Two Missions, One Grant: Earthquake Relief Reopens Israel's Door in Venezuela

By Naftali Ejdelman, Senior Program Officer

IsraAid workers install water filters at a displaced persons camp in Venezuela in July 2026. (Israaid)

When twin earthquakes struck Venezuela in late June, killing more than 6,000 people and collapsing tens of thousands of buildings, IsraAid was among one of the quickest relief organizations to respond, thanks to their sustained presence in neighboring Colombia. With Mayberg Foundation support, its teams installed water filtration and sanitation systems in displacement camps, schools, and health facilities. They also opened child-friendly spaces in Caracas, La Guaira, and Mirana where young survivors and their caregivers could begin processing what they had lived through.

Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez center, meeting with Israeli representatives in a photo released on July 22, 2026. (IDF Spokesperson)

Given the fact that Venezuela cut all diplomatic ties with Israel in 2009 and maintains close relationships with Iran and Hezbollah, CEO Yotam Polizer had worried his staff would need to conceal their Israeli identity. Instead, he told eJewishPhilanthropy, the disaster produced "a beautiful bridge." On August 11, less than a month after our grant, Israel and Venezuela announced the restoration of consular relations after a 17-year freeze. The joint statement issued by both governments pointed directly to the earthquake response, committing to continue the technical cooperation that grew out of it. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, praising the Israeli delegation weeks earlier, put it plainly: "You are rebuilding ruins, and you are also rebuilding relations."

Many factors contributed to the renewal of relations between Israel and Venezuela. But the earthquake response carries its own lesson. Israeli aid workers went because Venezuelans needed help, and the trust they built along the way opened a door that had been shut for 17 years. The Mayberg Foundation Advocacy Committee is now exploring whether there are similar opportunities to increase our service work with an eye towards Israel's diplomatic standing in Africa, where we already fund Yamba Malawi and Save a Child's Heart Foundation, and where we have been in touch with IsraAid about its long-term programs. "The harder problem is execution," said David Mayberg, rising trustee and member of the Advocacy Committee, "bringing together donors, governments, and NGOs to turn resources into results on the ground." As the Mayberg Foundation looks at this next chapter, the Advocacy Committee is exploring what kind of leadership and structure this work will require to move forward.