Tikkun Olam Prize

Tikkun Olam is an ancient Jewish concept, over 2,000 years old, that reflects the aspiration to improve and repair the world. It embodies not only goodwill and a commitment to a life of giving, but also a deep sense of solidarity, responsibility, and partnership. These values are the cornerstones of Israeli society, and they are a condition for the continued existence and prosperity of the State of Israel.

The Matanel Prize for Tikkun Olam, awarded jointly by Reichman University and the Matanel Foundation, honors individuals who have chosen to dedicate their energy, abilities, and resources to advancing social justice and making the world a better place. The prize, a sum of $12,500, is awarded every two years to two recipients who have conceived, launched, and established a sustainable social enterprise aimed at promoting quality of life, tolerance, mutual responsibility, equality, and democracy in Israel. The prize seeks to encourage social entrepreneurship, innovative thinking, imagination, and creativity — all driven by a national vision and a concern for others.

The partners

The Matanel Foundation is a family foundation established by Ms. Joelle Aflalo and Mr. Gad Boukobza to promote equality and justice in the world. The foundation spearheads original and innovative initiatives and encourages social activism in the fields of education, welfare, environmental protection, culture, and Jewish identity — working to fulfill the vision of Tikkun Olam.

Reichman University, the first private university in Israel, is committed to excellence in both research and teaching, while placing a strong emphasis on social responsibility and community involvement. The university instills in its students, alumni, faculty, and staff the values of freedom and responsibility: the freedom of every individual to realize their potential in all areas of thought and action, coupled with a deep responsibility toward society as a whole.

Winners of the Matanel Prize for Tikkun Olam for 2024-2025

The prize committee has chosen to award the Matanel Prize for Tikkun Olam to the following entrepreneurs:

Esti Salomon, a trailblazing social entrepreneur who has devoted over a decade to leading unique social projects that promote the integration of Haredi women into the work force. She is the founder of “Atida,” an initiative established to support Haredi women in entering high-tech and security-related roles within the IDF and Israeli industry.

Esti holds a senior teaching certificate, a BA in Psychology (with honors) from the Open University, an MA in Sociology (with honors) from the Open University, and is currently a doctoral student in the Department of Sociology at Bar-Ilan University.

Esti was chosen in recognition of her inspiring efforts to build bridges across sectors, promote equality, and strengthen Israeli society as a whole.

Amitay Korn and Erez Perlmuter, founders of “Kol Zchut” (“All Rights”), a groundbreaking socio-technological initiative that works to reduce the disparities between the rights guaranteed by law and the public’s ability to access and exercise those rights.

Erez, through his volunteer work in an organization in the field of the exercising of rights, identified a major obstacle: the lack of accessible information on existing rights. At the same time, Amitay chose to leave the business sector in pursuit of a meaningful social venture. They joined forces to identify the informational needs surrounding the realization of rights and to determine what was necessary to turn their vision into meaningful change for Israeli society.

In a reality where many rights are enshrined in law but not exercised in practice, Kol Zchut works persistently and to make reliable, clear, and accessible information available to every resident of Israel, thereby creating a lasting impact on Israel’s civic and social spheres.

The purpose

The Matanel Prize for Tikkun Olam, awarded jointly by Reichman University and the Matanel Foundation, honors individuals who have chosen to dedicate their energy, abilities, and resources to advancing social justice and making the world a better place. The prize is awarded in recognition of their contribution to promoting the values of quality of life, tolerance, mutual responsibility, equality, and democracy in Israel, driven by a national vision and a concern for others.

Prize amount

The prize is awarded once every two years to two recipients, each of whom will receive a sum of $12,500.

Eligibility criteria

The prize is awarded to private individuals who meet the following conditions:
The individual must lead a project that has been in operation for at least five years.
Nominations may be submitted for only one project, and the candidate must serve as the primary leader of the project.
The project must demonstrate broad scope and national impact, reflect depth of thought and a high standard of execution, be innovative and groundbreaking, offer a solution to a clear need, and embody the values of the award.
This prize may only be received once.
The prize is conferred upon the individual, not the project.

Selection process

Recipients will be chosen by a special committee composed of representatives from Reichman University and the Matanel Foundation, as well as external experts in social entrepreneurship.

Evaluation criteria

The committee will assess the nominations based on the following criteria:
The project’s level of social impact
The project’s long-term sustainability
The innovation and creativity of the proposed solutions
Demonstrated commitment to the values of mutual responsibility, equality, and concern for others.

Awarding of the prize

The prize will be awarded at a festive ceremony at Reichman University, where the winners will receive certificates of appreciation and recognition of their projects’ achievements.

Candidates do not need to submit applications personally; nominations may be submitted on their behalf, provided all required materials are included.

Conditions of the award

Winners must commit to continuing their efforts to advance the project and to use the prize funds for promoting the project’s objectives and for additional social initiatives that contribute to Tikkun Olam.