Israeli entrepreneur raises $40m for IDF combat gear
Eran Efrat has provided the army with tens of thousands of helmets and bullet-proof vests as he aims to 'close the gap' in lacking military supplies
In the days after the 7 October terror attacks, Amsterdam-based Israeli entrepreneur Eran Efrat got in touch with the IDF to ask how he could help.
“The answer was protective military equipment so I knew I had to do what I could,” Efrat told the Jewish News.
The managing partner at green energy investment fund Verdiesel, Efrat has since raised $40 million to source, produce and deliver tactical supplies for the soldiers, including ceramic-plated bullet proof vests and helmets.
Efrat, who himself served in the combat unit Haruv in early 2000, told Jewish News: “As soon as the attacks happened I, like so many others, just wanted to help. A lot of people were sending gear to the IDF but it wasn’t passing their tests so I wanted to make sure that they had exactly what they needed and were able to use.”
He started collecting donations through his own network and via social media, and received a large sum from Jerusalem-based philanthropists, Chani and Steven Laufer. Efrat then directly sourced US-based manufacturers to produce the gear.
In addition to helmets and ceramic-plated vests, Efrat has also provided drones, medical equipment and 360-degree cameras for army vehicles. “We are in constant contact with the IDF to understand their ongoing needs.
“The IDF are sourcing and buying some things for themselves but it’s really challenging for them so we want to close that gap, and buying protective gear is the most essential.”
Efrat is ordering around 2,000 helmets and 10,000 ceramic bullet proof vests a week, with the amount needed increasing week by week.
The entrepreneur says he was surprised by the lack of some of the supplies that the IDF had. “But with so many reservists, it’s really challenging. There’s a lot of missing gear as many turned up to serve with nothing.
“I would have thought that it would be a case of me finding the contract and the government paying for it, but there is lack of money from the government for these resources. I am not sure where their money is going, whether it’s gone instead to new F35 jets.”
But then private individuals having to donate to the army is nothing new says Efrat. “We’ve always had to privately fundraise. When my father was in the Yom Kippur War, he arrived at his base with nothing. Same for when I was in the army and during the Second Lebanon War it was worse – we needed more and better gear, and now, 20 years on, we are doing it again.”
He added: “While many groups are trying to source equipment, we have been able to do it faster.”
Efrat is hoping to raise a further $15 million to continue “to close the gap of missing protective gear. The nI will feel that we have really done our part.
“It’s been amazing to see how generous people have been and I would say to people that if you do want to help and give more, then we are a really good option for that as we are speaking directly to the IDF to get them exactly what they need.”
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