In response to the October 7th attack, which profoundly affected many in Israel, particularly the survivors and the communities directly hit, we share the grief of those who lost their homes, possessions, and loved ones, and suffered emotional and physical trauma. The Russian Jewish Congress, Center for Jewish Impact, and other esteemed partners have joined forces to identify and support projects and activities made possible through some 8000 generous private donors who have supported this critical cause. The following is an overview of several key initiatives aimed at addressing the ongoing humanitarian needs, made possible by these contributions. In total, with matching and after-tax, $2,455,876 were collected.
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Supported Projects:
1. Scholarships for Displaced Students:
Purpose of the Project: Provide scholarships for Israeli students whose homes in the south and near the Gaza border were destroyed, including students from Ono Academic College (Kiryat Ono) and Ben Gurion University (Be'er Sheva). Some of these students, lost everything, from their homes to their prized possessions, and are in urgent need of basic necessities.
Fundraising Goal: $150,000 for both schools.
Total Donations Raised After matching: $480,000
Status of the Project: In Progress.
Ben Gurion University: $27,397 has been transferred to Ben-Gurion University for scholarships benefiting fifty students residing in the Gaza border communities, Ashkelon, Netivot, Ofakim, and Sderot. Additional funds are expected to be transferred in the upcoming weeks.
Ono Academic College: $120,000 will be transferred by the beginning of March and will be matched by an identical amount, benefiting approximately 250 students.
2. Elderly of Ashkelon:
Purpose of the Project: Deliver hot meals to approximately 2,500 elderly residents of Ashkelon who are unable to leave their homes.
Fundraising goal: $20,000
Total Donations Raised:
Before matching: $20,000
After matching: $54,315
Status of the Project: Completed.
A total of $10,685 was allocated for meals and food packages, matched by $25,000 from the Chess Association, aiding over 7,000 elderly residents. Additionally, the Elderly Association in Ashkelon received $9,315 for meal distribution, providing 1,100 meals per month, with a matching amount for future meals totaling 2,200 meals served through the Embrace campaign.
3. Supporting evacuees from the Western Negev
Purpose of the Project: Aid residents from the Gaza border communities who were urgently relocated around Israel, through a wide array of support initiatives.
Fundraising goal: $168,000
Total Donations Raised After matching: $230,872
Total Donations Distributed: $150,616
Projects supported:
Restoring Early Childhood Education in the Western Negev from the communities of Nir Oz, Carmia, and Nirim
$101,000 of the funds collected in the Israel Support Marathon have been allocated to support SASA Setton, a socio-educational nonprofit, in leading the early childhood education restoration efforts in the communities impacted by the October 7th massacre from pedagogical, social, and emotional aspects. The funds collected will be used to support three centers designed in a bottom-up process, with the goal of making them centers so desirable, that they will attract families to return home to Nir Oz, Nirim, and Carmia.
Status: Planning has commenced with each community to identify and profile the needs.
Distributing vouchers to families from the Gaza border region
Post-trauma seminar for 92 Nova Festival survivor
Post-trauma treatment through respite activities for children
Donation of warm meals in the Tiberias Food bank
A total of $2,740 valued meals were donated.
120 Blankets for children from bereaved families
4. Psychological Support for Children and families from southern Israel
Purpose of the Project: Provide psychological assistance to children and families from southern Israel, including those hospitalized.
Fundraising goal: $77,000
Total Donations Raised After matching: $1,411,704*
Total Donations Distributed: $32,000
Training Program for the staff of the Child and Adolescent Trauma Center at Barzilai Medical Center, Ashkelon
The 52,000 USD of marathon funds raised in the Israel Support Marathon will be used to provide advanced training in trauma treatment to 30 psychiatrists and psychologists at Barzilai Medical Center. The Medical Center treats residents of the kibbutzim in the Western Negev and in the cities of Ashkelon, Sderot, Netivot, Ofakim, and Ashdod. Following the October 7th attack, there has been a dramatic influx of young patients ages 6-18, who require intensive psychiatric and psychological support. They suffer from PTSD, severe anxiety, and grief, and some also have suicidal tendencies. A considerable number of them also experience severe functional impairment, such as difficulty sleeping, fear of leaving the house, insistence on sleeping under their beds, fear of being kidnapped and murdered by terrorists, night wetting, and more. The expected number of patients which will be treated through this program is 150-200 a week on average, bringing the total to more than 7,500 a year. Additional donations are in the pipeline for this project.
The "Brothers at Heart" project
* An additional sum of $37,500 was raised in the marathon, and allocated specifically to the psychological and educational support of the 55 students of the Eden Boarding School. See next for further details.
5. Emergency Assistance for the Eden Boarding School
Purpose of the Project: Provide emergency aid to fifty-five girls aged 12-18 residing in the "Eden" boarding school, located in Carmia near the Gaza Strip. These girls, survivors of domestic violence and suffering from severe post-traumatic disorders, lost their homes and belongings in the attack. They are currently housed at the Shalva Center in Jerusalem, and funds are needed for psychological and educational support, clothing, and supplies.
Fundraising goal: $160,000
Total Donations Raised After matching: $256,786
Total Donations Distributed: $63,232
Status of the project
$25,732 was spent on emergency supplies: $10,959 was for the rental of a school bus and the acquisition of educational equipment, $12,033 was allocated for expenditures such as clothing, footwear, instructors for various classes, and creative equipment, and $2,740 was used for the procurement of 50 hygienic emergency kits. Additionally, $37,500 was used for psychological and educational support through the “Brothers at Heart” project listed earlier.