Tzohar - Making Judaism Accessible & Keeping Us Together

What Tzohar - Making Judaism Accessible & Keeping Us Together does

Tzohar is an Israeli non-profit organization founded by Rabbi David Stav that delivers a portfolio of Jewish lifecycle and religious services spanning wedding registration, kashrut supervision, Jewish ancestry authentication (Shorashim), holiday programming, brit milah, bar/bat mitzvah preparation, bereavement support, prenuptial agreements to protect agunot, and public-policy advocacy. Its stated mission is to make Judaism accessible while reducing internal religious friction, and it operates a Center for Jewish Ethics under Rabbi Yuval Cherlow. The organization holds an officially recognized role in Israel's state conversion system through a formal partnership with the Chief Rabbinate, anchoring its halachic authority.

The operating model combines a small paid staff of approximately 24 employees headquartered in Lod with thousands of volunteer activists, a Rabbinic Council of 40+ rabbis, eight Israeli branch offices, and an international donor network across the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, South Africa, Netherlands, and Austria. Revenue is generated through modest per-event service fees — a NIS 200 administration fee and a NIS 824 official fee per wedding registration — supplemented by donations from international friends associations and grants such as the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles award. A dedicated subsidiary, Tzohar Food Supervision, handles kosher certification and had captured approximately 10% of Tel Aviv's kosher restaurants by 2021. Scale signals include an 80% rise in marriage registrations in 2021, 40,000+ Jews authenticated through Shorashim, 800+ communities reached during Shavuot study, and 750+ Megillah readings organized for Purim.

Tzohar has accumulated notable recognition including the Presidential Award for Volunteers, the 2022 Rothberg Prize for Jewish Education (awarded to Rabbi Cherlow), and the 2021 Special Recognition at the Israel Cuisine Awards. The organization has received no venture capital or private equity funding, operates standard web platforms with no disclosed proprietary technology, and reports no AI/ML capabilities. Strategic emphasis has been on geographic expansion (2019 Tel Aviv center), new service lines (food supervision subsidiary, Virtual Community Rabbis program, Center for Jewish Ethics), and deepening the Shorashim authentication pipeline targeting olim from the Former Soviet Union.

Name

Tzohar - Making Judaism Accessible & Keeping Us Together

Legal name

Tzohar

Website

https://tzohar-eng.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tzohar is an Israeli non-profit founded by Rabbi David Stav that delivers Jewish lifecycle services — wedding registration, kashrut supervision, and ancestry authentication — across eight Israeli branches, supported by 24 staff, thousands of volunteers, and an international donor network spanning eight countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lod

HQ country

Israel

HQ region

Middle East

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tzohar is a nonprofit organization that relies heavily on donations from supporters worldwide. They accept donations through various channels including wire transfers, checks, and online donation platforms (JGive) in multiple currencies (USD, GBP, EUR, CAD, AUD, ILS, ZAR). All donations are fully tax-deductible.
2. Service Fees: Administrative service fees for wedding registration services: NIS 200 for Tzohar's office services, plus NIS 824 official registration fee to the Chief Rabbinate (NIS 494 discounted rate for eligible individuals). These fees cover marriage file processing, bridal instruction, and officiating rabbi services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Tzohar is a non-profit religious and community organization that provides Jewish lifecycle services in Israel, including Chief Rabbinate-approved marriage registration with officiating rabbis and bridal counselors, kosher/kashrut certification through its Tzohar Food Supervision subsidiary, Shorashim Jewish ancestry verification, holiday programming, Bar/Bat Mitzvah coordination, Brit Milah, bereavement support, and Jewish ethics guidance. It also operates public policy advocacy in the Knesset and runs a worldwide HUB network of activists and friends organizations.

Product overview

Tzohar is a Jewish community organization offering a comprehensive suite of religious and social services designed to make Judaism accessible to both observant and secular Jews in Israel. The organization operates as a multi-service platform with core offerings including: Wedding Services (marriage registration, officiating rabbis, bridal counselors), Tzohar Food Supervision (national kashrut certification), Shorashim (Jewish ancestry investigation), Jewish Holidays Programs, Bar/Bat Mitzvah services, Brit Milah/Pidyon Haben, Bereavement services, Prenuptial Agreements, and the Center for Jewish Ethics. Additional programs include Public Policy advocacy, Leadership Development courses, R&D, Community Volunteers, Fellowship, International Training, HUB Network, Halachic Research, and the Rabbinic Council. The organization also offers special programs like Kadish Nagish (enabling women to say Kaddish) and the Pesach Online Family Adventure. Tzohar processes registrations through partner Rabbinates and maintains branches across Israel including Lod, Tel Aviv, Hod HaSharon, Ariel, Haifa, Jerusalem, Even Shmuel, and Be'er Sheva.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kadish Nagish: Initiative enabling women to recite the Kaddish in synagogue
• Tzohar Food Supervision
• Shorashim
• Center for Jewish Ethics
• Achoti Kalla
• Tovim Hashnayim

Products and services

• Wedding Services Comprehensive wedding registration services through the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, including officiating rabbis, bridal counselors, and marriage file processing. Includes rabbinical home introductions, bridal instruction sessions, and officiating rabbi services at the wedding venue.
• Tzohar Food Supervision (Kashrut Certification) Professional and transparent national kashrut certification for food establishments, including restaurants and catering venues, led by Rabbi Oren Duvdevani. Introduced competition, transparency, and businesslike procedures to Israel's kashrut system, including trained women as kashrut supervisors.
• Shorashim - Jewish Ancestry Investigation Unit Forensic Jewish ancestry verification service combining proof of Jewish roots and forensic investigation techniques with genealogical research to help immigrants confirm their Jewish heritage and qualify for legal marriage in Israel.
• Jewish Holidays Programs Holiday experiences and programs including Pesach chametz sales, Shavuot study guides, Purim megillah readings (750+ across Israel), Tu Bishvat sedarim, Chanukah prayers, and Yom Hazikaron/Yom Haatzmaut observances.
• Bar/Bat Mitzvah Services Tailored programs providing youngsters and their families with positive Jewish experiences for Bar and Bat Mitzvah celebrations.
• Brit Milah and Pidyon Haben Provision of qualified mohalim and cohanim to perform family Brit Mila or Pidyon Haben ceremonies for Jewish families.
• Bereavement Services Program helping families through losing a loved one, guiding them through burial and funeral requirements and providing tools to cope with loss.
• Prenuptial Agreement Prenuptial agreement program in memory of Belda Kaufman Lindenbaum, addressing the reality that in Israel only marriages conducted via the Rabbinate are legally recognized.
• Center for Jewish Ethics Ethical research and guidance on contemporary issues, led by Rabbi Yuval Cherlow, producing position papers for institutions including UNESCO and Israel Police Force.
• Kadish Nagish Initiative enabling women to recite the Kaddish in synagogue, from the women's section, alongside all other mourners during services.
• Pesach Online Family Adventure International online game for families to celebrate Jewish life during Pesach, recommended for kids age 8 and up. Includes 1 hour 15 minutes of programming.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40,000+ Jews authenticated for Jewish identity through Shorashim Forensic Unit
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Chief Rabbinate of IsraelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTzohar operates as an extension of the Chief Rabbinate on marriage matters. Marriage registrations are processed through partner Rabbinates including Shoham, Gush Etzion, Tel Aviv, and Hod HaSharon. Tzohar rabbis are certified to conduct wedding ceremonies with full legal validity.
• Israeli Government and National InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTzohar works with Israeli government bodies and national institutions to increase reach and impact. They promote appointments to various public positions in the Rabbinate and other national institutions, and provide research on Jewish and social impact to politicians and lawmakers.
• International Friends of TzoharsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDeveloping network of international Friends of Tzohar associations in various locations around the world. These bodies support fundraising, community building, and advocacy for Tzohar's mission internationally.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Bnei Akiva: Bnei Akiva is a religious Zionist youth movement providing education, community programming, and leadership development globally. Comparable to Tzohar's youth-oriented Bar/Bat Mitzvah services and volunteer community ambassador model.

Direct peers

• OK Kosher Certification: OK Kosher is a leading global kosher certification agency. Directly comparable to Tzohar Food Supervision as a competing kashrut authority competing for restaurant and food manufacturer certifications.
• Orthodox Union (OU Kosher): The Orthodox Union operates one of the largest kashrut certification programs in the world alongside extensive Jewish community programming. Directly comparable to Tzohar's combination of kosher supervision plus broader religious lifecycle services for Jewish communities.
• Masorti Foundation: Masorti is the Israeli Conservative Jewish movement providing religious services, education, and community programming in Israel. Directly comparable to Tzohar as a non-Orthodox Israeli Jewish movement offering alternatives to the Chief Rabbinate.
• Star-K Kosher Certification: Star-K provides kosher supervision services and rabbinical guidance to food manufacturers and consumers. Directly comparable to Tzohar's kashrut certification business and rabbinic authority positioning.
• The Rabbinical Assembly: The Rabbinical Assembly is an international association of Conservative rabbis providing rabbinic leadership, education, and policy guidance. Directly comparable to Tzohar's Rabbinic Council structure and halachic research function.

Others

• The Jewish Agency for Israel: The Jewish Agency connects Jewish diaspora communities to Israel through education, immigration, and identity programs. Comparable to Tzohar's international HUB network and Shorashim ancestry verification mission, though operating at much larger scale.
• World ORT: World ORT is a Jewish educational and vocational training network operating globally. Comparable to Tzohar's leadership development and international training programs through an analogous Jewish institutional framework.
• Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life: Hillel engages Jewish students and young adults through campus communities, education, and Israel programming. Comparable to Tzohar's leadership development and fellowship programs targeting young Jewish adults.

Broad incumbents

• Chabad-Lubavitch: Chabad is a far larger global Hasidic movement with extensive Jewish educational, religious, and community service infrastructure. Comparable to Tzohar as a Jewish outreach movement bridging religious and secular communities, though at vastly greater scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tzohar
• Facebookfacebook.com/tzohar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tzohar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Tzohar - Making Judaism Accessible & Keeping Us Together