'Strengthening the western Negev and the Galilee is the most critical Zionist mission of our generation'

As soon as the war began, the UJA Federation of New York partnered with several other organizations to establish Horizon, a project focused on rehabilitating the communities along the Gaza border most severely affected by the war. Tens of millions of shekels have been invested in this initiative, making it the largest philanthropic effort dedicated to the region’s residents. But it’s not just about the financial support. 'They really listened to us,' said a resident of Nir Yitzhak. 'We felt we could trust them.'

On the first night of Hanukkah, exactly one year ago, a few members of the Nir Yitzhak community, near Gaza, gathered by candlelight, holding onto great hope. The community suffered severe losses on October 7, including fierce battles at the kibbutz gate, the abduction of an entire family from their safe room, and hours of intense fear and uncertainty.
At that candle-lighting ceremony, they were joined by guests who would later become central partners in the community’s recovery—representatives from the Israeli office of the UJA Federation of New York, along with those from the Horizon initiative. Together, they connected deeply with the community’s story and have since supported Nir Yitzhak, along with 53 other southern communities that came under attack.
Horizon by UJA Federation of New York in Gaza border region
“The meeting was incredibly moving. We immediately understood they were here to help,” said Rona Minaker, a member of Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak. “They truly listened and wanted to understand our needs. Trust was built quickly, and we felt we could rely on them.”
The Horizon initiative, led by the UJA Federation of New York, is the largest philanthropic effort dedicated to rehabilitating the Gaza border region. Launched in the early days of the war, it partners with 150 of Israel’s leading companies and has already invested over 60 million shekels to help affected communities recover and thrive. “One of Horizon’s key contributions early on was paying salaries to sustain the shattered communities,” Minaker explains.
Kibbutz Kfar Aza, another community involved in the project, recently launched a program called "Ofir’s Seeds," in memory of the late Ofir Libstein. This initiative focuses on supporting young adults, the group most severely impacted by the events of October 7. Over 2 million shekels have been allocated for student scholarships tied to community volunteering and retreats designed to strengthen youth bonds. The program aims to encourage young residents to return and play an active role in rebuilding their community, serving as a model for similar initiatives across the Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Council.
“Horizon’s guiding principle is to put the community at the center,” said Itzik Shmuli, Director-General of UJA in Israel. “This means that the community itself defines its most urgent needs—whether in trauma recovery, resilience, education, or employment—areas that have not yet received government funding. By doing so, we not only help the community overcome its most difficult challenges but also empower it, offering a strong reason to look toward the future from within the great rupture—and dare to envision the next steps in rebuilding and recovery.”
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קיבוץ כפר עזה
קיבוץ כפר עזה
A Kibbutz Kfar Aza home devastated in the October 7 attack
(Photo: Ofir Yonatan)
According to Shmuli, “The New York Federation has supported Israel on an extraordinary scale for 80 years, even before the state was established. But it’s in times like these that you truly understand how deep the connection runs and how strong the solidarity is between us. The mobilization of the New York community is incredible, and the message is clear: this is a fight for our shared national home. Horizon stems from that place—a desire to stand with communities in their darkest hour and build genuine partnerships for the years ahead. Today, Horizon represents the largest philanthropic initiative supporting the affected communities in the south.”
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The critical goal of returning to these communities requires action on multiple fronts. "The focus is forward-looking," emphasized Minaker. "It’s not just about returning and supporting families but also about demographic growth. We’re talking about rebuilding from an event that hasn’t yet ended, which makes it complex. There’s no sense of security—the war is still here."

'The most painful place'

“From the early days of October, it was clear to us that we needed to reach those communities that had endured the unimaginable,” said Shmuli. “We chose to step into the most painful place—not as donors or consultants, but as partners.”
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 יניב בן חגי לוי, מנהל קהילת צוחר  איציק שמולי, מנכל פדרציית ניו יורק בישראל   אריק גולדשטיין, מנכל פדרציית ניו יורק ליאת שי, מנהלת קהילת יושיביה  רונית בן רומנו מנהלת קהילה תלמי אליהו  שי אילן, תוצרת הארץ
 יניב בן חגי לוי, מנהל קהילת צוחר  איציק שמולי, מנכל פדרציית ניו יורק בישראל   אריק גולדשטיין, מנכל פדרציית ניו יורק ליאת שי, מנהלת קהילת יושיביה  רונית בן רומנו מנהלת קהילה תלמי אליהו  שי אילן, תוצרת הארץ
Tzohar secretary Yaniv Ben Haggai Levi, UJA Israel Director-General Itzik Shmuli, UJA Federation of New York CEO Eric Goldstein, Yoshivia secretary Liat Shai, Talmei Eliyahu secretary Ronit Ben Romano, and Shai Ilan of Tozeret Haaretz
(Photo: Yarden Cohen)
Thus, the Horizon project was born, in collaboration with the Businesses Forum—a consortium of 150 leading Israeli companies, including Wix, Tidhar, Cisco, and Viola—along with key philanthropic partners, including CJP Boston, the DC Federation, and Tozeret Haaretz, as the coordinating body. The initiative focuses on a wide range of areas aimed at community recovery and rebuilding: resilience, trauma care, employment development, empowering local leadership, educational initiatives, and informal education programs.
Examples of activities include helping affected communities transition to temporary housing, recruiting professional personnel to support communities, establishing educational frameworks, and offering group therapy programs—particularly for children and teenagers living in temporary housing facilities, such as hotels. And the list goes on.
Tzohar, a community in the Eshkol Regional Council located just 7 kilometers from the Gaza border, finds itself excluded from support provided by the Tkuma Directorate, the government body responsible for assisting Gaza border communities.
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איציק שמולי ויניב בן חגי לוי, מזכיר צוחר
איציק שמולי ויניב בן חגי לוי, מזכיר צוחר
Yaniv Ben Haggai Levi and Itzik Shmuli
(Photo: Elad Samocha)
“Tzohar is a large community with 600 families,” explains the community’s secretary, Yaniv Ben Haggai Levi. “In recent years, many young families have moved here. We don’t own land, and, apart from paying taxes, we lack the ability to generate resources through entrepreneurship, industry, or agriculture. Because of this, we can’t offer activities that develop the community or its culture. It’s incomprehensible that, despite the enormous challenges we face, we are left out of the ‘border region’ support—by a mere 123 meters separating us from the official area. The state was nowhere to be found in these past months, and now it’s floundering. Without the help of the New York Federation and American Jewry, I don’t know where the Gaza border region would be today. And this applies not only to us but to everyone.”
He recalls, "When the representatives from UJA and Horizon visited, they asked how they could help. I shared that our biggest challenge was the lack of funding for programs for children, youth, and the community. They loved the idea and funded the program for three years. They’ve given my residents a renewed sense of hope.”

'Immense responsibility'

Guy Pross, a member of the steering committee for the Businesses Forum, reflects, “The war caught us, as business professionals, ill-prepared. Unlike the military or government, we didn’t have an official framework. We found ourselves heading to hotels in Eilat and the Dead Sea to meet with the displaced from the affected communities.”
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UJA-Federation of New York CEO Eric Goldstein with the Nahal Oz community
UJA-Federation of New York CEO Eric Goldstein with the Nahal Oz community
UJA-Federation of New York CEO Eric Goldstein with the Nahal Oz community
(Photo: Yarden Cohen)
These meetings were profoundly challenging. “We encountered broken people and realized that simply standing before them and offering help carried an immense responsibility,” says Pross. “Creating a joint project that brings together the business world with the most significant federations in the U.S. is a major achievement, enabling us to accomplish many things—both in terms of funding and operational execution.”
Shmuli shares a resolute message for the Gaza border communities: “We are here and not going anywhere. We will continue to provide support and assistance to the best of our ability. Strengthening the western Negev and the Galilee is the most critical Zionist mission of our generation, and we are honored to take part alongside the incredible residents. This is the most important project we are undertaking in Israel today.”
  • Published in collaboration with the UJA Federation of New York.
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