After Hamas’ brutal attacks on Oct. 7, American Jews, seeking a tangible way to support the Jewish state and its traumatized people, funneled large sums of money to Israel. In Northern California alone, millions of dollars were raised through the Federations based in San Francisco, Los Gatos and Sacramento.
Rebecca Randall, chief philanthropy officer at the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund, said it disbursed $22 million — surpassing what was raised for the war in Ukraine and the Covid emergency campaign.
“The overwhelming majority of the money was raised from several thousand donors across the Bay Area, including a wide range of gifts — from five dollars to $2 million — after Oct. 7,” Randall said.
Of the total, $7 million came from donor-advised funds and supporting foundations, for whom the Federation gives guidance and recommendations on organizations making a positive impact in Israel, and $15 million came from local giving.
The $15 million was split into three pools: $2.5 million went directly to Israeli agencies supporting trauma recovery or helping displaced people, such as Yanabia, which builds bomb shelters for Bedouin families in the Negev, and Maslan, a sexual assault support crisis center.
Another $2 million stayed in the Bay Area for those experiencing fallout from the events in Israel, paying for such things as security upgrades for JCCs, tuition assistance for displaced Israeli families living in the Bay Area, and support for agencies such as the Jewish Community Relations Council Bay Area, which has taken a lead on political advocacy.
The rest, comprising the bulk of money raised — $10.5 million — was directed to a large umbrella fund run by the Jewish Federations of North America, which gives to vetted Israeli partner organizations. All of the participating Federations across the U.S. and Canada sent funds they raised to this national emergency pot.
“Based on the amount they’ve mobilized, San Francisco’s Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund falls in the top 10 of all Federations,” Niv Elis, spokesperson for the JFNA, told J.
This is an unprecedented moment for Israel, and as we’ve done for 100 years, it’s so important for us to show Israelis that we have their back.
The S.F. Federation’s counterpart in the South Bay, Jewish Silicon Valley, also raised a substantial sum for Israel after Oct. 7, contributing to the JFNA umbrella fund and launching its own fund to help the local community. The Silicon Valley area has a large number of Israeli residents, many of whom have struggled since the attacks.
According to numbers provided by JSV, it sent $1.1 million to the JFNA fund and another $200,000 directly to Israeli organizations. CEO Daniel Klein said local donors also gave an additional $300,000 to support some 20 local Jewish organizations, including day schools, synagogues and social-service organizations. Jewish Silicon Valley also provided funds for the Unity March, which saw thousands take to the streets of San Francisco in March; helped fund the Bring Them Home rally in San Jose in March; and covered costs for a family from Israel in need of temporary housing.
“Additionally, donors have increased their donations to our ongoing work and are connecting with us for guidance on how to distribute funds to local organizations in need,” Klein told J. in a statement. “Overall, we are doing what we do best at a moment when our mission feels urgent.”
The funds collected by the JFNA are disbursed by committee. According to one member of the committee, Palo Alto’s Daryl Messinger, the JFNA brought in more than $800 million for the Israeli Emergency Campaign over the course of six months.
“(We have) already allocated more than half of that sum toward filling immediate frontline needs, including food, shelter, medical and trauma care, as well as planning for longer-term recovery and rebuilding,” said Messinger, who is chair of the Association of Reform Zionists of America and a former chair of the Union for Reform Judaism board. “We have identified over 500 organizations that are deploying state-of-the art programs, equipment and services toward addressing pressing and diverse needs.”
Every dollar raised is helping people and organizations during a historic time of need. But perhaps just as importantly, the generosity of donors sends a message about the connection between American Jews and their counterparts in Israel.
“This is an unprecedented moment for Israel, and as we’ve done for 100 years, it’s so important for us to show Israelis that we have their back,” Messinger said.
The Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region was unable to provide dollar figures, but leadership told J. there was an initial burst in giving related to Israel. Donors have since pivoted toward initiatives to confront pervasive antisemitism triggered by the war.