Connecting with Resilience: Supporting Israel’s Small Businesses

A year ago, a friend presented me with stories of small businesses in Israel affected by the October 7 attacks. There were so many—family-run cafés struggling to reopen, shops balancing daily operations with the aftermath of conflict, artisans trying to keep their crafts alive. I could have picked one story to support, but that felt wrong. Choosing one over another seemed arbitrary and unfair. Each story reflected real people, confronted hardship, and showed resilience. I wanted to engage with all of them, to read every story, and eventually to micro-invest in them.

That opportunity came through SparkIL, a platform that allows people around the world to support Israeli small businesses in a meaningful, direct way. As a business owner myself, I immediately felt a personal connection. I’ve built two companies—a health care strategy firm and a cybersecurity company—and I know the weight of responsibility that comes with running a business day to day.

I also draw inspiration from my community in Boston, where I’ve seen how shared values and collective responsibility can transform lives. As president of Congregation Kehillath Israel in Brookline from 2015 to 2019, I helped lead a period of strategic transformation, construction, and $25 million in fundraising. I also serve on the American Jewish Committee’s New England Global Advocacy Circle and on the board of the American Friends of Livnot U’Lehibanot, and am the father of four local day school graduates. Those experiences taught me that the strength of a community lies not in handouts but in mutual investment—in one another’s dignity, capacity, and resilience.

That same principle resonated with me as I began reading through stories on SparkIL. The entrepreneurs featured there weren’t asking for charity; they were seeking opportunity. They wanted to stand on their own feet, rebuild, and give back when they could. That mindset isn’t just central to Israel’s entrepreneurial spirit—it’s deeply rooted in Judaism itself. Jewish tradition elevates the idea of helping others become self-sufficient. As Maimonides taught, the highest form of tzedakah is lending a person the means to sustain themselves rather than giving outright charity. SparkIL embodies that timeless Jewish value through a modern platform, turning generosity into partnership and empathy into empowerment.

Many of the entrepreneurs were reluctant to ask for help, yet they accepted it not as a handout but as a bridge to continue their work. That resonated with me personally because it reflected the same determination I see in my own business endeavors: the desire to solve problems, take responsibility, and move forward even in difficult circumstances.

I’ve known Israel from different parts of my life—through yeshiva, business school, and programs in the north—but this experience gave me a more intimate view of life on the ground. Larger organizations can often access government or nonprofit resources more easily, but mom-and-pop businesses face a more complicated path. Bureaucratic hoops, limited access to funding, and the day-to-day struggle to keep operations running can be overwhelming. I could relate in some ways, but I also recognized that I couldn’t fully judge which business was “most deserving.” Every story mattered, and I wanted to honor the individual journey of each entrepreneur.

The grassroots nature of SparkIL is what made it so compelling. These aren’t people making the news—they’re people quietly persevering, solving problems, and maintaining dignity. Their resilience is remarkable, and supporting them wasn’t about recognition or publicity—it was about connecting one person to another, and affirming the entrepreneurial drive that sustains communities.

Supporting small businesses through SparkIL isn’t charity—it’s an investment in the enduring spirit of Israel and in a timeless Jewish value. It’s about empowering individuals, fostering resilience, and sustaining the entrepreneurial drive that allows people to rebuild in the aftermath of tragedy. For me, the most meaningful part was contributing to people who are on a journey of rebuilding their lives, one story and connection at a time.