By Noa Amouyal
While most kids receive a variety of fun knick-knacks and souvenirs after they attend Bar and Bat Mitzvah parties, those who celebrated Sabrina Galpern’s special day received a unique parting gift: a chance to invest in small businesses in Israel.
The gift cards they received came from SparkIL, an organization that her parents Robyn and David Galpern were inspired to support after they participated in a whirlwind four-day Solidarity Mission to Israel earlier this year.
It was there where the Richmond residents visited the Yogalach Cafe in Pardes Hanna, a place that owners Yogev and Yuli describe as “a delightful haven offering vegan and kosher delights.”
However, their succulent offerings were no match for the financial and logistical hardships of keeping small businesses alive after Hamas terrorists infiltrated the border and murdered 1,200, while taking more than 240 hostages on October 7.
“That fateful day has cast a shadow over our small business, resulting in a decline in sales,” the owners lamented. “Despite these challenges, we are determined to keep our doors open and our sights on the future.”
The Galperns were captivated by their story and by how SparkIL, a platform enabling lenders around the world to support the small business of their choice in Israel, extended the lifeline they desperately needed to financially survive the immediate impact of the war.
While their story struck a chord with the Galpern family, so did SparkIL’s broader mission.
David Galpern shared, “We heard about the SparkIL model and thought it kept in line with Jewish values and was an amazing opportunity to prove that we support Israel. Giving to SparkIL doesn’t require a lot of effort or money. It’s microloans that help you feel like you’re investing in the country in a real and tangible way.”
For a loan as small as $25 through SparkIL, lenders in America and worldwide who are passionate about Israel have a tangible, on the ground way to help the Israeli people at their darkest hour. The loans are interest free and businesses have five years to pay it back.
“That coffee shop is thriving thanks to SparkIL,” said Robyn Galpern. “This is a success story and they’ve been able to navigate a turbulent economy since October 7.”
Indeed, according to the SparkIL website, Yogalach has been able to raise $7,500 of its just over $9,000 fundraising goal.
As such, when the Galperns returned home, they thought working with SparkIL on a grander scale would fulfill two objectives: continuing their support for Israel, and showing the next generation that it’s possible to make a difference regardless of your financial situation.
“We suggested that working with SparkIL could be Sabrina’s Bat Mitzvah project,” David Galpern explained, referring to his daughter. “We helped her write an introduction card and we pre-purchased 100 cards at $25 each giving her friends an opportunity to invest without spending their own money.”
Recognizing how much giving was important to her family, Sabrina Galpern was excited by the idea.
“The whole event was fantastic,” David Galpern said. “Her speech resonated well with everyone. She spoke about how she’s Jewish and what she learned while preparing for this Bat Mitzvah and that she hopes the violence will stop — but that she has no control over that, but what does have control over is trying to make a difference.”
“Everyone thought the idea of SparkIL was so cool,” he continued. “Her friends are now discussing which charities they will contribute to and some even said they want to contribute their own money as well. Our friends are doing the same. The whole experience was seen by the community as an example of not only saying we support Israel but doing something about it.”
Each of her friends will now be able to go onto SparkIL’s website and select a small business that resonates with them. They can then track the businesses progress and once the loan is repaid, they can choose to invest in someone else or get their money back.
In fact, the love for SparkIL has spread to many other members of the Richmond Jewish community. In the aftermath of October 7, Jewish communities around the United States immediately began to raise money for Israel. The Richmond community was no exception and in a mere two months, was able to raise a little over $2 million toward JFNA’s Israel Emergency Campaign – this is in addition to the $3 million they raised over the course of the year as part of their regular fundraising initiatives.
While JFNA is currently allocating the some $750 million it raised from communities across the nation, each market was able to retain a small portion they can use at their discretion to reach out to projects that are near and dear to their hearts.
As such, Galpern advocated for the Richmond Federation to give $50,000 to multiple businesses affiliated with SparkIL over the course of five months. Galpern is part of a committee that was formed for this unique purpose and, together, they meet once a month to select a handful of businesses that will receive between $1,500-$2,000.
Since the money invested in SparkIL, businesses are paid back with the hope they get reinvested, The Galperns believe this will be a great opportunity for young leadership in the community to step up to the plate and continue the tradition of allocating these small but meaningful loans in the years to come.
“This is a way to get the younger generation involved without them having to dig into their pocket. It’s a great way of paying it forward and growing the donor pool,” he said.
“We love the fact that it gets someone interested in Israel. You form a connection with the land and the business, whether the owner is Jewish or not. You get to see Israelis in a whole new light and it humanizes the whole process,” Galpern said.
Moreover, as a family focused on philanthropy, their goal is to make everyone a philanthropist, making giving more relatable and tangible.
