Three hundred thousand reservists rallied to the flag after October 7. According to estimates, 10% of them are self-employed, including many small business owners. Many had to suspend their business activities, and some were even forced to close their businesses altogether, with the next round of reserve duty already underway.
Support Business IL is a joint venture of The Jewish Agency, Brothers and Sisters for Israel and other entities that joined together to provide a package of assistance to small businesses operated by reserve soldiers. The program offers business assistance combined with a financial grant in order to support the return and continuation of business activity.
Mentorship and assistance are provided through the Brothers and Sisters for Israel initiative, whose partners, in addition to The Jewish Agency, are IVN (Israel Venture Network) and Klirmark Capital. The program is operated by the project's volunteers (mentors) who are professionals in various fields. The mentors will advise the business owners on how to deal with all the issues involved in running a business in crisis situations and planning its activities in the future.
Who is eligible for assistance? small businesses owned by reserve soldiers who work in the business or businesses that are owned by their spouses and in which the reserve soldiers work. The businesses should have an annual turnover of between NIS 200,000-1,000,000.
>> Further information and donations: https://www.support-business-il.com
The financial grant provided for supporting the business's activity will amount to up to 1% of the annual turnover and up to 10,000 NIS according to various criteria, including business turnover, business status, number of reserve days, purpose of service, personal and family status and more (the fund also reserves the right to refer to exceptional cases).
The program will take place over several weeks to allow soldiers currently in operational activity to apply for and receive support.
Among the volunteers in the mentor program are Dr. Tal Hanani, Michal Zimler and Dana Goral who are coordinating the program, along with Itzik Danziger, Salit Granit, Ayala Borowski, CPA Noa Bar Yaakov, Elian Even, Tomer Kolinsky, Ariel Arussi, Danny Shturman, Dr. Dov Reichman, Oranit Hinoch, Galia Elieli, Ronit Lapidor Blue and others.
Ilan Levanon, founding partner of the Klirmark investment fund and fund manager on behalf of Brothers and Sisters for Israel: "Over the past three months, we acted immediately to assist small businesses in the Gaza envelope, including Sderot and Ofakim. As part of the Support Israel IL program, which was a joint venture with The Jewish Agency and other organizations, we granted fourteen million shekels to more than 1,700 businesses, some of which we still accompany today through business mentors in cooperation with IVN. At the same time, we worked on a program to assist our heroes on the front lines, as the damage to the country's economy was constantly being felt. The reservists, many of whom are now returning to reality after their business suffered over 100 days of economic losses, lost customers, and now their mission is to get the train back on tracks, and we have to be there for them."
Maj. Gen. (Res.) Doron Almog, Chairman of The Jewish Agency: "As in the days of the establishment of the State of Israel, we are now facing the greatest crisis that the State of Israel has known since its establishment. The younger generation, which includes mostly reservists, are fighting and risking their lives. They were called to the flag and without hesitation jumped first to protect us all, leaving behind their spouses, children, and business, the family's source of livelihood, with the hope that it would survive. With their bravery and determination, they carry on their shoulders an enormous responsibility – to fight and defend our homes. These reservists are an inspiration to all of us, and they are the source of strength and hope. We must help them and stand by them at this difficult time – to give them the sense of security they so desperately need, to enable them at the end of the war to return to their businesses, to provide for their family with dignity, and to contribute to the Israeli economy. We at The Jewish Agency, together with our partners, tell them - you are not alone! We are with you!"
Eyal Naveh, a leader of Brothers and Sisters for Israel: "We salute the fighters who were discharged after many months at the front, and our soldiers who are the guardians of Israel. Our national mission on the road to healing is, first and foremost, the reservists who left everything and went to defend their homes. Together with "Achim Tomchim Ba-Miluim" for providing help at home and legal and human support to reservists whose companies dared to fire them, we will do everything we can for our forces. A blue-and-white Israeli economy and a functioning economy are essential for national resilience and are critical on the way to rehabilitating society. Together, we will make a better Israel here, worthy of the reservists who came out to defend us."
Amira Ahronoviz, CEO of The Jewish Agency: "From the moment the war broke out, The Jewish Agency mobilized to help the populations affected by it, as part of our long-standing mission to strengthen the resilience of Israeli society. The reservists left behind family and livelihood and deployed a network of security protection to ensure our continued existence. Now, through the Support Business IL initiative, we are deploying a network of economic protection in order to accompany the reservists from a business perspective and enable the small businesses that drive the local and national economy to continue to exist."
Benny Levin, IVN Vice Chairman: "One of the things we have learned over the decades that we have provided guidance and mentoring to small businesses, both in times of crisis and in calmer times, is the importance of a guiding hand in these moments - of refreshing business advice, of tightening the business plan, stabilizing financial sources and more. The mentors at Brothers and Sisters for Israel stood up to embrace, strengthen, and empower those small business owners who have not only been emotionally and physically harmed but whose livelihoods are in danger."
>> Further information and donations: https://www.support-business-il.com