Our Vision
Amidst the grief, fear, and trauma from the attacks of October 7th, a remarkable spirit of action has emerged. Israelis of every background—religious and secular, liberal and conservative, Jewish and Arab—have set aside differences to come together and assist their neighbors. Across the country, new social initiatives are taking root, fueled by resilience, creativity, and an entrepreneurial drive to meet urgent needs wherever they arise.
Daybreak was created in the immediate aftermath of October 7th to provide critical financial support for these dynamic grassroots efforts. In this time of crisis, we move quickly to fund small but powerful projects that are restoring Israel’s social resilience. Every dollar donated goes directly to those on the frontlines of this national emergency, helping rebuild the fabric of Israeli society.
Daybreak is a partnership of the Hartman Family and Fund for New Leadership in the United States along with the Shaharit Institute in Israel. It was created in memory of Shaharit Board Chair Moshe Ohayon z”l, who was murdered by Hamas alongside his son Eliad z”l on October 7th.
Kim + Alan Hartman and family
Founders
Letter from the Hartmans
Dear Friends,
The events of October 7th, 2023, changed everything for Jews around the world and most importantly for Israel. The unimaginable pain and loss of that day set in motion challenges that continue to ripple through every corner of the country. But in the days that followed, something extraordinary also happened: Israelis of every background came together to respond, determined to support one another in ways large and small.
We’ve been humbled to witness this extraordinary spirit of resilience and unity through the actions of everyday heroes. A Haredi jewelry maker has comforted grieving families across the country with shiva calls. Groups of reservists’ wives have created support networks to care for each other during these challenging months. Meanwhile, Druze communities in the north and Bedouin families in the south have stepped up to provide essential aid and solidarity, showing how diverse groups are coming together to rebuild lives and strengthen Israel’s social fabric.
Since our founding in the wake of the attacks, Daybreak has:
- distributed over $2 million in microgrants
- supported 194 unique, dynamic projects across Israel
- reviewed more than 2,100 funding applications, a testament to the scale of need
- supported our grantees in activating 53,000 volunteers
- served more than 2.45 million people
While we have been involved in Israeli charities long before October 7, we have seen something unique on our trips to meet Daybreak grantees over these last 14 months. We have seen first-hand how an evacuated family begins their healing process by getting their new home furnished. We have seen heroic volunteers cleaning houses that families fled months earlier so they could return to welcoming homes. We have learned how new approaches to counseling are making services accessible to the growing number of Israelis in need of mental health support.
We have seen Israeli ingenuity, compassion and perseverance first hand. And, it has made us better people. The experience of being in Israel, of working with our team there, and forming friendships with our grantees, has changed us and our family in immeasurable ways.
We started Daybreak to get funds to those who were doing the work as quickly as possible and to support people who would not have gotten money from bigger organizations. With the war expanding in Syria and with the current ceasefire in Lebanon, the needs that Daybreak grantees are addressing will continue to evolve, particularly as it relates to rebuilding. We are not stopping now, and we invite you to join us. To ensure that every dollar donated goes directly to the grassroots efforts rebuilding Israel’s social fabric, we will continue to fully cover all costs related to infrastructure, programming and training. Together, we can ensure that Israel emerges from this crisis stronger and more united than ever.
Thank you to those who have already given so generously and unconditionally supported this work—and to you all for standing with Israel and with Daybreak.
With love and hope,
Kim and Alan Hartman
Daybreak’s Leadership
Eilon Schwartz
Director, Shaharit
Before founding Shaharit, Dr. Eilon Schwartz was among the founders of the Heschel Center for Sustainability. In addition to his work at Shaharit, Eilon is a faculty member at the Melton Center for Jewish Education at Hebrew where he teaches graduate courses in cultural criticism, social-environmental politics, and education. He has published extensively both academically and in the popular press, including major essays in publications including Ha’aretz, the Times of Israel, and Makor Rishon.
Eilon lives in Tel Aviv with his wife Rachel and their children, Ayelet, Chen, and Eden.
Heli Tabibi Barkat
Director of the Center for Public Opinion Leadership, Shaharit
Heli directs the DAYBREAK emergency response program, a joint initiative of Shaharit and the Fund for New Leadership.
In addition, she chairs the Heritage Research section of the Israeli Council of Culture and Art.
A resident of Jerusalem, she previously founded the national initiatives “the Hebrew Calendar” and “Voices of the East.” She served as chairperson of Reshut HaRabim, an umbrella forum for organizations dealing with Israeli Jewish identity, and as a board member of several social organizations. Earlier in her career she directed Hillel in Jerusalem, founded the Beit Midrash for Israeli Singers, and served on the Society and Culture committee of the Jerusalem municipality. She lectures on connecting sectors to advance shared interests, as well as on management and social entrepreneurship.
Nir Zoarez
Director of the Local Department, Shaharit
Nir is considered a leading expert in Israel in the field of community organizing. He has founded and advised community organizing initiatives in a number of communities across Israel, and he has led the Local Department at Shaharit since 2018.
After an extensive career in business, Nir decided to make a change and act for the future of his community and his children in his neighborhood of Gilo and for all of the city of Jerusalem. Nir has led numerous campaigns for change in Jerusalem, including to advance efficient public transportation and for adequate city sanitation. Originally from Netanya, Nir ran for Jerusalem city council in 2018.
Laura Talinovsky
Deputy CEO, Shaharit
Laura served as the Head of Mechinat Rabin, an educational institution for young leaders. She is a lecturer on Israeli society, partnership between communities, economics, gender, and politics. She served as a Parliamentary Advisor to the Chairperson of the Opposition in the Knesset. Laura made Aliya to Israel at the age of 6 from Ukraine and is one of the founders of the “Generation 1.5” group – young Russian-speaking Israelis.
Laura graduated with honors from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, with an MA in Public Policy, and a BA in Political Science and Sociology. She was a fellow in the Paths to Peace Fellowship in NYU. Laura is also a graduate of the 120 program of Shaharit.
Simon Greer
Managing Director, Fund for New Leadership
Simon Greer has been involved in social change work for the past 30 years. He helped to found Daybreak, manages the Fund for New Leadership and advises the Hartman Family on their philanthropy. Beyond this,Greer curates “courageous conversations” and helps to identify common good values, policy ideas, messages, and narratives that he believes have the power to engage a broad cross-section of Americans and help America live up to its promise.
Sara Finkelstein
Program Director, Fund for New Leadership
Sara Finkelstein is the Program Director for FNL and Senior Strategist at Cambridge Heath Ventures. Sara received her Masters of Public Affairs in 2013 from Indiana University and currently lives in Toronto, Canada.
Daybreak in the Spotlight
Tribute to Moshe and Eliad Ohayon
Moshe Ohayon, Chair of the Board of the Shaharit Institute, and his son Eliad bravely left their home on Saturday morning, October 7th 2023, at the beginning of the Hamas assault on Israel in order to protect their town of Ofakim. They were missing for just over 24 hours, until Sunday afternoon, when it was announced that they had been murdered at the hands of Hamas terrorists.
Moshe was the Chair of the Shaharit Board of Directors, the CEO of the 929 Project and a leading social activist in Ofakim, where he lived with his family for the last two decades. His son Eliad was a special kid, who frequently volunteered with social organizations and generously donated his time to his community.
May their memories be a blessing.
