Vision and purpose
Topaz for Civil Society works in the social and public spheres in order to ensure that Israeli society, with all its institutions, organizations and possibilities, will provide high quality social, educational, cultural and civic services to all its citizens. Topaz believes that Israeli society must be a sensitive and sensitive society for global and universal needs and problems. A society that preserves and promotes the civil, social and cultural rights of every person and every citizen. A company harnesses, harnesses and contributes.
Topaz is based on the four core values that are integrated and complement each other:
Pluralism and tolerance – cultural and social.
Mutual responsibility and social justice – state, social and community.
Commitment and striving for peace – between peoples, between cultures, between communities, between people
Volunteering – individuals, groups and communities
Topaz promotes its goals and realizes its values through a unique model of entrepreneurship and social innovation, in which a wide range of programs and initiatives are developed, both infrastructure and service initiatives. This model broadens and strengthens civil society in Israel by harnessing volunteer leadership groups alongside field volunteers in its various projects.
In the course of nearly 20 years of activity, dozens of social projects led by volunteer leadership groups have been established within the framework of the Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Division of Topaz, in the framework of which thousands of volunteers have operated and operate. Close to 20 international projects were established in the Brit Olam International Volunteering and Development Division, including the establishment and establishment of the Natan International Humanitarian Aid Association in partnership with the Kibbutz Movement. In the emergency arena, Brit Olam gave more than ten large-scale humanitarian aid operations. Within the framework of the Inspiration Division – Art, Leadership, Social Change (AR), a number of local and international programs have been implemented in the past decade, both in the development arena and in the humanitarian and emergency aid arena.
Organizational goals and strategy
The ultimate goal
Topaz’s ultimate goal is to promote social change and to develop civil society infrastructures through entrepreneurship, volunteering and art in the fields of education, welfare, health, sustainability, culture and leisure in the Israeli arena and in the global arena.
Organizational strategy
Initiation, development and acceleration of social projects with a high social impact in Israel and worldwide.
secondary targets
- Initiation and design of social projects with high social impact and replication, development and assimilation in communities in Israel and around the world (entrepreneurship division).
- Promoting and empowering children and youth at risk, their families and communities, and improving the quality of life of disadvantaged populations and marginalized groups through the development of innovative educational, therapeutic and creative frameworks (entrepreneurship division).
- Identification of accompaniment and nurturing social entrepreneurs with a deep social affinity in the development of projects from the concept stage to the stable organizational operation of the enterprise and the creation of a group of members and an active and supportive community of social entrepreneurs (entrepreneurship division).
- Development and operation of infrastructure projects, support and entrepreneurs and civil society organizations in the fields of digital technology, volunteerism and volunteer leadership (Civil Society Infrastructure Division).
- Exporting and assimilating Israeli knowledge in the areas of entrepreneurship and development in international platforms and frameworks, especially among the world’s backward communities (Brit Olam Division).
- Promoting programs for international development and humanitarian action in the fields of health, education, environment and agriculture, community development, empowering women and the emergency (Brit Olam Brigade).
- Development of educational, social and artistic projects and institutions that combine art, leadership and strategies of social change (Inspiration Division).
- The operation of a Jewish-Israeli voluntary movement in Israel and the Diaspora, based on the universal and humanitarian values of Israeli culture and tradition. (IMPROVE movement).
areas of activity
Topaz is engaged in promoting social projects in a broad range of fields, including:
- Children, youth and their families, formal and informal education: development of empowerment programs for young people, children and youth, promotion of creative schools, informal educational frameworks, community support centers and more.
- Development of volunteerism, leadership, social and cultural pluralism, promotion of peace and brotherhood between individuals, groups and peoples and social involvement: with special emphasis on leadership development among young people, with emphasis on social justice, civic responsibility and community involvement.
- International development in the areas of health, education, agriculture, empowerment of women and community development, and art.
- Community development and assistance to disadvantaged and marginalized groups: Empowering disadvantaged and socially and economically disadvantaged populations, including children and youth at risk, victims of employment in sex services, women and families at risk, labeled populations (prisoners, addicts), divorced families and complex families. Promotion of employment projects and studies for groups of women at risk.
- Developing programs in the art arena and social change.
- Developing tools to strengthen the infrastructures of civil society organizations, including knowledge, management skills and entrepreneurship, resource development, volunteer leadership, volunteer management, and more.
Volunteering and Public Leadership:
Topaz is mainly a volunteer organization. Hundreds of volunteers are active at every point in their various projects. Topaz is led by volunteers and donors with vast knowledge and experience in developing and leading social projects, experts in the fields of leadership, educational and social development, and professional, legal and financial management of nonprofit organizations.
The Association’s members and activists represent a broad spectrum of citizens and experts from different disciplines, including members with academic background and practical experience in social sciences, education, social work, medicine and public health, social and clinical psychology, art, international development, law, business administration, non-profit management Public administration, political science, etc. The members’ activities are carried out out of deep awareness and social responsibility and commitment to the development of a mixed, supportive and creative civil society.
At this time, Topaz has established the IMPROVE – International Movement of Professional Voluntarism platform, which will integrate all intra-organizational volunteer activity and become a broad platform for the global advancement of volunteer professionals.
The association is initiated by Dr. Mike Naftali, who has been active in it for many years and one of its main donors and currently serves as its president.
Members of the Board of Directors for the years 2018-2019: Shmuel Sorker – Chairman, Inbar Erez, Gamal Al Karnavi, Ronen Keller, Dr. Mike Naftali, Ezri Amram, Maria Radinsky, Judith Naseh, Dina Lotte, Hecht Kings, Avida Stern, , Alina Zolotoshko (Liat Zviran, Stern Foundation – Observers).
Global Development:
Topaz has established several branches around the world. Most prominent among them in Germany and Uganda. In the 2019 work year is programmed to open additional branches in Russia, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico, Taiwan and South Korea. In addition to this activity, Topaz continues to operate in various target countries within the framework of the Brit Olam programs, the IMPROVE movement, and, of course, as a partner in the Natan Foundation – for international humanitarian assistance.
Establishment and growth Topaz
Topaz was founded in 2000 and was registered as “Topaz – The International Association for the Advancement and Empowerment of Children and Youth”. The founders’ vision was to “initiate, develop and manage intervention programs and educational, therapeutic and rehabilitative frameworks of various kinds that will enable abused and abused children and youth children who have experienced physical, sexual and emotional abuse to reintegrate into a creative, complete and fulfilling life in their society.” The organization’s main goal was to promote “extensive international activities for the rescue of children and youth who are exploited and exploited by the exploited and extremist, including commercial sexual exploitation of minors, enslavement, slavery and trafficking in minors and the development of frameworks for their physical and mental rehabilitation.”
Over the years, Topaz has developed a wide range of innovative and creative projects and organizations in Israeli society in the fields of education and leadership, children, youth and youth, volunteering, social change and justice, women and excluded populations, humanitarian assistance and refugee treatment. Many Topaz projects are experienced professionals with groundbreaking ideas and potential for a broad social impact on social activity in Israel.
Topaz – for civil society – combines three organizations: Topaz – Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation (AR), Brit Olam – Volunteering and International Development (AR) and Inspiration – Art, Leadership and Social Change. R. “).
Splitting Topaz into a number of non-profit organizations stemmed from the need to develop and manage ventures both in Israel and in the developing world, while Israel did not allow civil society organizations to operate abroad and receive tax benefits for its donors in Israel.22 This reality changed about two years ago when the Ministry of Finance recognized international humanitarian assistance, As a worthy subject for donations and tax benefits, through a joint mechanism set up by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, creating the opportunity for the lake and integrating the activities of the three associations, which have maintained close working relationships throughout the years, The three non-profit organizations have cooperated More than one committee.
In 2017, a process was initiated to integrate and merge the associations. While leveraging organizational and mission development. The integrated organization is based on four professional divisions: the Infrastructure Division for Social Initiatives and the Development Division of large-scale ventures (both in Topaz branding), the International Development and Volunteering Division (the Brit Olam Division), and the Art and Social Change Division (Inspiration Division). During 2018 the organizational and administrative merger procedures will be completed. These processes enable the organization to develop coordinated and integrative strategic development, while building integrated organizational infrastructures and integrating organizational tools, including resource development, volunteer management, volunteer leadership, CRM systems, and more.
The combined association is called Topaz for Civil Society. www.topaz.org.il