Gann Academy Students Support Israeli Businesses

Gann Academy students have been connecting to Israel in a new way and stepping up for the Israeli people at a time of urgent need through SparkIL, a peer-to-peer lending platform enabling individuals across the world to directly support small businesses in the Jewish state.

After receiving an $1,800 donation from local Jewish leader and philanthropist Rachel Chafetz, the Jewish day school in Waltham distributed the gift among students, who each received a coupon code giving them access to make a $36 interest-free loan to an Israeli small business of their choice. This process is the micro-lending platform’s educational initiative known as “SparkIL Credits.”

When the 12th-graders took a trip to Israel, they visited businesses in SparkIL’s network and discovered the disruption to their operations caused by the current Swords of Iron War. Many of the students connected strongly with the story of HaPassage Hamburger, a restaurant in Sderot that was temporarily closed after October 7 due to its owner’s service in the Israel Defense Forces reserves.

“We were able to really understand how this burger joint has a unique impact on a local community,” Simon Luxemburg, director of Jewish Student Life at Gann Academy.

The experience was especially meaningful for two Gann Academy students who are making Aliyah to Israel and plan to voluntarily enlist in the IDF.

“When Moti Cohen (the owner of HaPassage Hamburger) shared with us that for months on end the burger joint was not open because he was fighting in Gaza, it was a really moving experience for us,” Luxemburg said. For the students who plan to serve in the military, he said that it was a moment when “their Zionism really hit home. They understood how impactful this was, how they are coming to Israel and having this experience, and that they too are part of Israel’s story.”

Luxemburg said SparkIL gave students “a really unique opportunity to see that there are so many options for them to make investments in Israeli society and the country’s economy, and to know that there are lots of different entry points no matter what the interest of the student entails.”

“As an Israel educator, I really know the value of immersive experiences, where we really get to go with our legs and see these places that need our help, and also can help our students to learn about Israel firsthand,” he said. “This really showed our students that they have that opportunity to do so, both now as high school students and for the years to come, once they graduate high school and become young adults.”

SparkIL was established in 2022 in partnership with The Jewish Agency for Israel and The Ogen Group. Today, for a loan as small as $25, 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.

Lenders begin the process by exploring various business opportunities on www.sparkil.org that empower them to make an impact on Israeli society which speaks to their aspirations, passions, and values. After repayment of their loan, lenders can choose to reinvest their money into other worthy businesses—ensuring that their initial loan has ripple effects indefinitely—or to withdraw their funds from the platform.

“For nearly a year, countless business owners in Israel have had to accept the new normal of not only halting their operations but being evacuated from their homes and in need to reinvent themselves,” said Na’ama Ore, CEO of SparkIL. “That is why we have decided to harness the passion and generosity of both Jews around the world and Israelis who are eager to help, empowering them to become social lenders through our platform. Each loan represents the importance of mutual responsibility as an Israeli society and as a Jewish people to support each other.”

Luxemburg explained that SparkIL was a powerful avenue for Gann Academy’s focus on Jewish peoplehood, including the principle that “kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh” — that all Jews are responsible for one another.

“We were showing our students what that actually means — what it means to support other Jews throughout the world, what it means to go and see business owners who need our help, and what it means to be a part of the Jewish people overall,” he said, adding, “I definitely recommend that other schools and educational institutions reach out to SparkIL.”