Miss Fix the Universe, an initiative of the Israel Women’s Network, and Bank Hapoalim’s Poalim in the Community announced the opening of registration for the 2026 “Miss Fix the Universe: Mending the Fractures” initiative, according to the organizers. The Israeli program will support women-led ventures that strengthen women’s employment and financial independence after the economic fallout of October 7 and the ongoing wars.
The initiative will select 10 women and their projects, with each receiving a NIS 30,000 grant, a dedicated mentoring program, and film documentation. An additional NIS 5,000 grant will be awarded to the project that receives the broadest public support through voting on the Miss Fix website, bringing the total grants to NIS 305,000.
War has deepened employment instability for women
According to the organizers, 32% of women reported harm to their income or ability to work because of the wars. They said women-owned small and micro-businesses have been hit by shutdowns, weaker demand, and the absence of a tailored safety net.
The Jerusalem Post has reported that women’s employment remains more vulnerable during crises, including the COVID-19 lockdowns and the Israel-Hamas War, according to the Israeli Employment Service. JPost also reported that during a later wartime period, 7,936 people registered for unemployment, 55% of them women and 54% of those women mothers of minors. For additional background, see JPost coverage of women’s employment vulnerability and wartime unemployment data.
Organizers said this year’s program will focus on projects offering professional training, rapid pathways into the workforce, support for women in academia and employment, financial literacy, technological skills, and support for women-led small businesses. The initiative will also prioritize women from communities and regions especially affected by the war.
Initiative aims to turn crisis into economic recovery
The call for applications is open to women entrepreneurs until June 26, 2026, through the Miss Fix website, the organizers said. The program’s stated goal is to prevent wartime setbacks from hardening into long-term gender gaps in employment and financial independence.
The wider challenge has also been reflected in JPost reporting on women’s wartime roles and representation gaps, as well as the economic potential of higher participation among Arab women in the workforce. For background, see JPost coverage of women’s wartime role and representation gaps and Arab women’s employment as an Israeli growth engine.
Sharona Tarshish, director of Poalim in the Community, said this is the fourth year of the Miss Fix initiative and that its focus this year reflects the urgency of women’s employment and financial independence during a national crisis. “Our role is to identify them, give them a platform, and provide them with tools that will allow them to expand their impact and lead long-term change in Israeli society,” she said.
Limor Weisberg Caspi, CEO of Miss Fix the Universe, said women have played a central role in rebuilding Israeli society through the initiatives submitted to Miss Fix in recent years. “When a woman becomes independent and financially secure, she not only strengthens herself, she builds the future of the entire country,” she said.