The Merit Spread Foundation, a philanthropic initiative that launched its activities in October 2023 with the aim of challenging and changing philanthropic norms and practices, has helped raise over 200 million shekels since the massacre on Simchat Torah last year.
In just one year, the Foundation has grown from zero to over $50 million raised from donors and delivered to various projects covering multiple social benefit causes relating to the war, establishing a precedent for transparency with an unprecedented zero overhead costs policy. The Foundation has also established an endowment with a unique “matching” program to serve its donors’ long-term goals.
“With the advent of the war and witnessing a growing need to raise funds quickly and efficiently, we needed to create a new standard in philanthropy akin to Tesla in the automotive industry, Netflix in the entertainment industry, and Amazon in the commerce industry,” said Merit Spread Foundation Founder Alon Tal. “Since the massacre of October 7th, many began to reevaluate the way in which and how to contribute to Israel and the Jewish world, but, unfortunately, public services and systems in Israel and around the Jewish Diaspora were found to be faltering, overwhelmed or had to quickly pivot towards meeting the extreme challenges that emerged.”
“There was a sense of urgency and emergency among donors across the globe. In an age when traditional structures have often faltered under the weight of inefficiency, outmoded business practices, and a desperate need for proficiency, a transformative vision emerged in the philanthropic world, which Merit Spread has sought to fill.”
Working with established philanthropists, family foundations, leading high-tech companies, and Israeli companies the Merit Spread Foundation became the leading channel for raising funds for the victims of the 7th of October massacre and the wars that followed.
Among many other initiatives, the Foundation has helped to support the hostages and their families, created an endowment for orphans of the war, formed a mental health support program for the wives of combat soldiers, provided housing solutions to the evacuees from the Gaza envelop communities, offered a variety of solutions to soldiers and civilians suffering from PTSD, in cooperation with professional caregivers, and memorializing the heroes of the IDF.
One of the most successful campaigns managed by the Foundation for the hostages’ families was the selling of specially designed dog tags which resulted in over 20 million NIS raised in less than two months from over 30,000 donors.
Mr. Reuben Eblagon, head of the committee of the headquarters for the hostage families, says that Merit was a critical enabler of the campaigns and activities of the hostage families’ headquarters. He said that “without the efficiency and dedication of Mr. Alon Tal, the families would not have been able to start their operations so promptly after the devastating events of October 7th”.
Since its inception, the Merit Spread Foundation has played a significant and leading role, serving as a bridge between donors in North America and needs in Israel. Based on mapping and analysis of the global Jewish philanthropic world and the relevant regulation in various countries, Merit is moving towards expanding this activity to Europe, beginning in Switzerland and the UK.
In addition, the Foundation has launched the first-of-its-kind proprietary technology platform. The platform enables Merit to serve multiple high-scale projects in parallel. Through the platform, Merit provides services to donors, including high-net-worth individuals, corporations, charities, and other non-registered charitable status entities.
Adv. Ariel Nisim, who leads the non-profit department at the Meitar Law firm, says that Merit provides the most efficient and flexible solution for high-net-worth individuals and corporate philanthropy in Israel and the USA.
