Israel is once again in a heightened state of emergency. After 622 days of grief and war, our partners on the ground describe the current atmosphere as a haunting blend of the COVID era and the post–October 7th crisis. Schools have been canceled for the remainder of the year. Non-essential businesses are shuttered. Citizens are urged to stay near shelters. And yet—civil society is stepping up, with people of all walks of life meeting rapidly changing needs, just as we’ve seen before.
The grassroots response has been extraordinary. Neighbors are organizing to help the elderly and those with disabilities reach safe rooms, creating impromptu games to comfort children in parking garages-turned-shelters, and offering housing to those evacuated from their homes or stranded in Israel. Doctors and medics are racing to missile impact sites, working around the clock in perilous conditions. Search-and-rescue teams are combing through rubble for signs of life. Broader communities are gathering with hostage families on Zoom to remind them they are not alone.
While the Israeli spirit is resilient, people are exhausted and unsure of what lies ahead. As one friend shared, “It’s both breathtaking and heartbreaking to witness the incredible prowess of what Israel is accomplishing while mourning lives lost and the daily rhythm of normal life that feels ever disrupted.”
“Mi k’amcha Yisrael?”—Who is like Your nation, Israel? These ancient words resonate today, as Israelis from all sectors demonstrate unimaginable courage, compassion, and solidarity.
Below, you’ll find urgent needs as reported by our team and trusted partners on the ground. As we did after October 7th, we’ll continue sharing needs as they develop. Please consider supporting the Israel Emergency Grassroots Response Initiative, the Jewish Federation of San Diego Israel Emergency Campaign, or any Israeli organizations close to your heart. Reach out to family, friends, and others you know in Israel. Your support really matters.
If you’d like guidance on where or how to give or just want to connect to what’s happening on the ground, please reach out.
Please join this caring community of donors and help us provide support in these urgent areas:
- Hospitals and first responders: Hospitals are moving their care centers underground. On Thursday, at least 80 people were injured when a ballistic missile with a large explosive warhead slammed into Soroka Medical Center’s surgical ward, destroying it and causing widespread destruction to nearby buildings. Soroka Medical Center is in Beersheva, with a catchment area of more than one million people. Thankfully patients had just been moved from that part of the building to a safer space, or the toll would have been far worse. Resources are needed for these shifts and for acute care, trauma treatment, and rehabilitation.
- First responders: Frontline medics and rescue teams racing to the scene need fuel, protective equipment, and trauma support.
- Evacuees: Thousands of families have been evacuated from their destroyed homes and are now in hotels. They need help with basic supplies, emotional-educational support, as well as small perks that improve their daily lives.
- Shelter infrastructure: Thirty percent of Israelis (2.6 million people) don’t have access to approved shelters and 60% don’t have safe rooms in their homes or apartments. Only certain kinds of mobile shelters are effective against ballistic missiles. Civil society is working with neighborhood councils and public spaces like public gardens and zoos to install more suitable shelters in order to provide both safety and some sense of respite.
- IDF reservist families: Support for those already under great strain after being in and out of army service for hundreds of days. This impacts small businesses and freelancers particularly hard and has ramifications for the entire economy.
- People with disabilities and seniors: Neighborhood activation to help those with disabilities; enhanced communication systems for the hard of hearing and others and improving access to shelters are all critical.
- Frameworks for children: Activities for those whose schools and camps have been cancelled and respite for parents. After experiencing many months of conflict and disruptions to their routines, children are suffering higher rates of anxiety, depression, and stress. They have special requirements for support, play, and learning.
- Mental health: Critically needed services for the many Israelis experiencing long-term trauma and loss. Mental health professionals treating their patients’ trauma, while carrying their own, need extra care for compassion fatigue.
