Tenufa Bakehila – Building Hope is Israel’s leading nonprofit for large-scale home repair, providing free renovations to low-income families. Over 30 years, it has restored more than 8,700 homes nationwide.
Today, this work is saving lives.
No electricity.
No water.
No sanitation.
No safe access.
No protection.
This is the reality facing hundreds of families in low-income neighborhoods, where building shelters are unsafe or unusable.
While the government is responsible for maintaining public shelters, residential building shelters are the responsibility of the residents—many of whom cannot afford even the most basic, essential repairs.
That is where Tenufa Bakehila steps in.
Tenufa Bakehila – Building Hope, Israel’s leading nonprofit for large-scale home repair, is always on the front lines—year-round combating housing poverty, and in times of war, ensuring that shelters are safe and usable.
Now that missiles are striking daily, residents in low-income neighborhoods across the country are in desperate straits. Their building shelters are flooded with sewage, sealed shut, without electricity or ventilation, and inaccessible to those who need them most. Urgent requests from municipal emergency centers have poured in, referring us to the most critical cases.
Tenufa’s professional teams responded immediately—repairing damaged walls, doors and ceilings, restoring electricity and water, installing lighting, and making shelters safe and functional.
Since October 7, Tenufa Bakehila has repaired over 750 life-saving shelters across the country. With each shelter serving an average of 10 families, these repairs have provided protection to tens of thousands of Israelis.
And the need has never been greater.
Accessibility Saves Lives
Tragically, more than half of the civilians killed in this war have been elderly—many unable to reach shelters in time.
Tenufa is addressing this directly by installing safety railings, repairing stairwells, and ensuring safe access for elderly and disabled residents.
“After we repaired a building shelter in Bat Yam—making it accessible for elderly residents, including a Holocaust survivor—a missile struck nearby the very next day. Every resident reached safety. No one was injured,” stated Gabi Nachmani, Founder and Director of Tenufa Bakehila.
A Race Against Time
With the recent escalation in attacks, the need has become even more urgent.
“We have the manpower, the equipment, and the expertise,” says Tenufa Bakehila Director Gabi Nachmani. “But time is of the essence.”
Every day, all of Tenufa's teams have been working daily to repair dozens of shelters. While the waiting list continues to grow, Tenufa has had to hire external contractors to help meet the immediate and urgent need.
Tenufa Bakehila is now launching an emergency campaign to repair 120 additional shelters.
Because when the siren sounds, there must be somewhere safe to run.
Tenufa Bakehila is always on the front lines—combating housing poverty year-round, and in times of war, ensuring that safe, functional bomb shelters are available when they are needed most.
Safe Shelters Save Lives!