✡️ A Year of Impact: The Golda Project

Golda Meir

“Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.”

Golda Meir

Welcoming 5786 with Purpose

As the Jewish New Year begins, we reflect with gratitude on the journey that brought The Golda Project to life. Named in honor of Golda Meir—a woman whose vision and courage continue to inspire—and sparked by a dear friend of Gina’s who first recognized the “Golda” in her, this project has become a channel for purpose, passion, and profound change.

As mothers of teens and young adults, for the first time in decades we’ve been able to fully re-engage with our careers and calling: to serve Israel, the Jewish people, and the causes closest to our hearts. For Gina, that includes her beloved rescue dogs and mentoring women to do more and be more; for Shana, it is empowering young people to lead with confidence and purpose.

Why We Exist

The Golda Project was born from the belief that women’s philanthropy must evolve. We envisioned a model rooted in:

• Transparency

• Impact

• Trust

• Inclusivity

Too often, legacy organizations lose sight of their mission, focusing more on optics than outcomes. We chose a different path—one that centers the work, the people, and the stories that matter.

Our Community: Golda’s Kitchen Cabinet

Inspired by Golda Meir’s legendary kitchen table—a place where leaders gathered to shape Israel’s future—our Kitchen Cabinet is a modern space for collaboration and connection. Whether meeting in our homes or chatting online, we build strategy with heart.

As co-founders, together we broke free from outdated models and let best practices shine. The results have been extraordinary—and we’re just getting started with this incredible community.

Highlights from Our First Year (Since November 2024)

The Golda Project has proudly:

• Sponsored an Ethiopian widow and her children for two years after her husband was killed in Gaza (via One Family)

• Helped Shir Siegel celebrate her wedding after the release of her hostage parents, Keith & Aviva Siegel (Hostages and Missing Persons Family Forum)

• Delivered 100+ kosher meals to IDF soldiers and 600 families in need in Los Angeles (Unity Warriors and OBKLA)

• Launched The Simcha Luck Club, the first Zionist Asian-Jewish community in partnership with Amy Albertson, the leading Asian-Jewish social media influencer

• Honored the life and legacy of murdered Washington DC Israeli embassy staffer Sarah Milgrim z’l by bringing the River Winds Indigenous tribe to her funeral

• Supported animal sanctuaries in memory of those lost on October 7 (Let the Animals Live and Keren Or Sanctuary)

• Funded the campaign for Tzeela Gez’s family after her tragic murder in May 2025

• Hosted an Israeli wine night to support ReGrow and Israeli farmers

• Contributed to the rebuilding of Kibbutz Nir Oz through the creation of Binah Balev, an on-site leadership academy

• Funded trauma therapy at The Niv Nirel Center

• Sponsored Lone Front, supporting female IDF lone soldiers

• Created a scholarship for Turku Avci, a secular Muslim Zionist student unable to return to Turkey due to fear of arrest for her advocacy

• Partnered with One Family Fund on a Torah dedication in memory of those killed on October 7 and in memory of Charlie Kirk

• Donated to the OneFamily Hug Mobile for trauma victims of the Israel-Iran War

• Partnered with Milken Community School and their “Girl Talk” Program bringing Zionist women leaders to campus

• Welcoming Rabbi Angela Buchdahl in support of the Israel ParaSport Center (December 2025)

• Amplified Zionist voices in Los Angeles through local partnerships

Looking Ahead

This is just the beginning. We are building a community rooted in action, accountability, and love—a community where doing good inspires more good.

For Gina, that means continuing to advocate for the rescue dogs who inspire her daily. For Shana, it means investing in the next generation—empowering young people to step forward as leaders. Together, it means serving Israel, strengthening the Jewish community, and creating a movement of women’s philanthropy that honors Golda Meir’s enduring legacy.

Thank you to everyone who has joined us, and we welcome everyone who will join us. We invite each of you to be part of this special movement—across generations, across backgrounds—with love and hope for better days ahead.

Shana Tova Umetuka

May the new year bring sweetness, strength, and continued impact.

With gratitude,

Gina Raphael & Shana Glassman

Co-Founders, The Golda Project

✡️ www.thegoldaproject.org