An Update from Israel for Philanthropy Ahead of the Conference

As we prepare to gather for the JFN International Conference, we do so at a moment of profound gravity. The war places enormous strain on Israeli society, with communities under attack and daily life shaped by uncertainty. Our Israeli team remains in close contact with civil society organizations, government ministries, and local authorities to monitor developments and assess where philanthropy can have the greatest impact.

For funders, the situation continues to evolve. Immediate relief needs are largely being addressed by public authorities, while deeper systemic challenges are emerging across areas such as shelter accessibility, support for vulnerable populations, mental health, and the strain on reservists and their families. 

As our community prepares to come together in San Diego, we remain focused on supporting one another and ensuring that the voices and perspectives of our Israeli colleagues remain central to the conversation, even as travel from Israel remains uncertain.

Read Andrés Spokoiny and Sigal Yaniv Feller’s full philanthropy update for the latest analysis and guidance.

A Seat at the Table
Women’s Leadership in Israel through the War and Beyond
Emergency Briefing with Israeli Civil Society Leaders

Wednesday March 11, 2026 | Zoom

1:00pm ET | 10:00am PT | 7:00pm Israel

The JFN Gender Giving Forum, in partnership with National Council of Jewish Women and the Hadassah Foundation, will convene a briefing with Israeli feminist leaders working on the frontlines of civil society as the country continues to navigate war, stress, and uncertainty.

Leaders from across Israel’s feminist sector will share the challenges emerging from the current conflict and present a collaborative roadmap developed by more than 30 organizations through NCJW’s Connecting for Impact initiative. The discussion will explore how philanthropy can support women’s leadership and ensure women are fully represented in shaping Israel’s future.

Learn more and register.

Bringing Together Funders With an Affinity for Education

A growing number of Jewish thinkers, communal leaders, and philanthropists are converging around a shared conclusion: the long-term vitality of Jewish life depends on strong investment in the institutions that cultivate Jewish knowledge, identity, and leadership. Jewish day schools remain among the most powerful of those institutions, yet they face rising costs, uneven enrollment, and structural pressures that require new approaches to sustainability.

The Jewish Funders Network has launched a new Jewish Day School Affinity Group to create a space for funders to engage these challenges together. Bringing together philanthropists with experience across local and national day school efforts, the group will foster deeper conversation, shared learning, and potential collaboration on some of the sector’s most pressing questions.

Read Yossi Prager’s article in eJewish Philanthropy on why coordinated philanthropic engagement will be critical to the future of Jewish day schools

FROM THE FIELD

Just as it was wrapping up work from June war, fresh conflict thrusts JDC back into crisis mode
Nira Dayanim, eJewish Philanthropy

The work no one sees: The paradox of caring for Israel’s double orphans
Chantal Belzberg, eJewish Philanthropy

The Coming DAFpocalypse
Dan Petegorsky, Inside Philanthropy

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