The shoes weren’t dipped in gold or worn by a celebrity. But in the fall of 2023, a single pair of ballet flats sold for over $13,000—and every dollar went to support overwhelmed hospitals in Israel. The shoes, crafted from pebbled white Italian leather with soft iridescent shimmer, were made by Tieks, an Israeli American-owned boutique shoe brand based in Los Angeles. This pair became the centerpiece of a campaign that raised more than $180,000 for Israeli hospitals treating the victims of the October 7 terror attacks.
The flats, named “White Magick,” were offered through an online benefit auction titled Tieks for Israel. The seven-day fundraiser launched shortly after the October 7 attacks, as images and accounts of atrocities at the Nova Music Festival and strikes in southern Israeli communities shocked the world. Tieks, founded by entrepreneur Kfir Gavrieli, mobilized its passionate customer base into action.
The White Magick Tieks winning bid of $13,150 marked the highest price ever paid for a single pair of Tieks. Proceeds from the sale were donated to support the healthcare workers and hospitals treating civilians injured in the violence.
The virtual auction included 13 other limited-edition or never-before-seen styles, which sold for thousands each.
“As a Jewish-founded company, the attacks of October 7 affected us deeply,” said Kfir Gavrieli, CEO and founder of Tieks. “In the face of rising antisemitism worldwide, the Tieks community mobilized quickly and powerfully — standing against hate, showing solidarity with Israel, and supporting critical efforts in an urgent crisis”.
Tieks has a rich history of grassroots campaigns that engage their fan base in supporting local and international causes. In 2022, Tieks launched Tieks for Ukraine, a campaign that raised over $87,000 for World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit providing food relief in Ukraine and bordering countries.
Other Tieks campaigns, such as Operation Sew Together, Tieks for L.A. and Tieks for Texas, supported communities in the United States facing the COVID-19 pandemic’s mask shortage and natural disasters such as the L.A. wildfires and Texas floods. In all cases, the loyal Tieks customer base came together to donate money and resources through online auctions and fundraisers—including making over 400,000 face masks for frontline workers—to provide aid in times of need.
Today, as Israel continues its long road to recovery, the symbolic and financial impact of initiatives like Tieks for Israel continues. Beyond the immediate emergency response, the needs on the ground have shifted toward rebuilding lives, caring for trauma victims and restoring a sense of normalcy, especially in the south of Israel. With this context in mind, donations from civil society—whether large grants or grassroots efforts—remain crucial.
“We launched the Tieks for Israel campaign just days after the initial strikes,” said Gavrieli. “At the time, other companies hadn’t yet started taking a stand in support of Israel and the victims of the attacks. I’m proud of the Tieks community for being one of the first to bring resources and draw notice to this devastating cause.”
When one pair of flats sells for $13,000, it’s not about the value of the shoe: it’s about the importance of the cause and its capacity to grow.
