Tel Aviv Foundation: Fulfilling Israel's Democratic Values in Tel aviv-Yafo
During the last few months, Israel’s Declaration of Independence has been repeatedly quoted as evidence of the country's deep-rooted democratic values. The Tel Aviv Foundation is committed to these values, empowering the First Hebrew City's diverse communities through global and local partnerships
The Declaration of Independence, which was written on May 14, 1948 by David Ben-Gurion in Tel Aviv, is the only official document that stipulates the vision and values on which Israel was founded 75 years ago.
These values are clearly spelled out in a key paragraph: “The State of Israel will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the Exiles; it will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”
“These are Mayor Ron Huldai’s values and the ones on which the Tel Aviv Foundation is based,” says Dr. Hila Oren, CEO of the Tel Aviv Foundation. “Our work is based on the values of the Declaration of Independence. We strive to make the city empowering to everyone – all genders, ages and religions – through education, culture, innovative public spaces, welfare programs and community outreach.”
“For the benefit of all its inhabitants”
Just as the Declaration of Independence calls to “foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants,” dozens of projects carried out by the Tel Aviv Foundation each year aim to improve the quality of life for the city’s residents, from all communities. These include asylum seekers, the homeless, people with disabilities, minority groups, women, members of the LGBTQ community and others.
One initiative that demonstrates how the Tel Aviv Foundation seeks to “benefit all inhabitants” is the development of multipurpose public spaces – oases of wellbeing spread throughout the city that serve all sectors of the population and all age groups. These carefully planned public havens implement the latest trends in urban design to create a holistic and healthier cityscape. The new public spaces function as classrooms, living rooms, and places where one can improve one’s physical and mental health and ease loneliness. Developed with all communities and demographics in mind, these public spaces are where everyone is equal.
Another example is the Social Food Market, which opened in 2021 and provides food security to close to 4,000 asylum seekers and people without official status, of which there are approximately 30,000 in Tel Aviv-Yafo. Since they are not eligible for social benefits from the government and many are unemployed, these people frequently lack regular access to food in general and to nutritious food in particular. A partnership between the Tel Aviv Foundation, the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality and Lasova, this unique grocery store provides dry foods and vegetables to vulnerable families in a manner that is respectful. Customers receive membership cards and are invited to come to the store every two weeks to select supplies that suit the preferences and habits of people from diverse backgrounds.
Since 2021, the Tel Aviv Foundation and the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality, in partnership with the Goodman Foundation, have also subsidized a 10-day overnight leadership summer camps for 9th graders from all parts of the city. This project enables teenagers from disadvantaged neighborhoods a rare opportunity to experience informal education, which they typically can't afford. Participating teens reported that the camp strengthened their self-esteem, expanded their circle of friends and taught them important life skills.
“Freedom of education and culture”
Numerous Tel Aviv Foundation initiatives reflect the Declaration of Independence’s commitment to “guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture.” Education is a special focus, especially in the context of providing inclusive educational opportunities for all sectors of society.
The HEMDA Science Education Center, for example, is a unique educational model enabling approximately 2,000 high schoolers to study STEM subjects at the highest level. A third of the participating schools are in low socio-economic areas of south Tel Aviv-Yafo. At HEMDA, students from the city’s wealthy northern neighborhoods study together with peers from the south of the city; and Jews, Muslims and Christians all learn science together.
The Museum of the City of Tel Aviv-Yafo, which is scheduled to open in September, will further strengthen both the city’s educational and cultural landscape. Located in the iconic Bialik House in the center of the city, the new museum will chronicle the history of Tel Aviv-Yafo through the stories of residents from all communities and religions.
“Safeguard the Holy Places”
The Tel Aviv Foundation is closely synchronized with the Declaration of Independence’s assertion that Israel “will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions.” One of the Foundation’s current flagship projects, in partnership with the Drahi Foundation, is the renovation of the Great Synagogue of Tel Aviv – an important national and cultural landmark on Allenby Street dating from 1921 that has suffered from decades of neglect.
The Great Synagogue’s exterior and interior will be renovated and preserved, after which the building will be used for heritage workshops, activities for neighboring children and adults, and different types of events, in addition to its religious functions. It will also house a Visitors Center, since the Great Synagogue is part of the historical Independence Trail route and will surely attract many visitors once the renovation is complete. In addition, the project entails the complete renewal of the area surrounding the synagogue: it will be reborn as a vibrant, eclectic public space, welcoming all.
Over the years, the Tel Aviv Foundation’s projects and initiatives have played a critical role in transforming the city into what it is today – a thriving, modern metropolis that welcomes everyone with open arms and enables different communities to flourish and feel at home. As we mark exactly 75 years since Israel’s Declaration of Independence was signed in Tel Aviv-Yafo, the Tel Aviv Foundation is working tirelessly, assuring that the core values clearly expressed in that document will continue to prevail.
The Tel Aviv Foundation
Chaired by Ron Huldai, Mayor of Tel Aviv-Yafo, the Tel Aviv Foundation is tasked with raising the quality of life in the city through education, culture, welfare, environment and innovation. Since it was founded in 1977, it has initiated and built more than 1,000 projects around the city – touching the lives of all Tel Avivians. The Foundation’s founders and subsequent Mayors of Tel Aviv-Yafo envisioned a vibrant, thriving, egalitarian and pluralistic city filled with cultural, educational and economic opportunities for people across Israel.
The Tel Aviv Foundation’s main focus in the early days was to build parks, playgrounds, and community centers throughout the city, as well as such landmarks as the Suzanne Dellal Center in Neve Tzedek, the Tel Aviv Cinematheque and the Charles Clore Park along the beach. Its early accomplishments also included the Café Europa initiative, which offers Holocaust survivors a place to meet, exchange stories, and take part in social activities. Still today, the Foundation remains involved in developing the cityscape. Recent projects include the construction of the Sylvan Adams Velodrome, a complete renovation of the Beit Tami community center in the heart of Tel Aviv, developing multifunctional innovative public spaces, and creating welfare and community programs and initiatives that provide immediate solutions to those in need.
All funds raised by the Tel Aviv Foundation are designated for specific projects and boosted by the City’s unique matching funds program. This dollar-for-dollar partnership ensures accountability, promotes cooperation between donor and recipient, and strengthens the bond between Israel and the Diaspora. Contributions to the American Committee for the Tel Aviv Foundation are fully tax deductible.
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