ISRAEL AT WAR
Entrepreneurs launch Israeli Children’s Fund, expected to raise $100m for children affected by the 7/10 tragedy
“These children represent our collective future and we are committed to doing everything in our power to help them overcome and thrive,” said Amit Rosenzweig, one of the figures behind the project
A group of Israeli high-tech entrepreneurs and venture capitalists have launched a new voluntary initiative focused on providing much-needed help for the countless children who have experienced the trauma of terrorism, lost a parent, or lost their homes during the events of October 7 in Israel. The primary goal of the Israeli Children’s Fund (ICF) is to provide financial and emotional support for those from birth to the age of 20, with a fundraising goal of $100 million from donors.
"When we embarked on this project, we had the tragedy and the humanitarian crisis following the brutal Hamas terrorist attack firmly in our hearts and minds,” said Amit Rosenzweig, CEO of Ottopia and one of the figures behind the project. “These children, now forced into a harsh reality, represent our collective future, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to help them overcome and thrive.”
Rosenzweig launched the initiative alongside Logz.io CEO Tomer Levy and Michelle Latzer, CEO of Tweed, following an inquiry among a shared WhatsApp group that, while praising the initiatives for the armed response, identified that many governmental services were overwhelmed to fully address the sheer number of children who needed attention.
Additional partners include Verbit CEO Tom Livne and Eyal Niv, a partner at Pitango, and several more CEOs in the community. The ICF’s current leadership has raised more than $1.5 billion in commercial and non-profit capacities.
Despite the vast support across the country and the world, the scale of the attack was so large that it has become overwhelming for those on the ground. The aim is to provide both financial support and build a comprehensive support system, helping children reintegrate into ‘normal’ life, transition into foster/adoptive homes, or who now face additional responsibilities.
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“I think our role is three-fold,” Rosenzweig told CTech. “First: more funds. We are lucky to be connected to the largest VCs and the largest donors in the world… We can really enhance the amount of capital that the state of Israel is going to put into rebuilding the areas. Second, our strengths as entrepreneurs… and third, and most important: the fact we have the entire Israeli high-tech community behind us.”
All participating companies are volunteering their resources and will serve as virtual mentors and guides for children, leveraging the full strength of the high-tech community.
The October 7 massacre has left more than 1,300 Israelis dead with countless more either missing or kidnapped. It was the single deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust and in Israel’s history. Millions of Israelis have been affected and the country’s children will undoubtedly be defined by this tragedy in some way for the rest of their lives.
For more information and donations: https://www.israelichildrensfund.org/
