by: Dan Catarivas
It is no secret that Israel – the “start-up nation” – is a global center for technology and innovation. Culture research explores the country’s homegrown developments that are making an impact on a global scale. In Jewish teachings, any activity that improves the world, bringing it closer to the harmonious state for which it was created is called “Tikkun Olam”. All human activities are opportunities to fulfill this mission, and every human being can be involved in Tikkun Olam—child or adult, student or entrepreneur, industrialist or artist, caregiver or salesperson, political activist, or environmentalist, or just another one of us struggling to keep afloat.
Tikkun Olam is a signature theme of Jewish tradition. It is often used exclusively to describe acts of social justice and environmental awareness. But it is crucial to note that Tikkun Olam is not for political activists and environmentalists alone. There are innumerable ways for us to do Tikkun Olam in our daily lives.
Tikkun Olam – from original Zionists to High-Tech
We are creatures that finds materials in their raw, natural state, and with vision, ingenuity, creativity, and wisdom fixes them up—up to a whole new level. As Shimon Peres, ex-Prime Minister and President of Israel said about Israel in its very early stages: “There are two types of countries in the Middle East – countries with oil and holy countries. Our country was absolutely holy, because we had absolutely nothing on this land…So, we thought: the largest wealth of nature is human. People have enriched the land, not vise versa”. That was the Tikkun Olam of Zionists. Faced with arid terrain and minimal resources, they pioneered a paradigm shift by embracing innovative solutions. They started developing agriculture without water and without fertile land. It was the first agriculture based on Innovation and Hi-Tech. Today, we have overcome water scarcity through desalination, strategically selected low-water-consuming crops, and advanced breeding techniques. The essence of Tikkun Olam lies not in what is found but in what is produced for the future. This agricultural revolution has given birth to cutting-edge technologies that we now share with the world, contributing to global agricultural enhancement.
Water out of thin air
In a remarkable stride towards addressing the global water scarcity challenge, Israeli companies have pioneered groundbreaking solutions. For instance, in 2010, one company started producing clean drinking water literally out of thin air, utilizing nothing more than a portable generator. It extracts humidity from the air, transforming vaporized water ubiquitous in various atmospheric conditions, from rainforests to arid climates like Israel’s. Beyond its technological prowess, these life-saving devices have already made a tangible impact in disaster-stricken areas worldwide, notably during the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017. However, the scope of the company’s mission extends far beyond crisis response. With grand aspirations, the company aims to provide clean drinking water for millions, spanning economically unstable regions to urban environments in which office workers seek sustainable solutions to quench their thirst. In essence, this is one more way of Tikkun Olam that helps to solve the world’s problem of water shortage.
Continuing the issue of resource innovation, Israeli engineers ushered in a pioneering era with the creation of modern renewable energy solutions developed to harness the sun’s energy, employed globally as a sustainable solution for conserving electricity. This showcases how the concept of Tikkun Olam has the potential to transform not only local approaches but also play a role in global initiatives aimed at advancing environmentally friendly and energy-efficient solutions.
Tikkun Olam in a wide range of fields
In virtually every sector of our lives, the principles of Tikkun Olam resonate, and the field of medicine stands as a testament to this ethos. Within the realm of Israeli healthcare, transformative innovations have emerged, becoming global catalysts for positive change. Noteworthy advancements, such as the diagnosis of oncology, revolutionary endovascular surgery, precision robotic operations, cutting-edge embryoscopy systems, the intricate holography of the heart, and the groundbreaking DNA-computer, exemplify the profound impact of these technologies in improving and saving lives. In essence, the spirit of Tikkun Olam manifest in these medical breakthroughs, offering hope and healing to individuals around the world.
Any business, inherently, can serve as a powerful force for good and Tikkun Olam. It becomes a conduit for fostering collaboration. In our workplace, we don’t just create products or services; we build connections, weaving the fabric of our world together in a peaceful and harmonious manner.
‘Achva’ – a shared commitment to mutual support
If you were to ask any Israeli on the street about the defining characteristic of our people, the answer would be “achva” — a profound sense of brotherhood and sisterhood, a shared commitment to mutual support. This embodies one of the core tenets of Tikkun Olam — the idea of togetherness and the willingness to share the knowledge and skills that the Israeli industry has spread with the entire world. As a relatively small country with a remarkable abundance of startups, our capacity to contribute is magnified by the principles of a free economy, enabling us to share our innovations and expertise on a global scale. In doing so, we strive not just for economic success but for a broader, global prosperity that transcends borders.
Dan Catarivas is the President of Israeli Federation of Bi-National Chambers of Commerce and Industry
