Israeli President Isaac Herzog brought together 1,400 nonprofit figures, social entrepreneurs, community heads and other grassroots leaders today in Jerusalem to consider the country’s future as it approaches its 80th anniversary and grapples with deep polarization and division. 

Dubbed the “President’s Conference for a Shared Israeli Future,” the gathering is part of Herzog’s broader efforts to encourage constructive dialogue and understanding within Israel through an initiative known as “Time to Talk” in English and “Mahlifim Mila” (exchanging a word) in Hebrew. Herzog has also launched a separate program, Voice of the People, aimed at addressing rifts between Israel and Diaspora Jewry. 

The conference, which was held in Jerusalem’s International Conference Center, was sponsored by Maimonides Fund, Boston’s Combined Jewish Philanthropies, Jewish Federations of North America and the Israeli social and environmental responsibility nonprofit Maala.

The conference comes as Israeli society navigates both persistent war and growing political unrest, both of which appear poised to escalate. With President Donald Trump calling the current ceasefire with Iran “on life support” earlier this week, and the conflict between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah again heating up, Israel’s brief respite from active fighting may soon end. And Israel’s Knesset may soon be dissolved, paving the way for an election season that is widely expected to be particularly divisive. 

For JFNA and CJP, the conference signified a transition from the crisis grantmaking that has largely defined the past 2 1/2 years to a more collaborative chapter focused on building long-term Israeli resilience.

Becky Caspi, director general of JFNA’s Israel Office, addressed the strategy behind this next phase, telling eJP today that “our goal is not to return to what was; it’s to help create a stronger, more resilient society, and we are fully committed to that.” 

The inclusion of Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Boston (CJP) as a conference sponsor underscores that the focus on domestic Israeli cohesion is not merely a national priority, but a local and personal one. 

“The emergency [giving] was transformational for our relationship with Israel,” Marc Baker, CJP’s CEO, told eJP, “and [we] intend to play a significant role in rebuilding the country moving forward.” 

The increased philanthropic investment and focus on Israel’s internal societal rifts comes as Israelis increasingly fear for the country’s social cohesion, with an Israel Democracy Institute poll from last year finding that 74.7% of the public was explicitly pessimistic about it. 

The gathering brought together a variety of Israeli figures, including actress Gal Gadot and singer Yuval Rafael, alongside Israeli civil society leaders such as Dror Cohen of the National Student and Youth Council, Miriam Amadi of the Reservists’ Wives Forum, Shalem College’s Rabbi Daniel Gordis and dozens of others. 

In addition to addresses from Herzog and other keynote speakers, the conference featured roundtable discussions aimed at building a diverse society, connecting people through sport and culture and envisioning a shared future for Israelis and Diaspora Jews. 

Tomer Levy — a 35-year-old Tel Avivian and founder and chair of Sign Now, an app that translates speech to sign language and text — described the conference as a “critical time for reflections…[bringing together] Israelis of all ages and all parts of society.” 

The atmosphere was one of immediate action and optimism, Levy told eJP, noting that “everyone is smiling” and “there are collaborations that started [alongside] tons of music and networking.”

Both Caspi and Baker highlighted the emotional weight of the gathering, following an extended period earlier this year when flights were limited, and visitors from abroad accordingly stayed away. 

Caspi remarked that the atmosphere felt like a “high school reunion,” seeing colleagues “from government, nonprofits, philanthropists, all of our partners — people that we have seen through very tough times — and all of a sudden here together in a joyous and hope-filled moment that feels new and precious.”