The State of Israel

The State of Israel was established on the solid foundations of social justice and equality, as reflected in its Declaration of independence. This thread has woven through its society ever since in government, the private sector and civil society, and is as prominent in action as it is in talk. Israel’s healthy DNA in this respect generates both a robust and ongoing public discourse on a host of issues, from closing socio-economic gaps to advancing innovative technologies for social good.

The names “Israel” and “Start-up Nation” have become synonymous. Truth is, Israel is much more than a world innovation leader: it boasts a robust social eco-system reinforced by intensive and ongoing activities by the government, private and non-profit sectors (both separately and in cooperation with each other). Today, its strengths in the innovation and social areas are beginning to merge, as the country moves toward a new status: Impact Nation.

Israel attaches great importance to the implementation of the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 Goals (SDGs), and naturally participated in the voluntary national reviews (VNRs) where member states had the opportunity to share their experiences – successes, challenges and lessons learned.

This blog has been established to follow this exciting development and highlight the players moving it forward.

Israel is far from perfect; no society is. But it is definitely among a relatively small number of counties which recognize that social challenges exist, confront them head-on and make every possible effort to successfully overcome them. It is in this space that our blog emerges: to shed light on the spectrum of Israeli activities – both public and private – to make the world a better place, both domestically and globally.

Tikun Olam & SDGs in Israel

The Hebrew term Tikun Olam has deep roots in Jewish theology and philosophy. At the most basic level, it recognizes our world is in disrepair and that we have a personal responsibility to help mend it. In a more individual sense, the term directs us to show compassion to those in need – and most importantly: take action ourselves!

This is why Tikun Olam and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals go hand in hand – and that advancing SDG implementation comes naturally to Israel and its citizens. This is what we are trying to illustrate in Social Impact Israel, from the Changemakers profiles to the informative posts.