Tel Aviv Summit: 350 Executives Meet for Three-Day Event

Birthright Israel will host 350 business leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs at the Hilton Tel Aviv from November 1 to 3 for its inaugural Taglit Global Business Summit. The event, titled Shaping Our Future Together, marks the first business-focused gathering in the organization’s 26-year history. Over 100 attendees are traveling from more than 15 countries, including Argentina, Australia, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates, to engage with Israeli executives on topics ranging from innovation to philanthropy.

The summit opens on November 1 with a Gala Evening of Recognition designed to honor the organization’s supporters. Dr. Miriam Adelson, a long-standing backer of the group, is among those being recognized. President Isaac Herzog is scheduled to address the crowd, joining Meir Shamir, chairman of the Israeli Board of Donors, and Josh Nash, the international chairman of Birthright Israel and managing member of Ulysses Management. Representatives from NVIDIA, Wiz, Elbit Systems, El Al, and monday.com will also be present.

The main conference program occurs on November 2, featuring speakers from technology, finance, and public life. Sir Ronald Cohen, co-founder of Apax Partners and a pioneer in impact investing, is on the roster. Other speakers include Eyal Waldman, founder of Mellanox; Yinon Costica, co-founder of Wiz; and Sean Rad, founder of Tinder. Amit Krig, NVIDIA’s Israel site leader, and former Mossad director Yossi Cohen will also take the stage. The lineup further includes ICON founder Yasmin Lukatz, former Microsoft Israel CEO Shelly Landsmann, author Dr. Micah Goodman, Danna Azrieli Hakim, and Angela Homsi, co-founder of Ignite Power.

The agenda highlights the transition of Birthright alumni into business leaders. Avinatan Or, an NVIDIA engineer taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and released after 738 days in captivity, will participate. Moran Samuel, a Paralympic basketball player and world champion rower, will also join the discussions. Gidi Mark, Global CEO of Birthright Israel, described the summit as a natural extension of the group’s mission. He noted that bringing global leaders to Israel serves as a strong statement of confidence in the country’s future.

Ethy Levy, Vice President of Global Resource Development and Partnerships, emphasized the potential for immediate outcomes. She stated that a conversation at the event could evolve into a business partnership, a philanthropic initiative, or an investment in Israel’s next generation. The gathering builds on the organization’s existing Business Forum, which currently includes nearly 60 Israeli companies.

On November 3, attendees will move from the conference hall to visit Israeli companies, innovation centers, and communities engaged in recovery. Participants will have the opportunity to volunteer alongside current Birthright travelers and meet with initiatives supported since October 7. Since 1999, nearly one million young Jewish adults from 70 countries have participated in the organization’s programs.

Birthright Israel estimates its activities have contributed approximately $2.6 billion to the Israeli economy over the last 26 years through travel and local spending. A March 2026 study by Brandeis University’s Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies found that connection to Israel rose 60% among politically liberal young Jews who participated in Birthright, while it fell 26% among those who did not.