FAQ

A: This is the 7th year of the Dream Raffle and 100% of our net proceeds will be given to causes that desperately need our financial help so – YES! - now IS the time to raise funds via the sale of raffle tickets. Our focus this year is to help businesses, communities, Yeshivot and people on Israel’s northern border, who have suffered (and continue to suffer!) from the Oct 7th war.

A: Simple! Just click here and select your package.

A: The raffle drawing will take place on March 3, 2025 – 3.Adar.5785. It will be held in Jerusalem and broadcast live via the Internet (Live-Streaming) – as we did in all previous raffles. After the winner has been chosen, we will email all ticket buyers the name of the winner plus a video clip of the drawing. We will also call the winner on the phone to give the great news. Note: You don’t need to sit by the phone all day… we will contact you. We will email, call and hold your ticket until we reach you.

A: This question has been asked many times so we decided to get a proper answer.
We asked Rav Mordechai Rabinovitch שליט"א to write a “teshuva” about this issue and you can CLICK HERE to see his full, in-depth response.
In short, the Rav answered that – YES! – one can use ma’aser money to purchase tickets in the Dream Raffle.
*Rav Mordechai Rabinovich is a well known teacher, posek and author, having written many popular seforim including several Mishnayot in the ArtScroll series. He lives in Givat Assaf, near Bet El.

A: The apartment is BRAND NEW and is in the “Lev Ha’Ir - Jerusalem” project in Givat Mordechai, Jerusalem. It is on the 9th floor with 2 elevators (1 is a Shabbat elevator). This area of Jerusalem is absolutely beautiful, and the building is located just a few blocks from Shaarei Tzedek Hospital. The apartment has 2 bedrooms, 2 full baths, a living room, dining room and kitchen. It has a large balcony (the entire balcony can used for a Sukkah), and a parking spot. Nobody has ever lived here before – it will be given directly from the builder to the winner of this year’s Dream Raffle!

A: As soon as you pay for the order, we will email the raffle tickets to your email address! They will arrive as a PDF attachment and the raffle tickets will have your name and number on them. Good luck!

A: 99% of the time, people who didn’t receive their tickets found them in their spam/junk folder. Please check that carefully – especially in “ALL MAIL”. If, for some reason they are not there, email us and we will gladly resend them. Send your email to Shmuel@TheDreamRaffle.com

A: Yes, you can pay for your tickets with a US Dollar check. Make your check payable to “Am Yisrael Chai Foundation” and enclose a note indicating how many tickets you want. Make sure you include your email address so that we can send you the tickets! Mail the check, together with the note to: Am Yisrael Chai Foundation – PO Box 241 – Cedarhurst, NY 11516 (USA) Very important: Checks must be received by March 1, 2025 in order to qualify for the raffle. Any checks received after that date will be returned.

A: Paying online is definitely preferable, and we have taken all precautions to secure your payment. Our system uses the latest technology in online payments, and we are fully compliant with all security standards.

A: The Am Yisrael Chai Foundation was founded in 2001 and is IRS approved as a 501c3. Our tax number is 11-3618003. Regular donations to Am Yisrael Chai are tax deductible in the USA but, according to the IRS, raffle tickets do not qualify for a deduction and are therefore NOT tax deductible.

A: According to the law, the winner of a raffle must pay all taxes. We cannot state how much that will be because it depends on your country and personal situation. It is highly recommended that you ask this question to your financial advisor and follow the guidelines he/she tells you.

A: Every apartment in the building pays 2 monthly fees; Arnona (property tax to the City of Jerusalem) and Va’ad Bayit (maintenance fee to the building’s management company). When added together, these fees are approximately 2,000 shekel per month (about $540 – at the exchange rate of 3.7)

A: Yes, you can. The cash prize is $600,000 and will be sent to you within 90 days after the raffle. Not bad for a $200 ticket…

A: The Dream Raffle is a project of the Am Yisrael Chai Foundation, which is under the guidance of an accounting firm and an attorney – as required by USA law. In addition, we are connected to a posek for all Halachic matters. Any questions should be emailed to: Shmuel@TheDreamRaffle.com

Shmuel Sackett started this organization (Am Yisrael Chai) in 2001 and has helped thousands of people across Eretz Yisrael.

In 2018 we started “The Dream Raffle” and, Baruch Hashem, it worked very nicely, so we are continuing with it – now in its seventh year!

The winner of 2018 – Don Wisnewski - Hawaii (USA)
The winner of 2019 – David Rotfleish - Toronto (CANADA)
The winner of 2020 – Meyer Reichman - New Jersey (USA)
The winner of 2021 - Michael Cohen - California (USA)
The winner of 2022 - Assaf Cohen – Shavei Darom (Israel)

The winner of 2023 – Meir Friedman – Beitar Illit (Israel)

“Am Yisrael Chai” files all reports with the IRS, is well known across Israel and many Rabbis can tell you who we are.

The decision is yours but there is nothing to fear – we are 100% real and if you win this raffle, the incredible apartment will be yours to keep forever.

If you want references, please email Shmuel directly and he will be glad to provide you with names/numbers for you to contact.

Shmuel’s direct email is: Shmuel@TheDreamRaffle.com