Financial Activism

(4/21) Eat4Israel
A new campaign is being launched to help raise money for charities in Israel. The goal is to bring the entire Jewish community out to eat at participating kosher restaurants Sunday, May 4, 2003, in celebration of Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel's Independence Day. Each participating restaurant will, through the Eat4Israel fund, donate 10% of their gross receipts from that day to the charity they specify. Hand-picked from hundreds of worthy charities in Israel and representing a broad spectrum of causes ranging from emergency medical services to job training for the poor, the seven organizations Eat4Israel has chosen to focus on help the greatest number of Israelis on a daily basis. For more information, please go to www.mobilize4israel.org/eat4israel (there you will find the list of charities and contact information as well).

(3/19) Fine Foods From Israel
As a result of rising demand from American consumers, Israel’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Israel Economic Mission to North America, the Israel Export & International Cooperation Institute, the Manufacturers Association of Israel, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, International Fellowship for Christians & Jews and leading Israeli food companies bring you:
Fine Foods From Israel, a special campaign showcasing some of Israel’s most popular foods that are available in stores throughout the U.S.

(3/10) MENTOR AN ISRAELI BUSINESS, AT NO COST TO YOU: (Standwithus.com)
Don't forget to visit the business section at StandWithUs for a list of Israeli companies looking for partners (or simply help networking) in the United States. Two of the latest additions to this listing include Lextran (air pollution technology) and Bar-Kal System (hyper-spectral remote sensing).

(3/10 )VIRTUAL TOURIST IN ISRAEL: (Standwithus.com)
This is a great way to help the economy in Israel, is to take extra money, given to you by friends and family, to share with the businesses in Israel. If you are traveling alone, you can have "virtual tourists" along with you. For instance, if you go to a restaurant, you can buy one dinner, but pay for two or three, plus tips! This way, we can give money directly to the economy, and help the people with funds raised from caring friends.

This has been well received, with tears of joy, and love from the Israeli's to all the Diaspora Jews who contribute in this manner. One woman in So. Carolina, raised an extra $2,000.00 to take along, and spend in Israel from her "virtual friends." Pass this along, and if you have a friend, or family member traveling to Israel, please keep this in mind!

(1/15) The Esther Show
This year the women of Efrat/Gush Etzion produced a musical, based on the Purim story, called "ESTHER and the Secrets in the King's Court." It has proven to be a tremendous success. We have sold out 20 shows - with women from all of Israel from Rechovot and Haifa down to Gush Katif coming on bulletproof buses to share the joy of ESTHER.

Through our production, we have raised the spirits thus far of more than 6,000 women, and have raised more than 150,000 shekels in tzedakah for families and communities that have been victims of terror.

If you can't be in Gush Etzion this winter, perhaps you would like to participate in our mitzvah, and enjoy the ESTHER experience, by ordering ESTHER CDs, ESTHER bags or ESTHER aprons for your sisterhood mishloach manot.

This does NOT include shipping costs (but perhaps you have someone in Israel for winter break, who could bring the items home). All profits from these items go to tzedakah through the Gush Etzion Foundation, a tax deductible charity in our area.

There's loads more to find out about our wonderful show. Just visit http://www.theesthershow.com and read all about it.

(11/12) Sponsoring an Israeli Company and Promoting their Products in your Community

The goal of this project is to match Israeli companies with businesses in your community and to promote sales of Israeli made products. You are encouraged to select an Israeli company and make an effort to market it's products. Ideally, you may even be in a position to import some of these products for the purpose of resale. A wide range of Israeli made products are available for export including Hi-Tech, Telecom, Medical, Food, Garment, Agriculture, Energy related, and more. See http://www.standwithus.com/b2b.asp for more information.

(updated 11/18) Host Gift Cards
Need a meaningful gift for your Shabboat lunch hosts?
Want to help the needy in Israel?
Want to help your host participate in a Mitzvah?

For your convenience, we are introducing three different types of donation cards:

$10 donation cards not showing the contribution amount, $20 and $36 donation cards showing the contribution amount.

Your checks will be made directly to your choice of one of the tax-deductible charities below:

1. American Friends of Yad Eliezer: an anti-hunger agency, providing food and social services to desperately needy individuals in Israel (suggested for Shabbat lunches and dinners);

2. Kids for kids: Youth Organization for the Recovery of Young Victims of Terrorism in Israel (suggested for birthday party gifts);

3. Israel Emergency Solidarity Fund-One Family: to assist the families in Israel who have suffered terrible losses of loved ones (suggested for all events).

(11/9) Project One Percent hope
http://www.pledge4israel.com

This past summer, thousands of students pledged a percentage of their summer earnings to help support the innocent victims of terror in Israel. Please join these students today by making a donation to the victims and their families. Each person's small contribution can add up to a large sum of money. Please access our secure donation site by CLICKING HERE to fulfill a pledge already made or to enter a new pledge.

As of November 8, they have reached $22,500 of their goal of $32,500

(10/8) "Buy Israel" Campaign--In your stores
The Conference of Presidents has partnered with the Israel Economic Mission in North America, the Israel Export Institute and others to launch a major promotion of Israeli goods, beginning with Fine Foods from Israel. The "Buy Israel" campaign is intended help identify products exported by Israel, increase their availability and accessibility in the American market, improve their image, and help them be more competitive.

The immediate goal is to create a nationwide web-based consumer guide for the retail consumer. The web site will help American shoppers identify local supermarkets and grocery stores that sell Israeli foods.

Tell us of stores in your area that sell Israeli foods. E-mail the name and full address of each store to Lily Zagorsky at the Israel Economic Mission, lilyz@emus.gov.il.

(5/22) Levana Project (updated July 11)
Levana Kirschenbaum, co-owner of Levana's restaurant, is initiating a project in conjunction with the Israel Emergency Solidarity Fund-One Family to bake a million cookies for sale this summer. (Goal: to raise $500,000) All proceeds will go to assist victims of terror and their families in Israel. So far, kitchen space and ingredients have been donated. Levana is now looking for donations of expertise and services in the area of labelling and packaging. If you, or anyone you know, can help in this area, please contact Levana at tableclass@aol.com.

An enormous number of volunteers are involved in the baking of these cookies. Ingredients and cooking space have been donated. This community can help, too. Here's how:

1. You can buy the cookies. For more information on purchasing cookies go to www.millioncookies.com.

2. Many people travel to New York regularly for work. People are needed to transport the cookies from New York to New Jersey. If you may be able to help with transport, contact Levana at tableclass@aol.com and leave your name and telephone number.

3. Outlets for distribution are needed, such as caterers, restaurants, camps (they are great treats for campers), etc. If you have a contact or a suggestion for distribution in the Greater New York area or elsewhere , send it to Levana at tableclass@aol.com.

Different Ways to Provide Support to Victims of Terror
JNF and IESF-One Family have joined together to raise urgently-needed funds to support the families of victims of terrorism and to help remember those lost as only JNF can. For each donation of $36, funds will go to victims' families for basic needs and a tree will be planted in their loved one's name as a "living memorial." To make a donation you can visit www.jnf.org or call toll-free (800) 542-8733 x30

Buy Israeli Stamps
Stamps that are used for collecting rather than sending represent pure revenue for the government (printing stamps is very inexpensive).

Although the dollars involved are not huge, giving a standing order to a child as a gift is a great way for them to support Israel. In addition, Israeli stamps are very attractive and cover a broad range of themes. But wait . . . there's more. With each standing order, you also get an information sheet for each stamp telling the "story behind the stamp." This is an excellent way to learn about Israeli history and geography.

Fight the Estee Lauder Boycott
Estee Lauder Corporation (which is also is the parent company of Prescriptives, Mac, Bobbie Brown, La Mer, Jo Malone Origins, Aramis, Aveda and Bumble and Bumble) is being boycotted by a loud and ambitious campaign of the world's Arab and Muslim community due to Ron Lauder's (Estee Lauder's President) support for Israel.

Mr. Lauder has been extremely courageous and public in his support for the Jewish State and has taken real personal and financial risks to inform the world of the war that the Palestinian Authority has declared on Israel and Jews worldwide. To combat this boycott I suggest that we all go out and buy as much Estee Lauder and Clinique products as possible. Make the Estee Lauder and Clinique counters your gift of choice. Switch brands at least for a while. It is said that beauty has many discomforts. So does supporting those who speak for us.