Fauda Creators Lior Raz and Avi Issacharoff Launch $15.9M US Venture
Creators of the hit series Fauda, Lior Raz and Avi Issacharoff, are raising $15.9 million through a new US-registered firm, Sami & Hertzel. SEC filings show over half the target is secured, though operational details remain undisclosed.
Lior Raz and Avi Issacharoff, the creative minds behind the global hit TV series Fauda, have launched a new business venture aimed at raising $15.9 million through a newly established company named Sami & Hertzel, according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
To date, the company has successfully secured $8.62 million—more than half of its total fundraising target—through the sale of securities, with the entire amount contributed by a single investor. However, the SEC filing reveals that $3.619 million of the raised funds, accounting for roughly 42%, was disbursed to company managers under a participation unit acquisition agreement. The document does not disclose specific details regarding the assets or rights acquired, nor the valuation assigned to them. The remaining target stands at approximately $7.28 million, with the company expecting to close the offering within a year.
Structure and Previous Ventures
Sami & Hertzel was incorporated in 2026 as a Delaware LLC, maintaining its registered address in Tel Aviv. Raz and Issacharoff are listed as managers, directors, and founders alongside directors Oliver Weisberg and Jason Bun, and founder Orni Birnbaum. Raz personally signed the SEC filing in his capacity as company manager. The filing classifies the venture's industry under "other" and omits revenue details and specific operational scopes.
This new initiative follows a robust track record of international media ventures by the creators. Their breakout series Fauda premiered on yes in 2015 and achieved global acclaim via Netflix, leading to a major development deal with the US streaming giant and the 2021 thriller series Hit & Run. In early 2022, their production banner Faraway Road Productions was acquired by Candle Media—a media group founded by former Disney executives Tom Staggs and Kevin Mayer and backed by Blackstone—in a transaction valued at approximately $50 million.
Ongoing Productions and Recognition
Meanwhile, Fauda continues to maintain strong international standing. The fifth season, rewritten following the events of October 7, premiered on yes in mid-May and on Netflix in early September, drawing 2.1 million views in its first week and ranking fourth globally while entering top-ten lists across 41 countries. Additionally, the creators are advancing new domestic projects, including the upcoming yes drama series The Psychologist starring Ania Bukstein as a trauma specialist assisting an undercover operative.
Last month, Raz and Issacharoff received a special tribute from the Jewish Agency for their contributions to Israel and the Jewish people, acknowledging their role in bringing Israeli narratives to global audiences. Despite the extensive disclosures regarding Sami & Hertzel, the exact operational focus and business plan behind the multi-million dollar fundraising effort remain undisclosed.
