About Us

Shmuel Meidad (Zangi)

Shmuel Meidad founded Honenu in 2001 after seeing first hand the legal struggles soldiers and civilians face while defending themselves. Honenu is a a non-profit legal aid organization providing legal assistance to soldiers and citizens, who at times due to the security situation are persecuted by certain government authorities and a court system heavily influenced and pressured by anti-Israel “human rights” groups. These groups are heavily funded by the European Union and other organizations such as the NIF and J Street.

As a resident of Hebron, and an active soldier, Meidad personally experienced the complicated and constricting realities of combat against a creative and disguised enemy. The strict rules of engagement often put soldiers deployed on life-saving missions at enormous, and frequently unnecessary risk. To counter this disregard for Jewish safety, Meidad founded Honenu as a positive and assertive presence in the political and judicial sectors to influence and re-address proper standards of impartiality and fairness.

To this day, Honenu has assisted over 15,000 Jews who have acted on behalf of Am Yisrael. These thousands include soldiers of all ethnic backgrounds, citizens of every corner of the country, from the cities and from farms, men and women, older and younger, secular and religious. Honenu has also assisted non-Jews loyal to Israel.

These individuals, whether defending themselves, fellow soldiers, families or property, quickly discovered the bitter truth of an agenda restricting self-defense and punishing those exercising any such inclination. In a matter of moments a decorated and respected officer could become victim of an arrest and trial with serious consequences including dismissal from army service, house arrest and incarceration.

Many individuals in these situations suffer from emotional, financial, and legal pressures. Most are confused and disoriented as to how to proceed with the Israeli legal system and the serious ramifications of such a trial. Some of these noble citizens remain free, some are incarcerated, but all are in need of proper and assertive, but costly legal defense. Honenu is there to assist them.

Why “Honenu”?

Tehillim(Psalm 123), King David wrote as a prayer and a plea to the Creator to bless us and redeem us. There is hardly a more appropriate Psalm for the current plight of Honenu’s clients:

“חננו ה’ חננו כי רב שבענו בוז”

“Favor us, Hashem, favor us, for we are fully sated with contempt.”

The Honenu Process

Honenu assists each client in every stage of the legal process. From the very first moment Honenu provides a client with an attorney who will remain at his or her side through the initial stages of the legal process. If the client is indicted Honenu advises throughout the trial and continues to guide the client, if applicable even during incarceration. A representative from Honenu is present at all court deliberations and appeals on behalf of each client. Honenu is able to negotiate reduced legal fees.

If an individual is either found guilty of a crime or incarcerated, Honenu facilitates an appeal and offers the individual and his or her family financial assistance within the limits available to the organization.