Since the outbreak of the war, hundreds of thousands of Israelis have been called up for extended military reserve duty, and thousands of them have suffered significant harm to their livelihoods, businesses, and family life. 
 

A new fund has been established by The Jewish Agency and Jewish Federations of North America, which will be leveraged to offer $130 million (430 million shekel) in subsidized loans to reservists through Bank Leumi.
  

The newly established fund will provide families of reservists – customers from any bank – the opportunity to receive a loan from Bank Leumi at a subsidized, fixed interest rate - set at 2%, to help them cope with economic challenges, or other needs, during this difficult period.
 

To be eligible for a loan, reservists must have served more than 200 days since October 7, 2023. They will be eligible to receive a loan for any purpose of up to $12,000 (40,000 shekels) for a period of four years at the flat 2% rate.
  

Eric Fingerhut, President and CEO of Jewish Federations of North America: "Since the October 7 attacks, hundreds of thousands of Israelis have had to leave their families and livelihoods, bear a tremendous burden, and defend the State of Israel in its most difficult hour. For us, North America’s Jewish community, this is not only Israel’s struggle – it is the struggle of the entire Jewish people. This new loan fund is an expression of the mutual responsibility that binds us across the ocean: a clear message to Israel’s citizens that they are not alone. Just as we stood by Israel in the days after October 7 and contributed over $900 million toward its recovery, we will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder – in solidarity, in support, and in full partnership." 

Yehuda Setton, CEO and Director General of The Jewish Agency: "There is no task more important for the State of Israel than standing alongside our reservists – they are the core of our resilience and the backbone of our security. The moment they leave their families and livelihoods to protect us all, our duty as a society and as a people is to ease their burden and support them. The Jewish Agency, together with its partners, has repeatedly risen to the occasion in times of crisis, continuing to connect Israel with world Jewry. This fund, established thanks to the support of Jewish donors from North America, is living proof that world Jewry and Israel stand shoulder to shoulder: Solidarity translated into action, partnership that brings hope, and mutual responsibility that strengthens our resilience as a society and as a people."
 

Eyal Ben-Haim, Head of the Banking Division at Bank Leumi: "We are pleased to collaborate with these important organizations to provide further assistance to reservists. This initiative comes in addition to a series of unique relief measures and exceptional benefits we have introduced over the past two years for reservists and security forces, through grants, preferential terms, and more. This is the least we can do to stand by them in this challenging period we are all experiencing."