed at bolstering family resilience, coping mechanisms, and relationship dynamics to bridge divides and enhance overall functioning.

Dror Israel is a grassroots organization of over 1,300 educators who live and work together in 15 educators’ communities serving Israel’s most challenging populations. These educators live in the communities they serve, where they run extensive programs and have deep relationships on the ground, which enable them to identify and address local needs. Many of the communities most impacted by the October 7 attack and subsequent war have been active Dror Israel hubs for many years—Sderot, Ashkelon, and kibbutzim near the Gaza and Lebanon borders. We are funding a new project called “Children of Abraham: Building a New Jewish-Arab Peace Curriculum for a Post-October 7 World” to bring Jews and Arabs together for dialogue and growth.

Druze Youth Movement, established in 2001, is committed to promoting the empowerment of Druze youth through fostering Israeli Druze identity. Its core mission is centered on instilling values rooted in Druze tradition, Israeli pride, and active citizenship. The Movement strives to bridge the Druze and Israeli experiences, encouraging coexistence and tolerance among all communities. Our funding will enhance and expand the programs and services for the visually impaired and blind Druze youth in Peki’in.

Keren Ezra Lazulat was established in 2004 with the goal of supporting children with special needs (autism, Down Syndrome, ADHD) and ensuring that they have access to the care, love, and resources they need to thrive. The organization focuses on providing specialized education and therapeutic support to these children. Our funding will support and expand the organization’s therapeutic programs for the upcoming school year: music therapy, therapeutic puppet workshop, and animal and balloon therapy.

Waves of Hope is a unique non-profit organization in Israel that utilizes surfing as an educational therapeutic tool to provide at-risk youth, ages 14-18, from religious backgrounds with an opportunity for rehabilitation and integration into normative society. We are funding rehabilitative surfing therapy to approximately 112 at-risk youth (some with no family support) from throughout Israel.

These brief descriptions do not do each program justice. The impact each will have is something we should all be proud.

Shabbat shalom and may you have a mournful and meaningful Tisha b'Av.