Israel Plus is entering a new chapter, bringing Israeli television, culture, food, travel, innovation and entertainment to more audiences around the world in English.
We spoke with Sharon Lamberger, CEO of Israel Plus, about why now is the right time to open up more Israeli content to international audiences, what “Now in English” really means, and his ambition to make Israel Plus the global home of Israeli content.
Here’s what he had to say.
1. Israel has one of the world’s most vibrant creative industries, yet much of its content has traditionally remained inaccessible to international audiences. Why do you think now is the right time to change that?
Israel has been creating extraordinary content for years. Award-winning television, internationally successful formats, incredible food, innovation, culture and, most importantly, remarkable people and stories. The problem was that much of it remained behind a language barrier.
That barrier matters far less today. Audiences are actively looking beyond their own countries for great content, and we’ve seen that with productions from South Korea, Spain, Turkey and many other markets. There’s no reason Israel shouldn’t be part of that.
For the first time, we’re not simply exporting individual shows or formats. We’re creating an international home for Israeli content, with hundreds of hours of programming that audiences around the world can watch and understand. The content has always been here. Now many more people can discover it.
2. Israel Plus is relaunching with a clear message: “Now in English.” Beyond translation, what does that really represent for the future of Israeli storytelling?
“Now in English” isn’t just a slogan. It’s our strategy. We’re not simply translating programmes; we’re making Israeli culture accessible.
When someone in New York, London, Sydney or São Paulo can watch the same programme and understand the people, the humour, the food and the stories, you create a real connection.
It also changes what Israel Plus can be. We’re growing from an Israeli channel serving primarily Jewish and Israeli audiences into an international content brand for anyone who wants to discover Israel.
English is the first step. We’re already seeing demand from Spanish-speaking markets, Italy, Germany and other territories, so this is really the beginning of a much bigger international journey.
3. Many people around the world still associate Israel primarily with news headlines. How can entertainment, food, travel, innovation and culture present a broader and more balanced picture?
News matters, but it can never tell the whole story of a country. Israel is also incredible restaurants and chefs, groundbreaking startups, music, design, science, sport, travel, landscapes and people doing extraordinary things.
A cooking programme can tell you a huge amount about a culture. A travel show lets you meet people and experience places you may never have seen before. A documentary can introduce you to stories and ideas that simply don’t make the headlines.
That’s what Israel Plus can offer. Israel isn’t one story; it’s thousands of stories, and we want the world to see more of them. Israel Plus offers the complete picture of Israel. Because Israel isn’t one story, it’s a mosaic.
4. Streaming has completely changed how people discover content from around the world. Where do you see Israeli content fitting into this new global landscape?
Streaming has changed everything because geography is no longer the barrier it once was. I’ve learned throughout my career that you can’t always predict what people will want to watch, but if you make great content easy to find and easy to understand, audiences will decide for themselves.
We’ve already seen viewers embrace Korean, Spanish, Turkish and Scandinavian content. Israeli content has every opportunity to do the same. We have an incredibly creative industry and stories that can connect with people anywhere in the world. We have one of the world’s most creative industries, filled with authentic stories that resonate across cultures.
Our job is to make those stories accessible and easy to discover, and then let the content speak for itself.
5. Who is the new Israel Plus built for, and what would you like viewers around the world to discover when they watch?
It’s for anyone who is curious about Israel. Jewish and Israeli communities around the world are naturally an important audience for us, but Israel Plus goes far beyond that.
There are millions of Christians and Evangelicals with a deep interest in Israel. There are people fascinated by Israeli technology and innovation, and people who simply love great food, travel, music, culture, sport and human stories.
Ultimately, I want someone to watch Israel Plus and think, “This is an Israel I never knew.” If someone discovers a chef, a city, an entrepreneur, a musician or simply a story that inspires them, they’ll often share it. That creates another connection and another person discovering Israel in a completely different way.
6. Israel Plus now reaches audiences far beyond its traditional markets. Where can viewers watch the service today, and what does this international expansion mean for the future of the brand?
We’re in the middle of a major international expansion. Israel Plus is already available through major television platforms in the United States, Canada and across Europe, and we’re continuing to expand into new markets, including Latin America.
We’re also launching new digital services and FAST channels, giving audiences more ways to watch. The goal is straightforward: Israel Plus should be available wherever people choose to consume entertainment.
Israeli technology and innovation are already part of everyday life around the world. I believe Israeli content can be too. Whether you’re watching at home, in a hotel, in the car or on your phone, we want Israel Plus to be there.
7. Looking ahead, what is your long-term vision for Israel Plus, and what role would you like it to play in connecting global audiences with Israel?
My vision is much 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 their country, culture or background, can discover Israel through its people, food, creativity, innovation, travel, entrepreneurship and stories.
Storytelling can create connections in a way very few things can. It lets people experience a country through the people who live there, rather than only through the headlines they see about it.
If people around the world begin to associate Israel not only with news, but with creativity, innovation, culture, food and extraordinary human stories, we will have achieved something meaningful.
Our ambitions already go beyond television. We’re 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.
The mission is simple: we’re not just broadcasting Israel to the world. We’re connecting the world to Israel.
For more information on where you can watch Israel Plus, visit Online Subscription – Israel Plus TV
