Jewish Federations of North America allocated $10 million in Israel Emergency Funds to 19 partner organizations in order to meet new and emerging needs resulting from Iran's missile attacks against the Jewish state.
The funds went toward providing emergency relief for families whose homes have been damaged or those who have been forced to evacuate their homes, providing medical and trauma relief, upgrading conditions in public bomb shelters, assistance for vulnerable populations including homebound elderly, those with disabilities, and new immigrants, and strengthening community.
"Once again, Israel is facing new and unexpected challenges as it defends itself against a ruthless aggressor, and once again Jewish Federations are mobilizing to provide critical support and relief," said Jeff Schoenfeld, incoming Vice Chair of the board of trustees, Jewish Federations of North America. “We want every Israeli to know that the North American Jewish community has their backs, and will continue to step up in meaningful ways, whether that means supporting hospitals, upgrading conditions in public bomb shelters, or helping evacuees and victims of terror.”
The two largest allocations, at $2 million each, went to the Jewish Agency for Israel's Fund for Victims of Terror new Rising Lion Fund, and toward assisting hospitals.
The Rising Lion Fund will provide immediate assistance for bereaved families, those who have been severely injured, and those whose residences have been destroyed by missile attacks. The Jewish Agency received another $500,000 in allocations to support the elderly and new immigrants.
The hospital allocation will provide institutions with essential equipment purchases and emergency personnel needs, including Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva, which was struck by an Iranian ballistic missile last week.
Three allocations amounting to $1.5 million also went to our core partner, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, which will use the funds to recruit and deploy emergency workers for essential services in partnership with the Ministry of the Economy; distribute basic search and rescue and advanced first aid equipment to local authorities; and enable local authorities that have suffered major missile strikes to provide support to affected residents, including the hiring of case workers for their elderly population.
Other critical areas that Federations are mobilizing to support include:
Emergency relief for families displaced by missile attacks
Nearly 15,000 homes have been damaged in the past week, and over 9,000 people Israel have been forced to evacuate. Most evacuees are currently housed in hotels and guesthouses, and immediate needs are being met—but we know there are gaps that philanthropy can assist with.
Shelter and supplies for civilians seeking refuge
With around 2.6 million Israelis—28% of the population—lacking access to approved shelters, local authorities have opened public shelters, parking garages, and schools to keep people safe. Shocking images from places like Bat Yam and Haifa have driven more families to seek overnight refuge in these spaces. Organizations that can step in with operational support or run programs in shelters are urgently needed. That means improving conditions by bringing in essentials like mattresses, fans, food, and water—plus games and activities to help kids cope with long hours underground.
Specialized care for the elderly, disabled, and the vulnerable
As the conflict with Iran escalates, vulnerable groups—like the elderly and people with disabilities—are facing even greater challenges. Everyday tasks like shopping or accessing support services are becoming harder, and many don’t have access to safe rooms. Some may need to be relocated entirely. Right now, top priorities include food deliveries, volunteer check-ins for isolated individuals, and evacuation support.
Trauma counseling and mental health services
The mental health toll is growing fast. In just one week, over 4,700 calls flooded Israel’s emotional support hotlines. Emergency protocols are activated—expanding services, launching more hotlines, and offering emotional first aid and on-the-spot psychological evaluations. Teams are also on the ground in missile-hit areas like Tel Aviv and Bat Yam, providing immediate psychological first aid. These teams also need help processing their experiences.
Programs to strengthen community resilience and rebuild hope
The surge in demand for critical workers to keep essential businesses such as supermarkets, pharmacies and gas stations open and fill in for security guards, drivers, and childcare providers for essential personnel, has grown dramatically. Jewish Federations provided seed funding to plan for and are now supporting a JDC initiative in partnership with Israel’s Ministry of the Economy to recruit and place these temporary workers and boost Israel’s emergency resilience.
See the full list of allocations here.