The organization started as a concept among a circle of friends who possessed insider knowledge of the political system. They chose to leverage their acquired skills for the public’s advantage, leading to the development of a distinctive initiative both in Israel and globally, aimed at bridging the gap between the general populace and those in positions of authority.
The initiative started in June 2015 as a crowdfunding campaign on the Headstart platform. Although the initial fundraising goal was set at 70,000 NIS, the project quickly garnered support from 1,084 backers during the first campaign, raising a total of 136,041 NIS, almost double the original target.
At this phase, Attorney Linor Deutsch joined the initiative as the first public lobbyist (current CEO of the organization), and the four-month pilot phase was launched. Due to its immediate accomplishments and significant success, the decision was made to formalize the initiative as a permanent organization in Israel. In fact, it has now become the largest crowdfunding initiative in Israel, boasting thousands of supporters.
As more members join the initiative and the budget expands, we continue to enlist more public lobbyists. Presently, the initiative employs 15 individuals engaged in various overarching issues.
The name of the initiative combines two elements, “Lobby” and “99.” Similar to the initiative’s activities, which are rooted in the lobbying techniques of commercial lobbying firms, the name draws from the moniker associated with lobbyists. This stems from their work within the lobby of the British Parliament at the inception of the endeavor and continues today in the corridors and lobbies of parliamentary institutions worldwide, including the Knesset and government offices.
In order to distinguish the social initiative from commercial lobbying organizations representing affluent individuals, it was decided to call the organization “Lobby 99.” This name aligns with the social slogan “We are the 99%,” which gained popularity during Israel’s social protest, symbolizing the representation of 99% of Israel’s population lacking the financial resources to engage commercial lobbying firms, in contrast to the 1% represented by tycoons.
With the development and expansion of the lobby, a legal department was established, led by Dr. Einat Solnik. Her recent areas of activity include:
In 2019, Ariel Paz-Suizky spearheaded the creation of our Research Department, which lays the groundwork and conducts the research for all of our initiatives.
In 2020, the Marketing Department was launched under the leadership of our Vice President, Itai Lapid, who oversees fundraising, community outreach, new media, and PR efforts.
סייענו להעברת הרפורמה בבנקים, שאמורה להקל על פתיחת בנקים חדשים, והכנסנו לתוכה סעיפים רבים המקדמים את האינטרס הציבורי על פני האינטרסים של הבנקים.
