About Us

Overview

The Jewish People Policy Planning Institute (JPPPI) is an independent think tank incorporated in Israel as a non-profit corporation. The mission of the Institute is to promote the thriving of the Jewish people via professional strategic thinking and planning on issues of primary concern to world Jewry. JPPPI's work is based on deep commitment to the future of the Jewish people with Israel as its core state.

Located in Jerusalem, JPPPI engages in policy-oriented study and analysis aimed at identifying critical issues, developing creative, policy options and analyzing their potential impacts. JPPPI's work serves as the basis for assessments, alerts and strategic policy designs provided to Jewish decision makers, and to opinion leaders and publics at large

JPPPI is unique among policy research institutes in applying advanced policy planning approaches and methods, within a broad historical and comparative civilizational framework and short, medium and long-term time horizons to future-shaping issues of the Jewish people as a whole. 

The Institute's professional and political independence is assured by its bylaws and internal governance structure. A Board of Directors headed by Ambassador Dennis Ross and composed of distinguished individuals with significant policy experience in government, academia, the private sector and Jewish communal life, serves as a guiding council and is charged with approving the Institute's work plans. The Institute's senior staff reflects a broad range of policy experience and of academic disciplines and is richly experienced in policy planning in a range of contexts.

Impact

As is true for think tanks around the world, achieving meaningful, concrete policy impact takes time. That being said, JPPPI works to provide decision and opinion makers and organizations with its unique designs and analyses with the help of publications, briefings, ongoing consultations and wide use of information technology. Among its activities are:

• I. JPPPI makes an annual presentation to the Israeli Cabinet as a whole on main developments in the Jewish world, offering its assessments and policy recommendations, some of which are already being implemented.
• II. JPPPIannually briefs the leadership of major Jewish organization, such asthe Conference of Presidents, AIPAC, ADL, Jewish Agency and the leadership UJCin North America.
• III. JPPPI has held several retreats of Jewish leaders and thinkers at which major studies have been presented and in turn enriched by wide-ranging brainstorming
• IV. JPPPI has published a position paper on the creation of a Global Jewish People Forum for discussion ofcommon issues and exploration of policy directions. This proposal has been approvedand is being implemented by a number of bodies. JPPPI itself plans a policy conference of senior Jewish People leaders, decision makers, intellectuals and communal professionals .
• V. JPPPI has published a strategy paper on strengthening relations between the Jewish People and China, some of whose major recommendations, such as setting up in Beijing a kind of "Jewish People Representation" and cultural center, are being implemented. This is part of an ongoing JPPPI project on the Jewish people's relations with emerging powers without a Biblical tradition.
• VI. JPPPI's recommendations on expanding child care and other forms of assistance to Israeli families who desire a larger number of children were approved by former Prime Minister Sharon and will be discussed with Prime Minister Olmert.
• VII. JPPPI's recommendation to set up a Global Jewish People Crisis Management System to deal with terror attacks and natural disasters has been adopted by major Jewish communities and a global "Jewish People Crisis Management Forum" has been established.

Perspectives

A self-evaluation exercise conducted by JPPPI in October 2006 resulted in two main conclusions or "moods". While having the feeling that quite a lot was achieved on important and difficult issues during a short time and with limited resources, JPPPI senior staff is also quite frustrated: much more policy research and planning is required to penetrate the depth of main issues shaping the future of the Jewish people and to craft policy strategies which have a good change to achieve a critical impact for the better of the future. But JPPPI does not have adequate funds to do more of what urgently needs to be done. Therefore, JPPPI is eager to have more sponsors and partners participating in its work and supporting it.

Further Information

Most of JPPPI's studies are available on our website http://www.jpppi.org.il/ and we are glad to supply additional information on request.

Professor Yehezkel Dror, the Founding President of JPPPI, and Mr. Avinoam Bar-Yosef, the Managing Director, will be glad to meet interested potential sponsors, in Jerusalem or,at another convenient location.