Birthright Israel Hosts First Business Summit in Tel Aviv

Birthright Israel will open its first Taglit Global Business Summit in Tel Aviv on November 1. The three-day event, titled Shaping Our Future Together, takes place at the Hilton Tel Aviv. Organizers expect more than 350 participants, including business leaders, investors, and philanthropists from Israel and abroad.

More than 100 attendees will travel from over 15 countries. Delegations are coming from Argentina, Australia, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates. These international guests will meet with Israeli executives to discuss innovation, finance, and the country's economic future. The group describes the summit as a milestone in its 26-year history.

The schedule begins on November 1 with a Gala Evening of Recognition. This evening honors the leadership and philanthropy that support the organization. Dr. Miriam Adelson is cited as a leading supporter. President Isaac Herzog is scheduled to speak alongside other international supporters. Meir Shamir, chairman of the Israeli Board of Donors, and Josh Nash, international chairman of Birthright Israel, will also attend. Representatives from NVIDIA, Wiz, Elbit Systems, El Al, and monday.com are among the business figures present.

The main program runs on November 2. Speakers from technology, investment, and public life are on the agenda. Sir Ronald Cohen, co-founder of Apax Partners, will address the group. Eyal Waldman, founder of Mellanox, and Yinon Costica, co-founder of Wiz, are also scheduled to speak. Sean Rad, founder of Tinder and a Birthright alumnus, will join Amit Krig, NVIDIA's Israel site leader. Former Mossad director Yossi Cohen and ICON founder Yasmin Lukatz are among other confirmed speakers.

The agenda includes segments for alumni who have entered business leadership roles. Avinatan Or, an NVIDIA engineer held captive for 738 days after the October 7, 2023 attacks, will participate. Moran Samuel, a Paralympic basketball player and world champion rower, will also take part. These speakers illustrate how the educational trips lead to long-term connections.

Gidi Mark, Global CEO of Birthright Israel, described the summit as a natural extension of the organization's mission. He stated that bringing global leaders to Israel is a powerful statement of confidence. Ethy Levy, Vice President of Global Resource Development, noted that conversations at the event could lead to business partnerships or investments.

On November 3, attendees will leave the conference hall for site visits. They will tour Israeli companies, innovation centers, and communities engaged in recovery efforts. Participants will volunteer alongside current Birthright groups and meet initiatives supported since October 7. The summit builds on the group's existing Business Forum, which includes nearly 60 Israeli companies.

Since 1999, nearly one million young Jewish adults from 70 countries have participated in Birthright programs. The organization estimates its activities added about $2.6 billion to the Israeli economy over 26 years. A March 2026 study by Brandeis University found that connection to Israel rose 60% among liberal Birthright participants. In the same group, connection fell 26% among applicants who did not take part.