The Democratic Institute

The Democratic Institute (Hebrew: המכון הדמוקרטי) is an Israeli non-profit civil society organization that has worked since 1998 to advance democratic culture in Israel. Until 2018 it was known as the Institute for Democratic Education (המכון לחינוך דמוקרטי). Its stated mission is to connect democracy to everyday life by fostering a culture based on dialogue, participation, diversity, mutual responsibility and social involvement, with the aim of building a more equal, fair and sustainable society. The Institute operates across all sectors of Israeli society — periphery and center, religious and secular, Arab and Jewish — and works in municipalities, government bodies, social and business organizations, schools, academia and local communities. Its main areas of activity include local democracy (supporting public participation and participatory governance in local authorities), democratic educational leadership (training teachers, principals and educators as future leaders), and academic tracks that promote democratic culture and education. Among its flagship programs are "Educational Pioneer" (חלוץ חינוכי), launched in 2009 in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and philanthropic foundations, which trains education professionals for leadership roles in schools in Israel's social and geographic periphery; "Local Democracy" programs that advance public participation and shared governance in municipalities; the "Machar" model (מצמיחים חינוך רשותי) for building a municipal forum to implement a unique educational language in a local authority's school system; and "Shades in the Neighborhood" (גוונים בשכונה), which builds resident–municipality cooperation groups. The Institute also accompanies academic programs such as the incubator for social-educational entrepreneurship at Seminar HaKibbutzim, the "Shvilim" program at Kaye College, and the "Netivot" (مسارات) program at Kaye College, which focuses on social-environmental leadership in the Negev with an emphasis on integrating Bedouin students. The Institute practices democratic governance internally, including collaborative decision-making at all levels, a joint "employment conditions forum" with employee decision-making power, a mechanism for selecting CEOs together with staff, and multi-year strategic planning involving all employees. In 2018 it received a global certification from Worldblu as a freedom-and-trust-based workplace, the first and so far only organization in the Middle East to do so. It publishes the online magazine "Psik" (פסיק), which discusses dilemmas and practices in democratic culture such as multiculturalism, participation and dialogue. The Institute is led by co-CEOs Amit Gal-Asem and Guy Van-Ralta.

The Democratic Institute was founded in 1998 as the Institute for Democratic Education (המכון לחינוך דמוקרטי), a non-profit civil society organization dedicated to advancing democratic culture in Israel. It has operated for over 25 years, working across Israeli society to connect democracy with daily life. In 2018 the organization changed its name to The Democratic Institute (המכון הדמוקרטי), reflecting a broadened focus beyond education to include local democracy, community processes and organizational culture. In the same year, it received a global certification from Worldblu as a freedom-and-trust-based workplace, becoming the first and so far only organization in the Middle East to earn this standard. A major program, the "Educational Pioneer" (חלוץ חינוכי) initiative, was launched in 2009 in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and philanthropic foundations. It trains high-quality educators for management and leadership roles in schools in Israel's social and geographic periphery, operating across all sectors of Israeli society. As of 2022, the program had over 400 graduates, many of whom hold management and leadership positions in the education system, and about 270 active pioneers in some 70 schools across Israel. The Institute has developed additional programs including Local Democracy, which promotes public participation and participatory governance in local authorities and develops innovative local educational models; the "Machar" model (מצמיחים חינוך רשותי), which establishes a municipal forum to implement a unique educational language in a local authority's school system; and "Shades in the Neighborhood" (גוונים בשכונה), which builds cooperation groups between residents and local authorities to influence the community. It also accompanies academic tracks that promote democratic culture and education: the incubator for social-educational entrepreneurship at Seminar HaKibbutzim, a bachelor's degree track training educators who think and act from a democratic worldview; the "Shvilim" program at Kaye College, combining democratic education, informal education and geography studies; and the "Netivot" (مسارات) program at Kaye College, which advances social-environmental leadership in the Negev with an emphasis on integrating Bedouin students. The Institute practices democratic governance internally, including collaborative decision-making at all levels, a joint employment conditions forum with employee decision-making authority, a mechanism for selecting CEOs together with staff, and multi-year strategic planning involving all employees. It publishes the online magazine "Psik" (פסיק), which discusses dilemmas and practices in democratic culture such as multiculturalism, participation and dialogue. The organization is led by co-CEOs Amit Gal-Asem and Guy Van-Ralta.

• 2022

  Educational Pioneer program reported over 400 graduates and about 270 active pioneers in some 70 schools.

• 2018

  Renamed The Democratic Institute (המכון הדמוקרטי); received Worldblu global certification as a freedom-and-trust-based workplace, the first in the Middle East.

• 2009

  Launched the "Educational Pioneer" (חלוץ חינוכי) program in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and philanthropic foundations.

• 1998

  Founded as the Institute for Democratic Education (המכון לחינוך דמוקרטי).

Non-profit civil society organization promoting democratic culture across Israeli society through education, local governance and community engagement.

• Educational Pioneer (חלוץ חינוכי)

  Program training education professionals for management and leadership roles in schools in Israel's social and geographic periphery, launched in 2009.

• Local Democracy

  Programs promoting public participation and participatory governance in local authorities and developing innovative local educational models.

• Machar model (מצמיחים חינוך רשותי)

  Establishment of a municipal forum to implement a unique educational language in a local authority's school system.

• Shades in the Neighborhood (גוונים בשכונה)

  Program building a cooperation group between residents and the local authority to influence the community.

• Psik magazine (פסיק)

  Online magazine discussing dilemmas and practices in democratic culture such as multiculturalism, participation and dialogue.

1. 1המכון הדמוקרטי official websitedemocratic.co.il
2. 2The Democratic Institute on Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3המכון הדמוקרטי on Hebrew Wikipediahe.wikipedia.org