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One Year Since October 7

Exactly 365 days ago, mere hours after Israeli families gathered at dinner tables to celebrate Shabbat and the holiday of Shmini Atzeret, Hamas launched an unprecedented attack by air, land, and sea that would leave a deep mark on every Israeli, and everyone in our global Jewish community. We remember the text messages of disbelief as friends, colleagues and community members tried to make sense of the horror.

We were horrified as thousands of rockets were launched at our homeland. We were heartbroken as reports flowed in detailing the brutality of the attack and tremendous loss of life.

365 days later, with Iran’s extensive missile attack this past week, the war continuing in the north, and 97 of our brothers and sisters still held captive in Gaza, our support for Israel remains unwavering.

Since that tragic day, our community has made possible a powerful philanthropic response, resulting in $1.25 million distributed to support emergency services, trauma relief, and the revitalization of the local economy. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of our community, we are honored to share how your support has made a direct impact in Israel:

  • Jewish Federations of North America Collective Campaign: $530,777 to benefit hundreds of Israeli nonprofits providing essential services and humanitarian aid.
  • Small Business Loans: $200,000 to ensure the survival of small businesses during the conflict through the Israel Emergency Loan Fund.
  • Jewish Agency for Israel, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, and Chabad: $207,108 for humanitarian, trauma intervention, and social service programs.
  • Tikvah U'Marpeh: $33,600 for the Orot Healing Retreat, a week-long therapeutic experience for 120 survivors of the Nova Festival massacre.
  • Achva Academic College: $30,000 for scholarships and emergency stipends to retain students economically affected by the war.
  • AKIM Israel: $25,000 to support resilience-building intervention for people with intellectual disabilities.
  • See all the grants we have made to Israel.

We share our immense gratitude and sense of pride for the solidarity we have shown as a community, standing with Israel. Our collective impact helps provide a way forward during this most challenging time. It is best expressed in the words of gratitude from our partner organizations in Israel:

“Our deepest gratitude for your generous grant of $30,000, which will have a profound and lasting impact on our students facing challenges studying for a degree during wartime. Your support of scholarships will ease their financial burden, and empower them to focus on their studies, even in such dark times as we are facing. Thank you for believing in the post-trauma growth potential of our students.”
— Prof. Yifat Bitton, President, Achva Academic College
 
"We thank Jewish Federation of Orange County for your generous grant of $25,000 for Resilience-Building Intervention for People with Intellectual Disabilities. Staff, volunteers, and our 68 branches from the south to the north mobilized on Oct. 8, 2023, to respond to needs that arose stemming from the brutal attacks. We continue to respond with services, equipment, and programs designed to bolster resilience, more recently in communities in the north."
— Jack Frohlich, Director of International Relations, AKIM Israel

"Thank you for your support of our unique multi-day healing retreat model, through which we equip IDF reserve combat soldiers with mental tools and coping strategies that help them reintegrate after overcoming trauma. One combat paramedic shared, ‘the journey, the friends, and the connections all helped me continue my life in a healthy and complete way.’"
— Maya Talmon Chvaicer, PhD, Chief Development Officer, B’shvil Hamachar

"Thank you to the Federation for the grant of $25,000. This will support ELI’s second stage of long-term care, providing therapeutic and crisis intervention to children and their families. We are proud of our impact, and we deeply appreciate your partnership."
— Eran Zimrin, President, ELI: Israel Association for Child Protection

As we reflect on the events of the past year, may we take a moment to remember those we lost on this day one year ago and in the days since, may their memory be for a blessing. We remain united in our hope for a brighter, peaceful future. We pray for the return of the hostages still held captive in Gaza and the rebuilding of lives shattered. It will be a long road ahead, and we will remain vigilant and ready in our support of Israel and Jews around the world.

Am Yisrael Chai,

Jewish Federation of Orange County