Israel has long had one of the world’s most vibrant creative industries. Our television formats have travelled internationally, our technology is part of everyday life around the world, and Israeli chefs, musicians, filmmakers and entrepreneurs have built global reputations. Yet much of the content that reflects Israel’s culture, people and creativity has remained difficult for international audiences to discover. One of the biggest reasons is simple: Language.
Today, that barrier matters far less. Streaming has transformed how audiences discover entertainment, with viewers embracing productions from South Korea, Spain, Turkey, Scandinavia and elsewhere. Great stories are no longer confined by geography, and Israeli content has every opportunity to follow the same path. The creativity has always been here; what has been missing is an international home that makes it accessible at scale.
“Now in English” is a strategy
That is the thinking behind the next chapter of Israel Plus. We are making hundreds of hours of Israeli programming accessible to international audiences in English, but “Now in English” represents more than translation. It is about making Israeli culture easier to discover and understand.
When someone in New York, London, Sydney or São Paulo can watch a programme and connect with its people, humour, food and stories, it creates a different relationship with Israel. It also changes what Israel Plus can become. We are growing from a channel serving primarily Israeli and Jewish audiences into an international content brand for anyone curious about the country.
That audience extends to Christians and Evangelicals with a deep interest in Israel, people fascinated by Israeli technology and innovation, and viewers drawn to food, travel, music, sport and human stories. English is our first major step, with demand from Spanish-speaking markets, Italy, Germany and other territories pointing to a much larger international opportunity.
Seeing Israel beyond the headlines
For many people internationally, Israel is encountered primarily through news coverage. News matters, but it can never tell the complete story of a country. Israel is also chefs and restaurants, start-ups and scientists, musicians and filmmakers, athletes and entrepreneurs. It is landscapes, travel, culture and people doing extraordinary things.
Entertainment opens a window onto those stories. A cooking programme can reveal history and family traditions through food. A travel series can introduce places and communities viewers may never have encountered. A documentary can tell the story of an entrepreneur, artist or innovator who would rarely appear in an international news bulletin.
This is not about replacing the news, but broadening the picture. Israel is not one story; it is a mosaic. I want someone to watch Israel Plus and think, “This is an Israel I never knew.” Discovering a chef, city, entrepreneur, musician or inspiring story creates a connection with Israel that might otherwise never have existed.
Israeli content’s global opportunity
Streaming has taught our industry not to underestimate audiences. Some of the greatest international successes have emerged from languages and markets once considered too local to travel. The lesson is straightforward: Make great content easy to find and understand, then let audiences decide.
Israel has one of the world’s most creative industries, filled with authentic stories that can resonate across cultures. Israeli formats have already demonstrated their international appeal. Now there is an opportunity to give viewers access to a much wider range of Israeli programming.
This is where Israel Plus has an important role to play. Rather than exporting individual programmes one at a time, we are building a destination where audiences can continually discover Israeli television, culture, food, travel, innovation and entertainment. Our job is to remove the barriers to discovery and let the content speak for itself.
Building the global home of Israeli content
Our international expansion is already underway. Israel Plus is available through major television platforms in the United States, Canada and across Europe, and we are expanding into additional markets, including Latin America. New digital services and FAST channels will also give audiences more ways to watch, wherever they choose to consume entertainment.
But my vision is bigger than building a successful television channel. I want Israel Plus to become the global home of Israeli content: A place where anyone, regardless of country, culture or background, can discover Israel through its people, creativity, food, innovation, travel and entrepreneurship.
That ambition already extends beyond television. We are working with leading Israeli partners across tourism, immigration, real estate, innovation and business development to connect international audiences with more of what Israel has to offer. A programme might introduce someone to a destination, company, chef or entrepreneur, turning initial curiosity into a deeper connection.
Israeli technology and innovation have already shown that something created here can become part of everyday life around the world. I believe Israeli content can do the same. If audiences begin to associate Israel not only with news headlines, but also with creativity, culture, innovation, food and extraordinary human stories, we will have achieved something meaningful.
The content has always been here. Now the world can experience more of it. Subscribe to Israel Plus and start watching the people, places and stories shaping Israel today. We are not simply broadcasting Israel to the world; we are building the global home where the world can discover Israel.
This article was written in cooperation with Israel Plus