Israel at War: Providing for the Returning Hostages

As we enter the 47^thday of war, needs on the ground continue to evolve, deepen, and change.

First, I want to remind you ofour list of vetted needsthat we update continuously, and the JFN Concierge Service, which offerssupport and advice customized to your specific needs. Members looking to respond to the crisis can utilize the Concierge Service to be connected with other members working toward the same goal, to find resources provided by our partners in the secular philanthropic space, and more. Write to concierge@jfunders.org.

Also, the Israel Risesplatform is working at full steam and assisting those funders who want to address specific, discrete needs.

In more general terms, these are needs we’re observing (you can also check previous updates here).

• At the time of this writing, a first hostage deal appears likely. While liberation of hostages is excellent news, we expect that there will be mental and physical health issues to deal with for those freed, their families, and the families of other hostages and missing. It’s very important not to let the sense of urgency around the hostages weaken. Funders are encouraged to contact theHostages and Missing Families Forumto see how they can help.
• Southern communities have already been displaced for a month and a half, and cracks are starting to appear in their social fabric. It’s important to understand that kibbutzim and moshavim are not simply places of residence, but communities with a rich communal life. While physically reconstructing the communities, it’s important to also pay attention to their communal resilience – things like rebuilding the governance mechanisms of the kibbutzim, hiring community directors, or learning how to better advocate vis-à-vis the government; anything that helps rebuild the social cohesion of those places. It’s also important to know that differences start to appear between different communities in terms of their level of dislocation and resilience. Funders can reach out to us to get a more detailed download on this issue, as our Israeli staff is in touch with those communities.
• There are differences between northern and southern evacuees. While those from the North didn’t – thank God – have to contend with the murders and the hostages, their evacuation appears to have been less well organized. Many of the Northern evacuees were populations at risk and are affected by other social issues. Organizations that deal with those evacuees need to be prioritized.
• As we’ve been saying, the local authorities and municipalities of the affected regions have been, by and large, doing a very good job, and they will play an important role in the months and years ahead. There have been philanthropic projects that seek to improve the functioning of the local authorities, and those are showing their value during this crisis. We recommend supporting them. The local authorities themselves are also becoming good conduits to deliver help to their residents – especially those that are scattered across the country.
• Communities in border areas are still anxious and feel threatened, and the work around the kitot konenut(volunteer emergency response) is still very important. Funders that support this work need to make sure that it’s done in coordination with the police and the army, as some rogue efforts have been reported.
• We mentioned in the past the aspect of women’s issues – you can watch the webinar we did on that topic here.
• Hospitals across the country are still dealing with the injured and wounded. One aspect that is gaining importance is rehabilitation services. Many of the wounded need long rehabilitation processes, and those departments are under pressure, both in terms of resources and professionals needed.
• Nonprofits and civil society organizations are feeling pressure due to the loss of their volunteer workforce. At the beginning of the crisis, hundreds of thousands of Israelis volunteered, but now many of these people need to go back to their “day jobs” and care for their own families. Volunteering programs in the Diaspora are gaining pace. We encourage you to work though well-established organizations to ensure that volunteers are a help and not a burden. This means ensuring, for example, that accommodation needs of volunteers don’t collide with the needs of the evacuees. Connected to the previous point, medical volunteers are now being sought, and several US organizations are compiling lists. That said, volunteers from abroad are a stopgap measure. Nonprofits will need capacity to hire and train paid workers in the long run. For some, the spike in need will be temporary. For others, like trauma organizations, the need for more manpower is here to stay.
• At both the macro and micro level, the lengthy mobilization of the reserves is taking its toll. While there are talks about a reduction in the reserve mobilization, so far this is still the longest and biggest mobilization in the country’s history. The economy of the country is suffering, and families are also feeling the pressure, both economically and psychologically. Organizations that help the miluimnikimand their families need to be supported. Initiatives (both philanthropic and impact initiatives) that seek to strengthen the economy can be of great help.
• The antisemitism wave is not showing any signs of receding. As I mentioned before, we have created a mapping of the space, trying to survey all organizations dealing with this issue both on campus and the general public. As you can imagine, there are many such organizations (more than 50 and counting), and it may be hard for funders to navigate this space. Our new consulting service is offering advice on that area. Please contact  concierge@jfunders.orgto be connected.
• The coordination between organizations fighting antisemitism is far from ideal. Funders can play a role in both supporting these organizations and encouraging them to work together. Organizations that serve as providers of resources to an entire field (for example, the ICC – Israel on Campus Coalition) can be very useful in that regard, as they don’t “compete” with organizations on the ground, but support them all. We’re also seeing that a few “social media lone warriors” are having an important impact, generating and disseminating content. Their reach could be significantly bigger. Several JFN members are mobilizing Israeli technology (and talent) to help every organization amplify their reach through intelligent use of AI and social media algorithms. If you’re interested to learn more about this particular effort, pleasecontact us.
• The leadership of many funders in calling out bad behavior of their grantees is having a positive impact. As should be obvious, funders should defund organizations that don’t share their values and/or spew anti-Israel hatred and moral equivalencies between Hamas and Israel.
• We are getting some clarity about long-term issues that will need to be addressed in Israel’s rebuilding phase. JFN will be putting together several working groups for funders to think strategically about the challenges ahead. A few of those groups (for example, on mental health, women’s issues, and education) have already started working, and others are being formed. Our international conference in Israel in March will be largely devoted to working together on those issues.

Finally, as we’ve said many times, our crisis response needs to be “above and beyond” our regular funding. This is the main crisis of our generation, and we all need to step up and give boldly. But we must not defund other grantees – that only solves one crisis by creating another. This is particularly important now at the end of the calendar year, as domestic nonprofits need to close their regular campaigns and appeals. There’s anxiety among many nonprofits about being penalized by a shifting of our attention to Israel. We can and must do both. And nonprofits need to hear that you have their backs.

As we reach another Thanksgiving, we must reflect on the many things we’re grateful for, even in these trying times. For me, my gratitude for being part of the Jewish People is boundless. I’m humbled and honored to be part of a people that is showing courage, empathy, solidarity, and resilience amid terrible ordeals.

There are only 15 million Jews, and I, not by merit of my own, happen to be one of them. That is something I give thanks for every day.

Happy Thanksgiving, stay safe and strong.

Am Israel Chai,

Andres