Birthright Israel Plans First Global Business Summit in Tel Aviv Next Week

Birthright Israel is set to hold its first Taglit Global Business Summit, titled "Shaping Our Future Together," from November 1 to 3 at the Hilton Tel Aviv. The organization says the event will draw more than 350 business leaders, investors, entrepreneurs and philanthropists from Israel and abroad.

More than 100 of the attendees will fly in from over 15 countries, among them Argentina, Australia, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates. They will meet Israeli executives and entrepreneurs to discuss business, innovation, philanthropy and the country's future. Organizers describe the gathering as a milestone in the group's 26-year history and the first of its kind.

The opening evening on November 1 is a Gala Evening of Recognition, which will honor the leadership and philanthropy behind Birthright Israel's work. That includes the long-standing commitment of Dr. Miriam Adelson, a leading supporter. President Isaac Herzog is expected to speak alongside supporters from Israel and around the world. Other prominent participants include Meir Shamir, chairman of the Israeli Board of Donors, and Josh Nash, international chairman of Birthright Israel and managing member of Ulysses Management. Business figures linked to NVIDIA, Wiz, Elbit Systems, El Al and monday.com will also attend.

The main program takes place on November 2, with speakers from technology, investment, finance, entrepreneurship and public life. They include Sir Ronald Cohen, a pioneer of impact investing and co-founder of Apax Partners; Eyal Waldman, founder of Mellanox; Yinon Costica, co-founder of Wiz; Sean Rad, founder of Tinder and a Birthright alumnus; and Amit Krig, NVIDIA's Israel site leader. Also scheduled are former Mossad director Yossi Cohen, ICON founder Yasmin Lukatz, former Microsoft Israel CEO Shelly Landsmann, author Dr. Micah Goodman, developer and philanthropist Danna Azrieli Hakim, and Angela Homsi, co-founder and president of Ignite Power.

The agenda will also spotlight alumni who have become entrepreneurs, executives and investors, illustrating how a ten-day educational trip can lead to lasting connections. Participants will include Avinatan Or, an NVIDIA engineer abducted by Hamas from the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, and released after 738 days in captivity. Moran Samuel, an Israeli Paralympic basketball player and world champion rower who lectures to Jewish communities worldwide, will also take part.

Gidi Mark, Global CEO of Birthright Israel, called the summit "a natural extension" of the organization's mission. "At this moment, bringing global leaders to Israel is itself a powerful statement of confidence in its future," he said. Ethy Levy, Vice President of Global Resource Development and Partnerships, said a conversation at the event "could become a business partnership, a philanthropic initiative, or an investment in Israel's next generation."

On November 3, attendees will leave the conference hall for visits to Israeli companies, innovation centers, and communities engaged in recovery and rebuilding. They will also be able to volunteer alongside current Birthright Israel participants and meet communities and initiatives the organization has supported since October 7. The summit builds on the group's existing Business Forum, which brings together nearly 60 Israeli companies.

Since 1999, nearly one million young Jewish adults from 70 countries have taken part in Birthright Israel programs. The organization estimates its activities have added about $2.6 billion to the Israeli economy over 26 years through travel, accommodation and spending at local businesses. A March 2026 study by Brandeis University's Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies found that among politically liberal young Jews, connection to Israel rose 60% among Birthright participants, while it fell 26% among applicants who did not take part.