Organizations
Efforts
Books
THE REUT GROUP
I founded Reut in 2004 to create and scale innovative solutions to problems facing my country and its people, and to make a significant and distinct contribution to humanity.
Reut’s work covers national security, economic development and world Jewry. It combines cutting edge theories and methodologies of research, strategy, and leadership.
TIKKUN OLAM MAKERS (TOM)
TOM is a global venture, inspired by a bold vision of helping 250 million people and by the motto: Affordable and Accessible for Anyone Anywhere.
TOM is a global movement with the mission of creating and disseminating affordable solutions for vulnerable populations. It is my primary platform for humanitarian work.
FLEXIGIDITY
Flexigidity is a portmanteau word that combines flexibility and rigidity. It is the title of my book that describes the secret sauce of Jewish resilience, recurring prosperity and leadership, which emanates from the unique way in which the Jewish People blends new and old, innovation and tradition, rigidities and flexibilities.
REUT USA
I co-founded Reut USA to bring the vision, strategies and methodologies of Reut Israel to America and to support the work of Reut in Israel.
Since 2014, Reut USA also houses and supports TOM Global, which leads the global TOM Movement, and TOM USA that drives TOM in America.
IMPACT LABS & XLN
I imagined a national and global center for innovation in assistive technologies. Since 2017, the outcome is Impact Labs: an incredible makerspace in Tel-Aviv.
Today, Impact Labs is a for-profit venture operated by Print 3D that serves as the R&D center of TOM. Its origin is XLN, the Reut makerspace we launched in 2012
LEAPFROG CENTER
ISRAEL 15 Vision inspired the work of Reut regarding Israel’s long-term economic and social development nationally and regionally.
The Leapfrog Center was the platform for effectuating this vision particularly in the Western Galilee, in partnership with Raya Strauss Ben-Dror, and in the Negev.
GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL
I served in the Office and Bureau of Prime Minister Ehud Barak between 1999 and 2001 as Secretary and Coordinator of the Delegation for the negotiations with the PLO on the Permanent Status Agreement.
I was the youngest person in the “room where it happened” including at the famous Camp David Summit.
ECONOMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION
The ECF was my entry into the world of diplomacy, peace-making and non-profits. In 1995, I joined to coordinate a project on economic relations among Israel, Jordan and Palestinians.
Later, I orchestrated preparations for peace negotiations between Israel and the PLO, and in 1999 I joined the Government of Israel.
BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL
In 1995, I formed the Israeli team that designed Taglit-Birthright Israel based on the vision of Dr. Yossi Beilin.
Led by Avraham Infeld and with American partners, our volunteer work was formative for the most significant Jewish project of our time. In 1999, we handed our work to the nascent Taglit Birthright Israel Team.
21st CENTURY TIKKUN OLAM
The quest to be a model society is central for Israel’s stature as the nation-state of the Jewish People. Hence, 21CTO focuses on national and global humanitarian innovation for vulnerable communities.
Our flagship project is TOM, aiming to help 250 million people. Our model is game-changing. And our values are universal, with a Jewish and Israeli tilt.
ISRAEL 15 VISION
The IL15 Vision calls for Israel to become one of 15 leading countries in terms of quality of life. It requires a ‘leapfrog’ and envisions ‘inclusive prosperity’.
This vision guided my and Reut’s efforts on national and regional economic development and inspired TOM, XLN, the Leapfrog Center, Israel 2021 and Spirit of the Galilee.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Jewish People, and Israel as its ‘nation-state’, face unique and significant challenges and opportunities of security and wellbeing. This is particularly true in a time of accelerated change.
National security issues have been central to my work in Reut and in other forums, creating and effectuating cutting-edge and breakthrough strategies.
ISRAEL’S INTERNATIONAL STANDING
Israel’s international standing is a focus of my work. Within Reut and Reut USA, we developed and implemented a variety of strategies to build the good standing of Israel and Jewish communities by making a significant and distinct contribution to society and humanity.
We have also worked to combat antisemitism, the delegitimization of Israel and the BDS Movement.
RELATIONS WITH WORLD JEWRY
I believe that Israel’s mission is to serve the continued significant existence of the Jewish People, and that a strong relationship between Israel and world Jewry is vitally important for both sides.
These topics have been central to my work through the Reut Group, TOM and other initiatives. It is also at the center of Flexigidity.
ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS
Israel’s relations with the Palestinians is of crucial importance to the future of Israel and the Jewish People. Between 1995 and 2001, I worked on many aspects of these relations, culminating in the Bureau of PM Barak and at the Camp David Summit, where I was the Secretary and Coordinator of the Israeli Delegation.
Henceforth, Reut provided pathbreaking thinking about the condition and direction of the ‘peace process.’
RESILIENCE
Resilience refers to the ability of societies to transcend crises while protecting lives and remaining loyal to core values.
Following the 2006 Second Lebanon War, Reut offered a comprehensive framework for Israel’s resilience that is built bottom-up through communities.
ISRAEL’S GOVERNANCE
A great system of government is vital for Israel’s wellbeing. In 2001, I concluded that we need a ‘simple’ change: the head of the largest party should become the Premier. Now, this is a common view.
I then founded Yesodot (foundations) to lead and support electoral reforms and remained involved for years. Still waiting…
My first book, Flexigidity: The Secret of Jewish Adaptability, explores the condition and direction of the Jewish People by exposing the
‘secret sauce’ of Jewish resilience, recurring prosperity and permanent leadership in humanity. It highlights the unique way in which Jewish society blends old and new, tradition and innovation and rigidities and flexibilities to optimize the pace of our societal adaptation. It explains why one of the few certainties about humanity in 500 years is that there will be Jews lighting ‘Shabbat candles’ on Mars.
Flexigidity is the summary of my personal journey and effort to ‘make sense’ of the Jewish People. It is the intellectual foundation for my love for the Jewish People and for being Jewish, bringing together lessons from visiting with near and far communities, spending time with leaders, activists, colleagues and family, and a lot of reading.
To buy the book click here:
The week of 9/11 is the annual Middle East “peace week”: 9/13 marks 30 years to the Oslo Process between Israel and the Palestinians;
9/15 marks 3 years to the Abraham Accords between Israel, Morocco, Bahrain, and UAE; and 9/17 marks 35 years to the historic Framework Agreement for Middle East Peace signed between Israel and Egypt in Camp David in 1978. A direct line connects these events and many others and extends to the possibility of normalization with Saudi Arabia.
The new book focuses on the ongoing Oslo Process, which was launched on September 13, 1993, by Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO leader Yasser Arafat. But Gidi’s book is as much about the history, through his personal stories, as it is about Israel’s current challenges in the West Bank and Gaza, the constitutional crisis in Israel, the Abraham Accords, and the normalization with Saudi Arabia.
To buy the book click here: