Manette Mayberg Featured as a "Light Spreader" in YNet's "LaIsha" Magazine

Photo: Aviram Waldman, zabala studios

"Israeli women, you are the heartbeat of the Jewish world"

By Liora Shuster in collaboration with the Gesher Leadership Institute, the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs, and AMI.

Published on February 3, 2025

The "Light Spreaders" project shines a spotlight on Jewish women around the world who are rallying for a post-October 7 Israel and fighting anti-Semitism. One of them is Manette Mayberg (62), a philanthropist, founder, and trustee of the Mayberg Foundation. A mother of four (32, 30, 28, 22), she lives in Maryland, USA.

The Beginning

"I grew up in Miami Beach, Florida. Until my late 20s, I had little understanding of Judaism and no connection to Israel. I didn't go to Jewish school. We celebrated Rosh Hashanah and Passover, but I knew nothing about Shabbat, for example, or about kosher.

“When I was newly married, my husband and I were invited to a Torah class with other young couples. We went out of curiosity and became regulars. We began to delve into a treasure trove of wisdom and values we didn’t know existed. Following this journey, we began to become interested in Israel and visit it with our family. We became more and more connected to Israel as a place where we could express our Jewish selves in the most meaningful way.”

Being Israeli

"In 2005, we bought a house in Jerusalem, and it was a game changer for our family. Trips to Israel became more frequent and stays longer. Currently, three of our four children have already immigrated to Israel. All three graduated from Reichman University, and we have four grandchildren in Israel. Our youngest daughter served in the IDF in a combat unit.

"Today, Israel is the place where I feel most at home, and my connection to the country is deep in my heart. Two years ago, I decided it was time to make it official and started the immigration process, and in July 2023, I received citizenship. Becoming an Israeli citizen is the achievement I am most proud of, and I am working to increasingly move the center of my life to Israel."

My Activity

"Twelve years ago, my husband Louis and I founded the Mayberg Foundation, which deals with Jewish education and strengthening the connection to Judaism. When we founded it, I was 50 years old, and until then, I didn't know what I liked to do. Suddenly, I discovered that I loved it and that I had a passion for this work.

"In recent years, we have been working more and more in Israel, and I hope that eventually, we will have an office and staff in Israel as well.

"Within the framework of the foundation, I am a co-founder of the Momentum organization, which works in collaboration with the Ministry of Diaspora. As part of it, we have already brought 25,000 women from 36 countries on a week-long trip to Israel. The program is intended for Jewish mothers who have young children. The goal is to influence the next generation, and we discovered that when the mothers return from the trip, they begin to educate their children in Judaism and send them to Israel. In other words, we are creating a change not only for these women but also for their families.

"These women want to understand what is relevant to them in Judaism, and Momentum presents Judaism in a way that makes it practical and relevant. The participants discover that being Jewish is a responsibility, it is an obligation in the world. You have to take action. I believe that this experience inspires tremendous activism. Once women are in the process of learning about their roots, they are full of enthusiasm and energy to apply their talents to support Israel. Beyond all of this, we have broken down barriers between women. Every Jewish mother can connect with another Jewish mother."

A Mezuzah for Every Home

"Seven years ago, I conceived and founded the MyZuzah organization, which to date has provided 21,000 mezuzahs to Jewish homes in 72 countries. We discovered that everyone is connecting to the mezuzah, people from the right and the left.

"After October 7, despite the fear, people said: 'I'm going to put up a mezuzah right now.' In the past year, we've had a huge jump, thanks in part to actress Patricia Heaton ('Everybody Loves Raymond'), who called on the non-Jewish world to put up mezuzahs in solidarity with the Jews. We were inundated with inquiries, requests, donations, and media attention. It was crazy."

October 7

"We experienced this through our children who live in Israel, and it was definitely scary. The very next day, we spoke with the director of the foundation. We immediately wanted to know what could be done and how we could get into action.

"Later, we joined the Momentum delegation to Israel and visited the south, the Gaza village, and the Nova Festival complex. October 7 definitely intensified the urgency I feel to support Israel and encourage others to invest in Israel. I believe more than ever that the Jewish future is entirely in Israel and that we need to strengthen the country at all levels."

My Message to Israeli Women

"You are the heartbeat of the Jewish world. We, the Jewish women in the Diaspora, watch with awe your strength, perseverance, and resilience and support you during this difficult time. The most important thing we can all do is to hold strong to our values. The strength and survival of the Jewish people has always been our ability to live by our values even in difficult times. Israeli women can change the world by breaking down the barriers that separate us and creating a culture of love. This will have a domino effect of peace."