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Netaly Ophir Flint,
CEO
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Dear Friends and Supporters,
We are thrilled to embark on a very significant year for us at the Reut Institute. This year marks one decade since Reut's founding and we are working energetically on an array of activities and celebrations to mark this milestone.
We would like to ask you to be a part of the experience. We are looking forward to hearing from you and to seeing you at upcoming events – details will follow. In the meantime, please save the date for September 17-18.
In addition, I am excited to share with you below select updates on our activities in the fields of Israel 15, national security, Israel-Jewish world relations, 21st Century Tikkun Olam, and scientific and technological innovation. As always, we welcome your feedback.
All the best,
Netaly
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Launching the 'Urban Leapfrog' Model
Reut introduced its first-of-its-kind model for catalyzing rapid, sustained, and inclusive growth in cities. Our urban leapfrog model, on the basis of years of research on regional and national growth - developed in partnership with UJA Federation of NY -and currently piloted in the city of Tsfat, introduces guidelines and tools for leaping cities in Israel. We launched the model at a specially convened mini-conference (see clips from the event here) that gathered relevant experts and policy makers to form discussion-based working groups on its components. Speaking at the event, Tsfat Mayor Ilan Shochat highlighted the pivotal role Reut has played in his achievements: "Within two days of working with Reut… my whole conceptual understanding changed." Reut will continue its implementing and refining the model in Tsfat while also focusing efforts on its national-level scaling.
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Changing the National Security Discourse
As part of Reut's work to expand the scope of Israel's national security concept, and to encourage the participation of a greater diversity of societal actors in its design and implementation, Reut Founder and President Gidi Grinstein presented Reut's vision in this field at an INSS-convened forum (see video clip, here). Reut's national security team recently introduced the vision at an event that gathered high-level experts, policy makers, and practitioners from across sectors and from a variety of fields that affect Israel's ability to contend with global and regional changes. In the coming months, Reut will continue to engage with this core group and beyond to focus on developing and realizing a strategy for change.
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Developing a Socio-Economic Cluster in the Western Galilee
Reut made significant strides on its path to creating a Western Galilee 'leapfrog club' of highly committed individuals dedicated to advancing Reut's vision for that region's socio-economic development. Reut has successfully engaged several of the leading private sector actors in the region, who will serve as a core group in advancing key strategies, including the development of socio-economic clusters that leverage the region's unique assets. In line with that logic, Reut also continues to accompany the Treasures of the Galilee marketing platform (in Hebrew), which was created by its partner, Israeli philanthropists Raya Strauss to support a social and economic cluster around the field of active tourism, leveraging the Western Galilee's unique assets.
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Introducing the Tikkun Olam Make-a-Thon
We are excited to share the dates of the Tikkun Olam Make-a-Thon (TOM) to take place in Israel June 29 - July 1. TOM will gather interdisciplinary teams from around the world for an intense and exciting creative experience utilizing the tools of modern digital fabrication to produce working prototypes that assist and empower individuals with disabilities. The Make-a-Thon is a collaboration between the Schusterman Foundation's ROI Connection Point initiative and Reut's Cross-Lab Network (XLN). The XLN initiative seeks to place Israeli society at the forefront of the self-manufacturing revolution by mobilizing creative, entrepreneurial, and leadership forces toward broader challenges facing Israeli society in the periphery.
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Preparing the Israeli Workforce for a Technological Future
Reut has partnered with the Israeli Employment Service to mobilize the XLN in service of facilitating the adaptation of Israel's workforce to an increasingly technology-oriented market. Reut will partner with this government agency to launch a training program focused on developing modelling skills and on operating 3D printers. Additionally, on the basis of a number of successful initiatives and increasing demand, Reut's Cross-Lab Network (XLN) significantly expanded the opportunities available to the surrounding community to engage with cutting-edge technology through courses and training workshops.
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Developing the 21st Century Tikkun Olam Organization
Reut is working closely with its partner on this effort, the Alliance for Global Good, to create an organization that will be mandated to fulfill the vision of 21st century Tikkun Olam. This vision calls for Israel and the Jewish people, working together, to make a significant, global, and distinctly Jewish and Israeli impact on humanity. The new entity will be organized around defined challenges – such as improving access to water, food, and energy in communities 'on the edge of the desert.' An Advisory Board, which includes key Jewish communal, philanthropic, and Israeli government leaders, has already been assembled.
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Engaging Our Alumni Network of Strategic Leaders
Reut held a successful gathering of its alumni network – a regularly convened forum comprising more than a dozen Reut graduates who have gone on to fill positions of leadership in the Israeli and Jewish public sphere, for example, in the Prime Minister's Office, Ministry for Public Affairs, Ministry of Economy, Birthright Israel Excel, and Wexner Foundation. Reut views the network as the continuation of its commitment to train individuals in the art of developing societal innovation – which includes identifying emerging challenges, creating new visions and strategies regarding how to deal with these challenges, and mobilizing the key stakeholders to effectuate change.
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Reut Founder and President Gidi Grinstein's recently published book, ‘Flexigidity: the Secret of Jewish Adaptability, is continuing to provoke critical engagement. The book offers a bird’s-eye systemic view of Jewish society, exploring the secret of Jewish survival, resilience, security, prosperity, and leadership during past millennia. Most recently, the Shalem College's Danny Gordis joined former UK Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Donniel Hartman, Dennis Ross, and Lynn Hartmann in offering significant praise:
“Grinstein is a rare and treasured exception; few others are so deeply committed to the Jewish people and the Jewish state yet so creative. Flexigidity is one of those books people who care about the future of Judaism and Israel simply need to read."
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Reut in the Media
- Why Kerry is Scary, Thomas L. Friedman ,The New York Times
- Israel's Big Question, Thomas L. Friedman ,The New York Times
- Growth that isn't Inclusive is Explosive, Jewish Reporter
- Tikkun Olam Soars, The Canadian Jewish News
- The Anti Israel boycott movement is gaining points, i24NEWS
- Emerging Trends in American Jewry, (Hebrew), Channel 22, Israel
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Reut Mountain Movers Launches a New Web Site
We invite you to check out the new Web site of Reut Mountain Movers (RMM), the for-profit entity that Reut established this year. RMM works in Israel and globally, leveraging the content areas and methodologies developed within Reut to expand Reut's impact and serve its financial sustainability by working in additional areas and with a greater diversity of organizations. Former Reut CEO Roy Keidar serves as RMM's founding CEO, and former Socio-Economic Taskforce Director Talia Gorodess is its vice president for business development.
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