COVID-19 Crisis: Fortifying Israeli Society | The Jewish AgencyCOVID-19 Crisis: Fortifying Israeli Society

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Fortifying Israeli Society

during the COVID-19 crisis

We are hard at work in the broader Israeli society throughout this coronavirus pandemic, specifically fortifying the nonprofit/NGO sector that’s focused on welfare, education, health services and more.

At the beginning of March, as the coronavirus crisis reached Israel, tens of thousands of non-profit employees were laid off. As the situation persists, there has been a dramatic surge in the number of organizations seeking emergency assistance, including non-profits that serve at-risk youth, battered women, the elderly, people with disabilities, populations with special needs, etc.

Since the pandemic started, Jewish Agency Chairman Isaac Herzog has personally played a leading role in convening a daily emergency forum of the civic society umbrella organizations and leaders to discuss the sector’s problems in light of the coronavirus crisis and ways to find solutions to the challenges that threaten to collapse thousands of Israeli philanthropy-based nonprofits.

He also approached the Prime Minister, alongside other relevant ministries, calling them to formulate an emergency response to this sector.

With Ogen, an Israeli nonprofit lending provider of affordable credit, we took steps to make sure nonprofits don’t collapse by launching the Emergency Loan Fund for Non-Profits.

Non-profit organizations have been critical to Israel’s development since its founding and many only exist because of the billions of dollars Jews from around the world have invested in them over the last 70+ years. Now, in these unparalleled times, we can’t stand by and let these organizations disappear due to financial difficulties. 

Less than 48 hours after launching the Emergency Loan Fund, more than 60 NGOs had reached out to inquire about obtaining loans and the applications quickly rolled in. We are reviewing these applications through a vetting committee every night into the late hours in order to offer answers as soon as possible as these funds are crucial. 

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