OpenDor Media is acquiring Israel21c, the nonprofit website focused on positive stories about Israel, as part of an effort to expand its footprint in terms of audience and media, the organization announced on Wednesday.

“Israel21c has spent two decades celebrating Israeli creativity, innovation and everyday life. By weaving that content into our ecosystem we can give learners a fuller, more colorful picture of Israeli society — moving beyond the conflict narrative and modeling the nuanced, values-driven education we champion,” Noam Weissman, OpenDor Media’s executive vice president, said in the press release.

The acquisition, along with funding from the Friedkin Foundation and other supporters, will allow OpenDor Media to broaden its production of videos, podcasts, social media content and educational materials, while also growing its “Amplified Creator Community” — an initiative using social media influencers to spotlight Israeli culture, society and innovation. OpenDor Media will also take over and expand Israel21c’s Digital Ambassadors program, an eight-month training program for pro-Israel digital storytellers.

“Adding Israel21c to the OpenDor Media family is a strategic leap forward,” Andrew Savage, OpenDor Media’s CEO, said in a statement. “Their proven, upbeat storytelling and audience give us an immediate platform to further scale across video, audio, social and classrooms — multiplying our reach and accelerating our mission to shape the global conversation about Israel.”

Founded in 2009, OpenDor Media is an educational media nonprofit that produces content aimed at helping young people better understand Israel and Judaism through classroom resources and through its brands: Unpacked, Unpacked for Educators, ConnectED and Amplified.

The acquisition comes some four months after Israel21c’s executive director, Jason Harris, stepped down to serve as the executive director of Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach, Fla.

Israel21c Board Chair Amy Friedkin emphasized that OpenDor Media is well-positioned to amplify Israel21c’s original mission of showcasing Israel’s innovation and unique character to a broad audience. Friedkin, a past president of AIPAC who has been a board member of Israel21c since 2004 and has led the organization over the last decade, called the acquisition a “gamechanger” toward joining efforts across the Jewish world to achieve greater media impact. 

“Our vision with Israel21c was always to show a large audience of both Jews and non-Jews, the ingenuity, achievements, and uniqueness of Israel and its people,” she said in the press release. “We’re thrilled to join with OpenDor Media so that more young people from all backgrounds will be exposed to important content on Israeli culture and society. We are very excited for this new phase and know it’s the right move at the right time.”