From the moment his entrepreneurial career began, empowerment and equality were always at the forefront of Kfir Gavrieli’s mind. As the CEO of Tieks, he oversees a talented team of people who design and sell an innovative line of women’s flat shoes. The flats, known for their ingenious split-sole design and high-quality Italian leather, offer superior comfort and portability to women everywhere.
But for Kfir Gavrieli, simply releasing a product aimed at women wasn’t enough to live up to his social responsibility. Recently, he signed his name — along with more than 150 other technology and business leaders — to a pledge denouncing antisemitism. This is just one of the many, many ways that he’s dedicated himself to standing up not just against hate, but for hardworking men and women.
Kfir Gavrieli’s Fight Against Hate and Antisemitism
The pledge was crafted in response to a recent increase in hate crimes against Jewish people around the country.
It read in part: “As business leaders, we have a collective responsibility to stand up for the society we want. Today, we stand against antisemitism and violence against Jews. This is true regardless of your views on Israel; this is about protecting people from the injustice of antisemitism and hatred.”
The statement makes the position of the signers abundantly clear. It acknowledges the collective responsibility that business leaders have, to stand up for those around them — not just to protect the society we have but to help build the culture we want.
It acknowledges that those who signed it, including Kfir Gavrieli, stand against antisemitism and violence towards members of the Jewish community.
It’s unfortunate that such a step was necessary, but it helps to highlight a grave situation. In the 1920s, anti-Jewish restrictions began to appear broadly, in college fraternities, social clubs, resorts, hotels, and other hospitality ventures. There was a time when it was common for a homeowner’s association to refuse to sell a property to someone of Jewish descent.
The hope for Kfir Gavrieli and the rest of the CEOs who signed the pledge is that it will shine a light not just on the situation as it currently stands, but on potential solutions to make sure that this type of violence and discrimination is finally ended.
Other Ways Kfir Gavrieli Is Giving Back
This isn’t Gavrieli’s first time getting involved publicly with Jewish causes. In 2020, he had the opportunity to appear on American Jewish University’s B’Yachad Together online programming series during a session titled “Doing Business for Good.” Over the years, he has participated in a host of pro-Israel organizations, including but not limited to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the Israeli American Council, American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and more.
Gavrieli is the founder of The Gavrieli Foundation, which has been responsible for sending over $10 million to women entrepreneurs living in poverty across the globe.
Gavrieli said, “I’m trying, over time, to change the tide a little bit and make it cool and fun to support Israel rather than to bash it; help people reconnect with Judaism…and hopefully change the perception of Israel and help get to the point where the Jews aren’t as oppressed a minority as I perceive them to be.”
