"FIXING" THE WORLD

Even before we had a country of our own, Jews believed in man’s ability to change the world for the better. That is the reason they have made such notable achievements in the arts and sciences – why so many win Nobel Prizes. This is also why Jews are at the forefront of almost every revolutionary movement.

The concept of Tikkun olam (fixing the world) is somehow embedded in the Jewish consciousness.  It means to do something with the world that will not only fix any damage, but also improve upon  any activity that brings it closer to the harmonious state for which it was created. Tikkun olam implies that its Creator purposely left room for us human beings to improve upon His work.

Human beings are the creatures who find materials in their raw, natural state, and with vision, ingenuity, creativity and wisdom fix them up to a whole new level. We take sounds and make music, colors and create art, wild places and develop farms and gardens, etc.

Although the mission to improve the world is not only a Jewish aspiration, the fact remains that Jews do achieve a disproportionate  degree of success.

While participating in the recent Jerusalem Post 7th Annual Conference, the CEO of the Christian Broadcasting Network, Gordon Robertson said: “We want to tell the real story of what Israel is doing. One of those real stories is how a tiny nation, less than the size of New Jersey, is punching way above its weight class in providing humanitarian aid around the world. That story was told in the CBN documentary “To Life: How Israeli Volunteers are Changing the World”.

According to Dr. Ram Vishman of the Tel-Aviv University’s School of Social and Policy Studies, Israel’s inherently innovative and entrepreneurial mind-set, together with their maturity and ideological ambitions to `heal the world`, make them the ideal field researchers and ambassadors of change and goodwill for Israel and the world.

The issues researched at the Tel-Aviv School draw on knowledge in public policy, food security, renewable energy, water, health, economics, labour studies, conflict resolution, and more. Practical solutions are developed, based on cutting-edge statistical techniques, with in-depth fieldwork and intensive interactions with local populations.

Israel is at the technological forefront of energy and water conservation because it had to overcome harsh environmental conditions such as arid land, desert temperatures and lack of fresh water. Israeli scientists routinely share their knowledge with other countries to assist with desalination, irrigation and the reuse of treated sewage.

For example, currently, a team of researchers is working on a solution to overcome the barriers for drip irrigation to boost the incomes of the poor in an increasingly arid world.

Another institution which devotes its resources to patients from around the world is the Sheba Medical Centre. They treat sick patients from all walks of life, including all troubled areas in the Middle East. The Center has recently opened the Israel Center for Disaster Medicine and Humanitarian Response teams, which have saved many lives in many African and South American countries. Hospital emissaries regularly travel abroad to provide patient care, support, supplies, relief and training to needy countries around the world.