The first Sheatufim Conference on Civil Society and Philanthropy was held on the 17th and 18th of June at the new Sheatufim House in Beit Yehoshua.
The Conference included an inauguration of the Sheatufim House, featuring a "Milestone" exhibit, which included posters originating from Israel's early years.
Hundreds of participants attended the Conference, representatives of the three sectors - business, government and third sector, who participated in joint panels and workshops, reflecting the unique nature of civil society and third sector organizations in Israel, Jewish philanthropy in Israel and the world, and the need for cooperation among the three sectors.
To see the conference agenda, please press here.
The Conference was opened with greetings and opening speeches by the partners and entrepreneurs who assisted in the establishment of the Sheatufim Center, and a presentation about how Sheafutim grew from an idea to a functioning center.
Mr. Tony Blair, the Quartet Envoy for the Middle East and former UK Prime Minister gave a lecture about policies concerning third sector and tri-sector partnerships.
The opening plenary panel on What is a Philanthropic Favorable Government Policy? was led by Ido Grinbaum, an editor and a journalist. The panel included a government representative, Mr. Raanan Dinur (Head of the Prime Minister's Office), a representative of the business sector, Mr. Avi Naor (Chairman of the "Green Light" Association), a representative of the funding organizations, Mr. Eli Alaluf (Chairman of the Rashi Fund), a representative of associations for civil change, Mrs. Rachel Lial, and a researcher, Dr. Nisan Limor.
The Panel discussed both required and available regulations towards philanthropy in Israel. Dr. Nisan Limor's remarks were based on research requested by the Sheatufim Center. To see Dr. Limor's presentation about his research, please press here, and for the Panel position paper, please press here.
Following the Panel were five unique master workshops, conducted by Israeli and worldwide experts, and in addition several discussion forums to discuss the various elements comprising philanthropy and civil society in Israel:
From Checkbook Philanthropy to Strategic Philanthropy: World View, Work Processes and Tools for Establishing a Family Fund was the presentation by Mrs. Virginia M. Esposito, the founding president of the National Center for Family Philanthropy in Washington D.C., U.S.A. Following Mrs. Esposito's lecture, two families presented the dilemmas and process they went through in establishing a family fund. To see the Workshop's presentation please press here, for the Workshop's position paper please press here. Judith Yuval Rekanati and Noa Yuval Maoz presented the process of establishing the Gandyr Fund (for the presentation please press here), and Joe and Marsala Kanfer presented the process of establishing the Lipman Kanfer Fund.
Dr. Yoni Mizrahi gave an inspiring lecture entitled Formation and Application of a Digital Strategy in the Third Sector - What Does this Mean? about bridging the digital gap which exists in third sector organizations. In addition to Dr. Mizrahi's lecture, four organizations discussed the information systems they work with. For the lecture's presentation, position paper, and additional general information about the workshop please press here.
A workshop on The Place of Jewish Philanthropy in the Israeli Society of 2008 was led by Prof. Jack Haviv, CEO of the Meyers - Joint - Brookdale Institute. Among the workshop's attendees were: Mr. Yizhak Herzog (Minister for Social Affairs and Social Services), Mrs. Toni Young (Chairman of the International Activities Committee of UJC and a board member of Sheatufim Center), Mr. Charles Bronfman (Chairman of the Kareb Fund), and Mr. Zeev Bielski (Chairman of the Board of the Jewish Agency for Israel and World Zionist Organization). To see the workshop's position paper please press here.
Civil Society and Sport Support Trends was led by Dr. Ido Nevo. The workshop presented the way civil society characteristics are reflected in fan- owned sport teams. Among the workshop's attendees were: Mr. Yonathan Lerner from CSC Consulting Group and a Board Memeber of "Hapoel Osishkin", Mr. Uri Sherazki, editor of "Shem Ha'mischak" magazine and one of the founders of "Hapoel Katamon". For the Workshop's position paper please press here.
JDC Israel and the Penni and Stephen Weinberg Center for Lay Leadershp in Israel sponsored a workshop entitled And What about the Money? - Being a Board Member in Israel. Moderated by Dr. Dvora Blum, a consultant for strategic planning, this workshop included Arnon Mentber, CEO of Joint Israel, and Mrs. Rina Bar- Tal, Chair of the Women's Lobby and Head of the Center for Lay Leadership. For the Workshop's position paper please press here.
Following the five workshops a second plenary panel was held, conducted by Prof. Beni Gidron, Head of the Israeli Center for Third Sector Research. The panel brought together representatives of the various sectors, and of the academy, to discuss tri-sector society. The panel included Prof. Yuli Tamir (Minister of Education), Mr. Yossi Rosen (Chair of the Board for Oil Refineries Ltd. and President of Ofer Estates Group), Zvulun Orlev (Knesset Member and Chair of the Lobby for Civil Society Promotion), Prof. Dov Golberger (Chair of the Israeli Civic Leadership Association), and Howard Rieger (President of the UJC in North America). For the Panel position paper please press here.
The conference closed with a speech by Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, regarding his administration policy towards civil society, the third sector and tri-sector cooperations.
For the Prime Minister's full speech, please press here.
Post conference articles and publications: