How Ruach Tova is Tapping into the Global Power of Good Deeds

Ten years ago Ruach Tova, or “Good Spirit” in Hebrew, set out to change the culture of service by encouraging and facilitating volunteer opportunities in Israel. 

Ruach Tova, a global affiliate of Points of Light, founded Good Deeds Day on the basic premise that “every person can do a good deed and create positive impact.” In 2016, more than 1.5 million volunteers completed 14,000 projects in over 75 countries. Now in its 11^th year, the day is an engaging way for individuals to create change in their community by addressing local needs, educating young people and distributing health resources. Through the global Good Deeds Day, Ruach Tova emphasizes that there are countless ways to dig deep and positively impact the community. 

At the 2016 Conference on Volunteering and Service, Ruach Tova received the Points of Light Affiliate George W. Romney Excellence Award for their extraordinary work with Good Deeds Day. The award was established in 1996 to honor Governor Romney and his personal commitment to volunteer service and each year highlights various elements of volunteering and service. Governor Romney was chairman and CEO of American Motors, three-term governor of Michigan and U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He was also founding chairman of the National Volunteer Center and a founding member of the board and executive committee of Points of Light. The theme of the 2016 Excellence Award was Changemakers in Local Communities, and it was presented to Ruach Tova in recognition of its “excellence in leveraging, engaging and managing local changemakers … to collectively create change to address community needs.”

Ruach Tova is the leading volunteer placement organization in Israel, matching volunteers with organizations that need assistance in a variety of positions and industries. Ruach Tova also operates a volunteer management system with a searchable database comprised of more than 5,000 organizations and 10,000 volunteering projects in Israel. The volunteer search is embedded in many websites, including the leading Israeli newspaper, Ynet, Israeli Volunteer Portal, Jewish Agency, and many others. The system enables Ruach Tova to match volunteers, according to their preferences, interests and geographical location, with individuals and organizations in need of help.