The headline read like a Hollywood movie pitch: “As Israel Readies Invasion, Charter Plane Carrying Reservists Heads to Tel Aviv.” But it wasn’t a script, it was reality.
Just days after Hamas invaded Israel, a few friends gathered in a Los Angeles hotel room, joined by others over FaceTime, creating a makeshift “situation room.” Their goal was simple but urgent: get help where it was needed most. With commercial flights to Israel grounded, they refused to sit idle. Instead, they chartered a jet out of LAX to Tel Aviv, packed with hundreds of reservists and tons of critical protective gear bound for the frontlines.
These seasoned entrepreneurs, among them David Malka and Michael Sinensky, had watched in horror as the news unfolded on October 7th, revealing the atrocities of that dark day. They knew immediately that they had no other choice but to take action. They came together to co-found a new nonprofit, simply called “Israel Friends,” with a singular mission: to protect Israel’s soldiers and support its civilians, in whatever way they needed.
“We didn’t know the extent of what was happening yet in those early hours, but it was already clear that Israel’s existence was being threatened in unfathomable ways,” said Malka. “We didn’t set out to build a nonprofit. But in that moment, we knew we had to act, and we believed we could.”
Today, the team is made up of just eleven employees, spread across Israel and the United States, working closely with government agencies, partners and a global network of supporters to maximize every dollar. To date, Israel Friends has delivered $55 million in aid, with 95% of all donations going straight to the front lines.
The founders’ conviction stemmed from their profound love for Israel and pride in being Jewish. They also had experience: during the COVID-19 pandemic, when traditional supply chains were under extraordinary strain, they leveraged their logistics expertise and entrepreneurial grit to deliver over 72 million units of lifesaving supplies and PPE directly to hospitals. Even then, their goal was never profit – it was only to get through the pandemic and help as many people as their skills and resources would allow.
When Ukraine was invaded in 2022, that same instinct for action surfaced again. For Sinensky, the crisis felt especially personal: “As Jews, we know how it feels when one’s home is under attack.”
The team mobilized, channeling their networks and know-how into a new grassroots effort. They had access to critical medical supplies, but no infrastructure, so they built one. They launched a 501c3 called the The Worldwide Friends Foundation – a name inspired by the WhatsApp group where they first began outreach – and flew to Poland themselves to personally oversee the first delivery of one thousand life-saving first aid kits into Ukraine. Days later, videos from the front lines showed those kits in use.
Donations surged, and within months, they had directed over $35 million in aid. In partnership with Airbnb, they even helped refugees evacuate. That project was like “chewing glass,” according to another cofounder, Teddy Raskin. It was that innovation and determination that would soon define their next mission.
So when October 7 happened, there was no hesitation. It was impossible to focus on business as usual in their day-to-day lives when they knew they could make a difference. Once again, they put their lives and businesses on hold, investing their own funds at the start to get equipment to Israel as quickly as possible.
None of them imagined Israel would ever need this kind of urgent, grassroots support. And none of them came from the nonprofit world. But with their collective corporate backgrounds, logistics leadership, military service, and connections and relationships within the Israeli government and military, they understood what was needed to move critical aid under pressure.
“History has made it painfully clear that without Israel, the Jewish people are not safe,” said Kyle Blank, Executive Director of Israel Friends. “And right now, Israeli soldiers are risking everything to defend that truth and protect us all. We felt deep in our bones that it was our turn to stand up for our people, for our heroes on the front lines, for the brothers, sisters and cousins fighting for our collective futures.”
They could have simply donated to existing humanitarian organizations. However, in the early days of the war, as they witnessed soldiers’ needs changing constantly, they quickly realized that many lacked the agility necessary to support them effectively. Israel Friends’ ability to move quickly, remain flexible, and communicate with their colleagues and contacts in Israel allowed them to make a real difference and deliver essential aid in real-time.
“My friend was critically wounded in battle. I grabbed the IFAK Israel Friends gave me — tourniquet, quick clot, everything we needed — and used it right there. It saved his life. Without that kit, he wouldn’t be here today,” said Moti*, an IDF soldier.
In just two years, Israel Friends has achieved what many organizations take decades to build. The organization has delivered more than $55 million and 500 tons of life-saving aid to Israel’s front lines, all while maintaining an overhead of less than 5%. Their impact spans 25,000 cutting-edge 3D-printed pieces of equipment, 15,000 IFAKs, 10,000 technology systems, and 36,000 hours of PTSD care.
“We were clearing houses on foot when our drone broke. It felt like walking blind into danger. Within days, Israel Friends sent us a new drone. That same day, it exposed terrorists waiting to ambush us. We neutralized them and made it back alive. That drone saved my unit,” said Avi*, a reservist.
Throughout the last two years, Israel Friends has not wavered in its mission of getting the right vital aid to the defenders on the frontlines and caring for Israel’s civilians. Initially, this involved providing critical defense aid and technology to the front lines. Today, Israel Friends is devoting more time, energy and resources to mental health initiatives – an urgent aspect of recovery that is often overlooked.
One of their key partners is Healthy Mind, Israel’s leading telehealth psychiatric platform for PTSD and trauma care. Through this partnership, patients can receive treatment from licensed psychiatrists in just three days, compared to the national average wait of 6 to 9 months.
“With soldiers and civilians facing relentless trauma in the wake of October 7, waiting months for mental health treatment is not an option,” said Adiel Levin, Manager at Healthy Mind. “Getting the care they need gives them hope that there is light at the end of the dark tunnel of PTSD and trauma, and that they can function and live once again.”
For survivors like Tamar, that care has been life-changing.
“After surviving the October 7 attack on my kibbutz in the Gaza Envelope, I felt my life unravel into sleepless nights, anxiety, and despair. Within days of reaching out, I was speaking with a kind and professional psychiatrist who truly listened and gave me hope,” said Tamar*. “That care was more than therapy; it was the first step back to myself.”
They also power Matanya Farm, a nature-based recovery space in Northern Israel for survivors and soldiers. The space, founded by former IDF soldier Sendi Ben-Zaken, offers therapeutic programs with social workers and therapists, land-based activities, and peer support for participants living with PTSD to help them gain both emotional stability and the practical skills needed to reintegrate into society. Recently, Matanya Farms was approved by the Ministry of Defense for treatment, and soldiers will begin to be referred there.
“Since October 7, we’ve been wired with adrenaline, always replaying what we saw. At Matanya Farm, during a yoga workshop, it was the first time I felt grounded. It gave us space to breathe, reconnect, and open up about things we usually keep locked inside. For us, healing is as vital as fighting,” said Soldier J*.
Israel Friends also empowers individuals, families, and communities in Israel and abroad through its affiliate campaigns. These initiatives provide supporters with a meaningful way to raise critical funds for life-saving missions, while Israel Friends manages all logistics and backend support. Each partner can choose to focus on a specific mission or unit, ensuring transparency and a direct connection to their impact.
Building on the momentum of these grassroots efforts, Israel Friends reached another significant milestone in May with its first mission trip to Israel. The organization brought its ambassadors—volunteers who had raised funds through everything from cookie sales to fitness challenges—to the front lines to witness the impact of their donations firsthand. On the ground, they met with partners, security leaders, and defenders. They even donated a drone that, within 36 hours of delivery, helped prevent an ambush for an active unit in Gaza.
“Seeing the look in their eyes as they told us they’d be using that drone in combat that very night… it was maybe the most rewarding experience of my life,” said Lauren Cherkas and Simon Wasserberger, two Israel Friends ambassadors from New York.
In another instance, Israeli forces used advanced drones and underground camera systems supplied by Israel Friends to map Hamas tunnels in real time to rescue a 52-year-old hostage held in southern Gaza, bringing him safely home.
Looking forward, Israel Friends hopes to expand their mental health impact further with initiatives such as building recovery centers, ensuring that anyone in need has access to care.
“This work isn’t easy, but it is the most fulfilling thing we have ever been a part of,” said Raskin. “Every day, we are inspired and motivated by our brothers and sisters in Israel and on the front lines. So we will continue to show up day in and day out for them, until the job is done.”
For Malka, Sinensky, Raskin, and the rest of their team, this work is deeply personal. The cofounders hope, of course, that one day Israel will be safe and secure. In the meantime, as the war’s frontlines shift, the mission of Israel Friends endures: to strengthen Israel in body and spirit and to ensure that, with the help of its friends throughout the United States and beyond, it will never stand alone.
*To protect their identity, only first names are used.
