Three years after the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack, Israel’s charitable sector shows that the initial spike in giving has evolved beyond a short‑term crisis response. Ori Ben‑Shlomo, CEO of the JGive donation platform, notes that contributions keep increasing as the nation shifts from emergency relief to sustained recovery.
In the immediate aftermath of October 7, daily life across Israel was disrupted. Reservists were mobilized, hundreds of thousands of citizens evacuated, families sought aid, nonprofits raced to pinpoint urgent needs, and private individuals filled gaps while government systems were overwhelmed.
Simultaneously, an unprecedented surge of donations poured into Israel. Israelis and Jews worldwide looked for rapid ways to aid evacuees, troops, affected families, and groups supplying food, gear, shelter, and other emergency relief, making digital fundraising platforms a core element of the civilian effort.
Nearly three years on, the sector’s priorities have shifted. Diaspora Jewish communities now weigh support for Israel against growing domestic needs, emergency fundraising is gradually yielding to long‑term rehabilitation, and Israelis have begun to view philanthropy in a new light.
Ben‑Shlomo said JGive’s data show that this shift has persisted.
He said, “This reflects the story of Israeli society as we see it. Before October 7, 2023, roughly NIS 160 million flowed through our platform; after the attack, that figure jumped to about NIS 330 million in donations, involving hundreds of thousands of contributors each year.”
The initial rise was striking, yet JGive executives were uncertain whether it would endure. In the war’s early months, the majority of contributions funded immediate necessities such as food, supplies, aid for evacuees, and support for troops.
He added, “Once the immediate crisis began to ease, we suspected the surge of generosity—both domestic and international—might diminish. Instead, the numbers kept climbing.”
He noted that the platform processed nearly NIS 400 million in donations last year, and this year’s total has already surpassed that figure.
He said, “We have observed a notable shift in Israeli society’s attitude toward giving, solidarity, and the recognition that such contributions are vital to our resilience.”
Israelis increasingly choose direct donations
Although Israel garnered considerable financial backing from Jewish communities overseas after October 7, Ben‑Shlomo said the majority of funds flowing through JGive still originate from Israeli donors.
He remarked, “During the war the balance shifted, with more contributions arriving from abroad—chiefly the United States—but overall, the bulk of the support still comes from Israel.”
The trend suggests that the post-October 7 solidarity story was not solely one of Diaspora Jews supporting Israel. Israelis themselves also increased their charitable giving.
Ben‑Shlomo added that the war deepened financial and emotional ties between Israel and overseas Jewish communities, even as those connections grew more intricate.
A significant development has been the growth of direct giving.
He said, “Previously, central institutions and organizations wielded considerable influence. Nowadays, donors prefer to give straight to the cause; if you wish to support a particular nonprofit, you can do so without an intermediary.”
Ben‑Shlomo likened this shift to broader consumer trends, where individuals increasingly favor direct access rather than relying on intermediaries.
He noted that the shift is especially evident in the United States, where donors can employ digital tools to choose a specific Israeli organization or project instead of automatically channeling funds through established communal bodies.
He added, “This does not diminish the role of federations; they remain vital, particularly for philanthropy and large gifts. Yet direct giving has grown substantially alongside them.”
Emergency fundraising gives way to rehabilitation
Immediately following October 7, JGive focused on assisting nonprofits to raise funds as swiftly as possible.
He said, “When the events of that day unfolded, we recognized two priorities: first, to provide nonprofits with the time, tools, and assistance needed to raise as much money as possible, as quickly as possible.”
The organization set up an emergency operation to aid nonprofits via its platform, while simultaneously fielding inquiries from donors worldwide about where their contributions were most urgently required.
He remarked, “We got calls from around the globe asking, ‘How can we help?’ It became clear that many donors—including corporations—wanted to contribute but lacked clarity on where to direct their funds.”
This realization spurred the creation of a national emergency fund designed to swiftly channel money to organizations addressing on‑the‑ground needs.
He said, “We were disbursing funds each evening. Our strategy was to allocate money to numerous organizations, given the multitude of needs.”
Nearly three years later, however, the notion of ‘need’ has evolved.
He explained, “At the war’s outset, contributions to routine causes—culture, education, health, and everyday affairs—ceased almost entirely, as giving shifted toward emergency relief.”
Initially, those needs were basic—food and aid for evacuees. Over time, traditional charitable sectors began to rebound, while a completely new rehabilitation sector arose around the fallout of October 7 and the ensuing war.
He said, “Numerous organizations were formed to address needs born from October 7, and today an entire ecosystem is advancing toward rehabilitation.”
Mental health, wounded soldiers drive new philanthropic needs
Ben‑Shlomo said that rehabilitation now encompasses wounded soldiers, mental‑health care, civilian recovery, and long‑term assistance for war‑affected communities and families.
He said, “There are many pressing needs. Soldier rehabilitation is a complex undertaking; mental health is another; and civilian rehabilitation for countless individuals affected by the events is also required.”
He added, “The realm of rehabilitation represents a new chapter, and it is attracting many capable individuals who had not previously worked in this sector.”
He noted that a notable development has been the influx of professionals who previously had minimal involvement with nonprofit work.
He explained, “Organizations are now being founded by doctors, psychologists, and other professionals who had not formerly operated in the nonprofit sphere. It is refreshing because they identify a need and bring their professional expertise to bear.”
This shift occurs as Israel continues to grapple with significant psychological fallout from the war, with health organizations reporting ongoing demand for mental‑health services.
Diaspora communities balance Israel support with needs at home
Ben‑Shlomo described the Israel‑Diaspora relationship since October 7 as growing in importance while also becoming more complex.
He said, “I view this as a highly complex situation; the bond with Israel is more crucial than ever.”
He noted that rising antisemitism and global security worries have deepened some Diaspora Jews’ affinity for Israel.
He remarked, “Given the current climate facing Jews worldwide—marked by antisemitism and other troubling phenomena—many feel a stronger tie to Israel. Israel also serves as a relatively stable and secure anchor they wish to reinforce.”
Meanwhile, Jewish communities overseas are confronting mounting local expenses.
He said, “Their local challenges are growing more significant, prompting them to invest more in safeguarding individuals, fortifying their communities, and enhancing resilience.”
He added, “This complicates philanthropy, yet the Diaspora’s willingness to forge a strong link with Israel and support worthy causes remains intact.”
Younger donors want to know where their money goes
Ben‑Shlomo said donor behavior is also shifting, reflecting broader trends in philanthropy that extend beyond the October 7 events.
He said, “The younger generation delves much deeper into details and wants to know exactly where its money goes—behavior that mirrors how people act in the investment world.”
Donors now demand greater transparency and seek clarity on how their contributions are utilized.
The October 7 attacks accelerated this trend by exposing many Israelis, especially younger individuals, to nonprofit work and volunteerism for the first time.
He said, “Prior to October 7, many viewed charitable giving as a nice‑to‑have activity limited to a specific group. Today, however, everyone recognizes it as essential and critical.”
He recalled a conversation with a friend who serves on a corporate board, describing how social involvement has become intertwined with professional identity.
Before any business talk began, she noted that participants would first mention the nonprofits where they volunteered or held leadership roles.
He said, “It naturally evolved into a facet of self‑identity; many individuals feel compelled to disclose their involvement, whether through donations or volunteering.”
Nearly 90,000 donations in one holiday month
One figure that especially surprised Ben‑Shlomo was not a single large philanthropic gift, but the sheer volume of individual donors.
He said, “During the most recent holiday month, there were nearly 90,000 donations amounting to NIS 60 million.”
He added, “This figure continually amazes me; it reflects not a single major donor but a vast number of people contributing, often modest sums.”
He noted that many of JGive’s donors are young Israelis.
He said, “This really speaks to something inherent in the Israeli character.”
The pressing question now is whether the solidarity sparked after October 7 can endure in normal times.
He said, “In an emergency, there is no doubt—we witnessed it happening.”
He added, “What concerns me more—and what we are actively addressing—is how to channel the emergency‑era enthusiasm into sustained, everyday giving. That demands considerable effort.”
Ben‑Shlomo said the long‑term aim should be to embed social responsibility as a permanent facet of Israeli life.
He said, “I believe our mission over the coming decades is to transform Israel into a social superpower as well, fostering genuine solidarity and a culture of mutual responsibility where each person contributes—even in modest ways within their own neighborhood—to support those in need.”