ESRA, Home of English Speakers in Israel

What ESRA, Home of English Speakers in Israel does

ESRA (English Speaking Residents Association) is an Israeli nonprofit organization (registered Amuta #580037455), founded in 1979 and headquartered in Herzliya, that supports English-speaking residents and immigrants in Israel through a portfolio of social, educational, and welfare services. The organization operates with a lean paid staff of 17 employees powered by over 2,000 active volunteers and serves a network of more than 5,000 members through 10+ local branches nationwide. Its core offerings include the volunteer-driven ESRA Magazine (continuous publication since 1979), the Picki by ESRA secondhand retail chain (fashion and books across five cities plus an online store), and major educational and welfare programs: the English Tutoring Project (1,104 volunteers, 70,050 hours, 3,800 student beneficiaries with a reported 92% improvement rate), Students Build a Community scholarships (250 university students annually), STEM Excellence (with Intel), and Personal Support Services including Financial Aid, Counselling & Circles, and Friendship Services.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue stack rather than a typical commercial GTM motion. Revenue is generated through annual membership dues (free first year for new Olim, tiered thereafter), tax-deductible donations, 100%-reinvested proceeds from the Picki secondhand shops, and partnership funding from the Israel Ministry of Education, Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, Jewish Agency, Nefesh B'Nefesh, and Intel Israel. Customer acquisition is community-led and referral-driven, leveraging partner-organization pipelines, a weekly email newsletter, an active social media presence across LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, the ESRA Magazine, and a calendar of in-person events, lectures, and trips. ESRA has been recognized with the President's Award (cited by President Isaac Herzog) and the Midot Seal of Effectiveness for nonprofit governance and transparency.

The organization is governed by an Honorary Life President (Merle Guttmann), a Chair (Nella Feldsher), a CEO (Sunny Marshansky), an Executive Committee, and an Audit Committee. Strategic positioning is built on 47+ years of continuous operation, a national physical and digital footprint, and an embedded role within Israel's aliyah absorption and English-language education ecosystems — making it functionally difficult for new entrants to replicate the community network, partnership stack, and credibility signals ESRA has accumulated.

Name

ESRA, Home of English Speakers in Israel

Legal name

ESRA (English Speaking Residents Association)

Website

https://esra.org.il

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ESRA is an Israeli nonprofit founded in 1979 that supports English-speaking residents and immigrants in Israel through community programs, secondhand retail, and educational initiatives, serving 5,000+ members and relying on over 2,000 volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community and nonprofit services

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

English Language Learner (ELL/ESL) Academic Intervention (EDAKADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

English Language Arts (ELA) Enrichment (Integrated Reading/Writing) (EDAMAJAF), ESL/ELL Literacy & Academic English Support (EDAMAJAJ)

Keywords

• Community nonprofit services
• English tutoring programs
• Immigrant absorption services
• Secondhand retail shops
• Volunteer coordination programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Herzliya

HQ country

Israel

HQ region

Middle East

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from English-speaking residents in Israel. First year is free for new Olim, with subsequent years at various tier levels.
2. Secondhand Shop Proceeds: Picki by ESRA secondhand shops (fashion, vintage, housewares) and ESRA secondhand bookshops. 100% of proceeds reinvested into community projects.
3. Donations and Philanthropy: Direct donations from members and supporters, including tax-deductible contributions through the organization's Amuta status.
4. Partnership Funding: Funding and support from government ministries (Ministry of Education, Ministry of Aliyah and Integration), academic institutions, and corporate partners (Intel).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ESRA is an Israeli nonprofit (Amuta) that supports English-speaking residents and new immigrants (Olim) through a national network of community services and educational programs. Its core offerings include the English Tutoring Project (ETP) with 1,104 trained volunteers, STEM Excellence with Intel, the Students Build a Community scholarship and mentoring program, Personal Support Services (Financial Aid, Counselling, Friendship), a volunteer-driven ESRA Magazine, and a chain of Picki by ESRA secondhand shops and community bookshops across five Israeli cities.

Product overview

ESRA offers a portfolio of interconnected products and services supporting English speakers in Israel. The core offerings include ESRA Magazine (established 1979), a volunteer-driven publication; Picki by ESRA Secondhand Shops and ESRA Secondhand English Bookshops, which generate funds for social projects while providing affordable goods; and Personal Support Services including Financial Aid, Counselling, and Friendship Services. ESRA also operates major educational initiatives: Students Build a Community (SBC), STEM Excellence (partnering with Intel and municipalities), and the English Tutoring Project (ETP) with programs including COBE, Chat Away, TOPS, and Teacher Chat. The organization provides Volunteer Opportunities across diverse roles and an ESRA Membership program offering exclusive access to events, lectures, and community networks. All offerings are tied together through a nationwide volunteer network and local branch structure across Israel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Personal Support Services Confidential personal support services for English speakers in Israel, including Financial Aid through the ESRA Welfare Fund for olim and those in need, Counselling and Circles offering individual and couples counselling, bereavement support, and family guidance, and Friendship Services providing weekly volunteer companionship visits.
• English Tutoring Project (ETP) Israel's national English education tutoring initiative with 1,104 trained volunteers delivering 70,050 hours of support. Programs include in-classroom assistance for grades 5-12, COBE (online oral English Bagrut simulation for grades 10-12), Chat Away (online speaking practice for grades 9-12), TOPS (curriculum-based academic support for grades 5-9), and Teacher Chat (professional development for English teachers). 92% of beneficiaries improved their English.
• Students Build a Community (SBC) A flagship scholarship and mentoring program supporting 250 university students annually from underprivileged Israeli backgrounds. Provides financial scholarships, mentorship, and community engagement opportunities to help students complete higher education and build professional networks.
• STEM Excellence Flagship program offering hands-on STEM activities to children, delivered in partnership with Intel Israel, the Air Force Technical College, and municipalities. Aims to build future-ready opportunity and innovation capacity for Israeli children from underserved communities.
• Picki by ESRA Secondhand Shops Community secondhand shops in Ra'anana and Kfar Saba offering high-quality fashion (designer pieces, vintage, sportswear, accessories), housewares, art, and unique items at accessible prices. Online store at pickibyesra.org.il. 100% of proceeds are reinvested into ESRA's community projects.
• ESRA Secondhand English Bookshops Community bookshops in Haifa, Zichron Ya'akov, Ra'anana, and Modiin offering affordable, high-quality secondhand English books. Spaces for connection, cultural exchange, and lifelong learning, staffed by volunteers including students, new olim, and individuals with special needs.
• ESRA Membership Annual membership program granting English speakers in Israel access to ESRA Magazine, discounted rates on national hiking club outings, priority booking for community events, educational lectures, networking events, local branch activities, and mentorship programs. First year is free for new Olim; subsequent years at tiered pricing.
• ESRA Magazine Award-winning volunteer-driven publication established in 1979 serving as a cornerstone of Israel's English-speaking community. Provides diverse content reflecting the varied interests and experiences of life in Israel and serves as a bridge between English speakers' past experiences and new Israeli reality.

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% of English tutoring beneficiaries improved their English skills
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Israel Ministry of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partnership for educational programs including the English Tutoring Project (ETP), delivering English language support to schools nationwide in partnership with Ministry English inspectors and coordinators.
• Israel Ministry of Aliyah and IntegrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership supporting the integration of English-speaking immigrants through absorption services, community programs, and referral pathways for new Olim.
• Jewish Agency for IsraelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to support new immigrants and facilitate aliyah integration through referral programs and joint community initiatives.
• Nefesh B'Nefesh (NBN)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with the aliyah support organization to refer new English-speaking immigrants to ESRA's community programs and services.
• Intel IsraelflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partnership supporting the STEM Excellence program. Intel employees and resources contribute to hands-on STEM activities for children, working alongside municipalities and educational institutions.
• Technion - Israel Institute of TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership supporting educational programs and initiatives.
• Hebrew University of JerusalemminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership supporting educational initiatives.
• Tel Aviv UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership supporting educational initiatives.
• Ruppin Academic CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership supporting educational programs.
• Air Force Technical CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner in the Excellence Mentor program for STEM activities.
• Midot (Israeli Nonprofit Effectiveness)minorOthersOrganization that awarded ESRA the Seal of Effectiveness, indicating high standards of nonprofit governance and transparency.
• JCC GlobalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal organization of Jewish Community Centers partnering on community programs.
• Jewish Volunteer Network (JVN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork connecting volunteers with meaningful service opportunities in Israel.
• SY LeadersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth leadership organization.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• JCC Association: Global umbrella for Jewish Community Centers delivering programming, education, and member services. Operates with a broader geographic and demographic mandate but shares the community-center, membership-driven, social-services model ESRA executes in Israel.
• World ORT: Global Jewish education and vocational training network with significant Israeli operations. Comparable educational-vocational mission and STEM offerings that overlap ESRA's STEM Excellence project with Intel partnership.
• Jewish Agency for Israel: National Jewish Agency partnering with ESRA on Aliyah referrals. Operates a much broader Aliyah and Jewish-identity mandate globally but shares the English-speaking immigrant segment ESRA serves, making it a strategic referral partner.

Others

• Birthright Israel Foundation: Operates the Taglit Birthright program bringing young Jewish adults to Israel. Adjacent rather than competitive, but its funnel of young English-speaking Jews connects to ESRA's longer-term Aliyah and community integration mission.
• Beit Hatfutsot / ANU Museum of the Jewish People: Israeli cultural and educational institution focused on Jewish heritage and immigration narrative. Sharing ESRA's cultural/educational programming lens for the English-speaking Israeli community, with potential overlap in Aliyah-focused offerings.

Direct peers

• Nefesh B'Nefesh: Partner organization supporting English-speaking Aliyah from North America and the UK. Operates in the same beneficiary community (English-speaking Olim) with overlapping absorption services, though focused on logistics pre-arrival rather than in-country community programming.
• AACI (Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel): Israeli nonprofit serving English-speaking immigrants from North America with social, cultural, and welfare services. Most directly comparable mission to ESRA's community-integration and member-engagement functions, including branches, events, and personal support.
• Israeli-American Council (IAC): U.S.- and Israel-based nonprofit serving Israeli-Americans through community programming, events, and professional networking. Comparable target population (Israeli-American/English-speaking professionals and families) with chapter-based delivery model paralleling ESRA's branch structure.

Emerging players

• Livnot U'Lehibanot: Israeli nonprofit supporting young adults through Aliyah-related service-learning, volunteering, and community engagement programs. Operates in a narrower demographic than ESRA but shares the volunteer-led Israel-immersion focus.
• Moishe House: Jewish community organization for young adults running residential programs and events worldwide. Smaller-scope but overlapping programming philosophy around Jewish-identity community building and volunteer-led engagement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Esra.community
• Facebookfacebook.com/esra.community
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/esra-community
• Instagraminstagram.com/esrainisrael

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ESRA, Home of English Speakers in Israel