MAOZ is a messianic Jewish organization that seeks to promote social change in multiple sectors by providing professionals, experts, and leaders with educational and skills support as well as networking opportunities.
Mission and Purpose
MAOZ is a messianic Jewish organization which describes itself as a “trust-based Network of influential, diverse leaders who promote social change initiatives in order to bolster Israel’s socio-economic resilience”. [1] It is a network of leaders from all population groups and sectors of Israeli society, in collaboration with Atudot Le'Israel, that builds trust among decision-makers and creates changes and multi-sector solutions for citizens and systems in four core areas: local governance, health, education, and employment [2]. MAOZ operates under four core basic assumptions: [3]
- The promotion of socio-economic resilience is a complex challenge which requires multi-sectoral and systemic collaboration, as well as determined leadership that promotes real-world solutions.
- Socio-economic resilience and trust are inter-related
- Trust is the infrastructure for promoting cross-system collaboration and solutions, and its absence creates siloed work that hinders the potential for change.
- It is possible to increase trust by increasing one's awareness of the other through their stories, driving diversity, improving professionalism and ethics, and by promoting a concept of shared responsibility. These are the principles of mamlachtiut promoted by MAOZ.
- Actions that increase trust between leaders and decision-makers will echo to additional circles in the Israeli society and serve as a basis for cooperation and solutions in reality.
In addition, MAOZ has four major organizational goals it hopes to reach by 2024: [4]
- To develop a trust-based network of 800 members with a shared language and high levels of trust who advance socio-economic resilience through ongoing learning, trust-promoting practices & collaborations. MAOZ seeks to have 70% of network members be “influential, diverse and have high social capital”.
- To strengthen the capacities of 200 Network members’ organizations and increase effectiveness via trust-promoting structures, work methods and practices.
- To promote changes in reality through 200 Network members’ organizations.
- To spread trust through 10,000 socio-economic field officials who are exposed to and who regularly utilize trust-related knowledge and ideas.
Origins and Development
MAOZ was co-founded in 2010 by current board members Jeffrey Swartz and Doron Latzer and by Dr. yair Schindel and Yotam Dagan on the principle that the socio-economic resilience of Israel depends largely upon the quality of its leaders.[5] In 2010, MAOZ’s founders envisioned a network of values-driven leaders working together on tangible initiatives to transform the Israeli public sphere. Today, MAOZ develops and networks change-makers to confront the fragmented nature of Israeli society; the lack of social cohesion across sectors and populations; the absence of long-term planning; and insufficient talent pipelines to produce high-quality and principled leaders. With close to 200 in the MAOZ Network as of 2021, the impact of MAOZ is increasingly visible in areas such as health, education, employment and more.
Organizational Structure, Membership, and Funding
Organizational Structure
MAOZ is an Israel-based organization with a global network extending primarily into the United States and Europe. The organization comprises of a leadership group, a board of directors, and the general membership who take part in MAOZ’s pedagogical and networking initiatives. [6]
Membership
MAOZ seeks to recruit “diverse, high-caliber candidates who have the potential to lead socio-economic change in Israel”.[7] Members are admitted based on the merit of their Hebrew-language application form into one of four training programs: [8]
- The MAOZ Fellows Program: prepares and networks mid-level and senior officials and focuses on the issue of employment.
- The Amber Program: a joint venture with the ministry of health which focuses on the training of a managerial reserve in all areas of the health system.
- The Ripple Program: a joint venture with the ministry of education which focuses on the training of leadership reserves for the senior level in the education system.
- The Place Plan: a joint venture with the ministry of the interior which focuses on the training of leadership reserves for the senior echelon in the local space.
Funding
MAOZ’s annual budget has grown extensively since their 2015 from $3.1 million USD to $13.8 million USD in 2019. [9] Approximately 80% of MAOZ’s funding is from American, Israeli, and foreign philanthropy, while another 20% comes from the Israeli government.[10] MAOZ further specifies the origins of their income sources, with 40% derived from Israel and 60% coming from overseas donors. MAOZ receives 30% of its funding from individuals, 45% from foundations, 23% from the Israeli government, and 2% from participation fees for events and training programs. [11] Furthermore, MAOZ stipulates that no single investor, individual, or foundation is permitted to invest more than 20% of the annual budget in order to maintain transparency, accountability, and diversity. [12]. MAOZ provides a highly specific breakdown of expenditures on their website.
Specializations, Methods and Tools
MAOZ has a strong focus on education and trust-based networking to give members skills and opportunities which will maximize their impact in the public sphere. For example, the MAOZ Fellows program comprises of seven weeks of intensive learning spread throughout the year, including one week at Harvard Business School in the USA. It uses an “on the job” training format such that fellows can continue working while participating in the program, allowing them to immediately apply their new knowledge and skills to real-world situations. MAOZ Fellows also uses peer learning and shared consultation regarding challenges faced by the fellows in their professional positions. [13]
The MAKOM municipal leadership pipeline program also comprises of 7 dispersed weeks of study including one at Harvard Business School and the “on the job” training format. [14] It also teaches on the public sphere at the community, municipal, national and international level, emphasising economic development and a “residents at the centre” approach. Furthermore, it provides the opportunity to network with government officials, business leaders and other experts in the public and private sectors. MAKOM also has a “dedicated accelerator program” that provides professional tools, resources, and expert consultation to accelerate change-process projects.[15]
The INBAR Healthcare management program develops personal leadership capabilities, addresses Israel’s socio-economic challenges and their impact on the nation’s healthcare system, and builds on MAOZ’s group network. It also allows participants to receive an MBA with a specialization in Health Systems Management at Tel Aviv University Business school, a 6 semester program specifically built for INBAR fellows. Lastly, it provides members with professional management training for managerial roles in healthcare. [16]
The AVDOT leadership pipeline for the Israeli education system, in addition to offering the same 7 week program and “training on the job” format at MAOZ Fellows and MAKOM, facilitates peer networking and learning to advance MAOZ members within the education sector. [17]
Major Projects and Events
MAOZ has four major programs and joint ventures: Maoz Fellows, INBAR healthcare management program, MAKOM municipal leadership pipeline program, and ADVOT leadership pipeline for the Israeli education system. [18] In cooperation with the Atudot Le’Israel Division in the Prime Minister’s Office, MAOZ is working to implement the Atudot Le’Israel government resolution – a strategic plan for building a leadership pipeline for the public sphere in Israel. In this framework MAOZ operates Joint Ventures, with relevant government ministries, in MAOZ strategic focus areas: Inbar (with the Ministry of Health), ADVOT (with the Ministry of Education) MAKOM (with the Ministry of Interior) and the MAOZ Employment Venture (a partnership with the Labor and Social Welfare Department).[19]
The initiatives are designed to promote systemic change by creating a common language around the core challenges of the various systems, increasing the trust among the top players across areas of influence, developing leaders’ professionally, and creating a network of leaders that drive significant change processes collaboratively. The members of the programs represent diverse populations and employment sector in Israel including private, NGO, public, municipal and communications.
Throughout the year, there are interactions among the members of the various programs aimed at advancing mamlachti (common good) actions for the benefit of Israel’s economic and social resilience.
Upon completion of the programs, the members join MAOZ and Atudot Le’Israel’s Network, which is a multi-disciplinary and diverse multi-sectoral network, which is a space for leading and accelerating economic and social change initiatives and changes in the country. [20]
The MAOZ Fellows program is an employment joint venture that trains and connects valued, professional and mamlachti (common-good behaviors and actions) senior leaders. The program focuses on identifying fellows from the field of employment that come from the social, governmental, municipal, private and media sectors and represent the diverse population groups acroass the Israeli society
The training is based on meaningful learning and constant synergy among theory, reality, and experience in an effort to create lasting change in the field of employment. By working on leaders’ self-identity and values, and by receiving professional tools, the leaders are able to address the burning internal social and economic challenges of Israel and strengthen its socio-economic resilience. [21]
The MAKOM municipal leadership pipeline program is a joint venture of the Ministry of the Interior and MAOZ, and a part of the government resolution, “Atudot Le’Israel” – striving to build a tri-sector management pipeline for Israel’s local government sphere. The joint venture identifies, trains, and networks leaders and accelerates initiatives of senior positions in the local government system, civil society, private sector, and central government with the goal of fostering a generation of mamlachti (common good) leaders capable of and effective at leading change in the local sphere.[22]
The INBAR Healthcare management program is a joint venture with the Ministry of Health, which strives to develop and nurture excelling and values-based doctors in order to create a leadership pipeline focused on the better good in the healthcare system. The program is supported by the Ministry of Finance, the Civil Service Commission, Israeli HMOs and the Prime Minister’s Office. [23]
Lastly, AVDOT leadership pipeline for the Israeli education system is a joint venture between the Ministry of Education and MAOZ, whose goal is to create a management pipeline for tri-sector professionals across Israel’s education system. The program endeavors to create a shared language around the education system’s core challenges, to increase trust between senior and diverse players in the system’s various focus points of influence, develop existing leaders within the educational system and create a network of change-making leaders that collaborate to create meaningful change. [24]
Analysis and Lessons Learned
As MAOZ trains professionals, experts, and those engaged in civic society, their impact has the potential to be quite diverse and experienced across a number of sectors. The organization has continued to see consistent growth in membership and donations, indicating its networking and promotional ventures have been successful. In 2018 the network grew to 323 members and was expected to reach 474 by the end of 2019. [25] Furthermore, during 2018 MAOZ supported 40 “social change processes” and 17 more projects were provided with “additional leverage”. [26]
In 2017-2018, with the aim to create widespread impact, MAOZ, in partnership with the Israeli government scaled its model to benefit strategic areas within the public sphere (i.e. education, health, municipal government, and employment). In 2018, MAOZ Fellows - a program for tri-sector leaders had 42 fellows in its 8th cohort, MAKOM- a joint venture with Israel's Ministry of the Interior for middle and senior officials in local government had 62 fellows in its 2nd Cohort, ADVOT- a joint venture with Israel's Ministry of Education for executives across Israel’s education system had 32 fellows in its 2nd Cohort, INBAR - a joint venture with Israel's Ministry of Health to develop the next leaders of the healthcare industry had 31 fellows in its 3rd & 4th cohort. [27]
Furthermore, MAOZ drives leading research to guide strategic growth and help their Network Members and organization integrate data-based decision making. The Center also creates case studies and research for Network Members and Accelerator fellows on different issues in MAOZ's four core activity areas. In 2018, MAOZ's Knowledge Center carried out research and produced a total of 43 papers on a range of subjects from advancing Arab employees to managerial positions in the private sector to best practices for digital literacy interventions for young Arab and ultra-Orthodox populations. [28]
Publications
https://storytelling.maoz-il.org/en/
See Also
References
[1] Maoz. “מעוז.” Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.maoz-il.org/en/.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Maoz. “OUR TEAM.” Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.maoz-il.org/en/צוות/.
[6]Ibid.
[7] Maoz. “מעוז.” Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.maoz-il.org/en/.
[8] “Form for Those Interested in the Programs.” Accessed October 22, 2021. https://maozadmin.formtitan.com/ft451ae4821550585760156_copy#/.
[9] Maoz. “עדכון שנתי 2018.” Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.maoz-il.org/annualupdate2018/.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Ibid.
[13] Maoz. “MAOZ Fellows.” Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.maoz-il.org/en/fellowsprogram/.
[14] Maoz. “MAKOM – MUNICIPAL LEADERSHIP PIPELINE PROGRAM.” Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.maoz-il.org/en/makom/.
[15] Ibid.
[16] Maoz. “תוכנית ענבר – עתודה ניהולית במערכת הבריאות.” Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.maoz-il.org/en/inbar-program/.
[17] Maoz. “ADVOT – LEADERSHIP PIPELINE FOR THE ISRAELI EDUCATION SYSTEM.” Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.maoz-il.org/en/advot/.
[18] Maoz. “Programs and Joint Ventures.” Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.maoz-il.org/en/programs-and-joint-ventures-en/.
[19] Ibid.
[20] Ibid.
[21] Maoz. “MAOZ Fellows.” Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.maoz-il.org/en/fellowsprogram/.
[22] Maoz. “MAKOM – MUNICIPAL LEADERSHIP PIPELINE PROGRAM.” Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.maoz-il.org/en/makom/.
[23] Maoz. “תוכנית ענבר – עתודה ניהולית במערכת הבריאות.” Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.maoz-il.org/en/inbar-program/.
[24] Maoz. “ADVOT – LEADERSHIP PIPELINE FOR THE ISRAELI EDUCATION SYSTEM.” Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.maoz-il.org/en/advot/.
[25] Maoz. “עדכון שנתי 2018.” Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.maoz-il.org/annualupdate2018/.
[26] Ibid.
[27] Ibid.
[28] Ibid.