A strong center
Israel's need for a strong, value-driven center has never been more urgent.
We are in the midst of an intensifying internal political and social crisis, a prolonged war, and a growing erosion of trust from the international community. Yet within this moment of challenge lies an opportunity.
Only a centrist base, grounded in democratic, liberal, Jewish, and Zionist ideals, can lead Israel out of its downward spiral, reverse course, and restore direction and balance.
This is where we come in:
The One Hundred Initiative.
The One Hundred Initiative is a nonpartisan civil society organization founded in 2021 by senior leaders from Israel’s high-tech, business, public, and nonprofit sectors. We are building a strong, organized centrist base that has the credibility, capacity, and vision to ensure Israel’s democratic values and national identity.
The growing strain on national unity, democracy, and the balance between tradition and pluralism has raised fears that Israel may struggle to sustain both its Jewish character and its democratic foundations.
Israels suffers from lack of social cohesion—stemming from loss of trust, tribalism, sectoralism, and the breakdown of the social contract—and a crisis of governance, reflected in short-term planning, a human resources shortage in the public service, and a dysfunctional political culture.
Addressing these requires a holistic approach, one that the One Hundred Intiative is actively leading.
The absence of a baseline Israeli consensus holds back the various constituent parts of Israeli society from working together to face the social and national challenges facing us.
The gulf between the size and complexity of the challenges facing the state, and the ability and capacity of the state’s institutions and governing figures to tackle them successfully.
We believe that tackling these crises and building a brighter future is only possible througha moderate, strong and influential political center with a secureand long-term mandate to lead the country while building new alliances and partnerships.
We believe that this center must rest on a focused, watertight and detailed vision, and that it must put forward new and relevant solutions to the challenges of government and society.
We do not consider centrism to be a position of compromise or a midpoint between two ideologies. It is neithersimplisticnor simplified. It is a whole worldof beliefs, ideasandperspectives –of theoriesand practice.
We also believe the center is the spiritual homeof the majority of the Israeli public, which seeks to balance the inherent complexities and tensionsof life in Israel and to live within and among them in harmony, neither ignoring them nor seeking to eliminate them.
That is why we wish to put an end to the constant disqualifying discourse around what is not possible, and to propose in its place a center ground with a clear vision of what is possible that rests on ideologically sound and practical foundations.
To tackle the crisis, The One Hundred Initiative has developed a platform for practical measures, initiatives and organizations that work together and apart to advance a centrist Israeli identity and policy that will lay the groundworkto overcomethe challenges facing our society and our country.
Established as a home for the philosophies and values of students in the General Hebrew education stream—the largest in Israel—the council brings together secular and traditional Jews from the periphery and the center, spanning the political spectrum. It strives to promote education rooted in Israeli Judaism, democracy, humanity, Zionism, and progress, preparing the next generation to thrive in a pluralistic society
The Libba Center leads a major shift in public thinking in Israel, moving beyond the prevailing bloc-based divide (Bibi Bloc vs. Anyone-but-Bibi Bloc) to create a viable centrist alternative: a coalition by choice, not compromise — A Zionist Alliance. Libba works with influential figures across journalism, politics, media, religion, civil society, and technology to strengthen centrist values and generate broad ripple effects throughout Israeli society
Dedicated to both research and impact, the Manor Center collaborates with policymakers and civil service professionals to enhance social cohesion and effective governance in Israel. Its centrist approach guides engagement across the Zionist spectrum—from Likud to The Democrats
Merkaz – Conversations from the Israeli Center is a podcast by the One Hundred Initiative. We bring you the thoughts, complexities and leadership of Israeli Centrism, as it stands today.
The series includes conversations with Yair Lapid, the head of Opposition and Yesh Atid party, Polly Bronstein, the CEO of the 100 Initiative, former Knesset Member and the head of Libba Center Tehila Friedman, and more.
Check it out on your favorite platform.
