"Then, before I knew it, 3-4 months passed by and I’m sitting overlooking the Jerusalem hillside, considering places to live longer term"
I am the son of an Israeli mother and English father, born in the southern region of the UK, studied business in Leeds and am a very keen human, breathing regularly, eating and sleeping at appropriate times, all while enjoying social activities and stimulation.
My journey to Israel is a long story since I grew up Jewish, but completely un-affiliated. And it was not until 21 years old that I searched for other Jews upon learning that Jewish people live in communities! Not obvious to an outsider.
Nevertheless, by 22 I started working in the US for a large Jewish Non-profit before becoming an entrepreneur at 23, starting what is, the first ever religiously associated study abroad organization based in Chicago, which helps 1000’s of Jewish students traveling around the world for studies every year.
Some years later I hired people to take over my role so I could test the waters of the for-profit world by starting a high tech company, building a product which received corporate investment and reached 100,000’s of users. Fortunately, the company failed and I gained what the industry calls ‘experience’. From here, I did a marketing project over in California and once finished was convinced by a close friend to spend some time in Israel. So, I flew to Israel and started working in Venture Capital by 2018, and have been in the country ever since.
Personally, it was a gradual process as I have been back and forth from Israel over many years,
When I came in 2018 I flew one way, with no plans, simply wanting some time to reflect, discover and grow, having no real intention of staying or building foundations.
Then, before I knew it, 3-4 months passed by and I’m sitting overlooking the Jerusalem hillside, considering places to live longer term, questioning myself about where I felt I could truly be myself, most connected, a place with good work opportunities, ability to build my own community, warm weather, healthy food and peaceful home life. Israel ticked all of these boxes.
Yes, and no. At the core I’m still British, my appreciation for black tea with milk, table manners, humor, accent, refined speech, and being polite yet wittingly sarcastic. Then at the same time I don’t mind skipping the queue, squeezing through to the buffet, or telling someone directly what I think vs. the typically British approach of ‘beating around the bush’.
However, I’m not sure I want to be completely Israeli, I feel the benefit we have as Olim/expats is integrating the best aspects of our cultural norms into the country and society as a positive influence.
Nevertheless, aside from becoming more ‘tachles’ in my work, the cultural Israeli aspects I have picked up overtime is prioritizing family and personal life. People in Israel work hard, there’s no doubt, but in England, and America I found work and success to be a pinnacle of ideology, whereas in Israel, to have a family and good hobbies is what makes a person more interesting.
I currently work as a Tech & Business Strategy Consultant for Herzog Strategic (the consulting arm of Herzog Fox & Neeman, the largest law firm in Israel). I deal with clients' needs outside of the legal realm, mostly late-stage high-tech companies or multinationals seeking help with large investment rounds/ exits, international expansion, niche business development, or companies seeking to do business with Israel.
So, projects can range from doing a due diligence analysis on a company's IP for acquisition, writing a memorandum for a $50m raise, all the way to deep competitive analysis, establishing an international office, or defining compliance regulations for new technologies - it changes all the time and no project ever seems to be the same.
To reach this point I worked for many years, in Banking, as an Entrepreneur, and in Venture Capital, completing many online coding classes and soon to conclude an MBA from Kellogg Northwestern/ TAU Recanati. All of this experience and education helps, however I think the main thing is to always be engaged, interested and asking questions, consistently learning and growing through experiences.
I get to be engaged with projects that have an impact on a macro and micro economic level, whether it’s large companies competing against each other, country related trade agreements, outcomes that can affect 100’s of people, and more. Consequently, I appreciate the complexity in being cautious of all parties involved, all while being ethical and rational in the recommendations being presented.
Something I find interesting, in terms of insider knowledge, is the amount of money and proactive effort that exists to strengthen business and economic relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, all of which is not publicized on any media outlet, or social channels.
In terms of trends, expect technology to keep getting better. We're not even at the tipping point of potential when it comes to mobility, smart cities, health, food, renewables, finance and other.
The greatest challenge for me is having patience with the aggressive lifestyle and disorganized everyday situations, along with faith that all the hard work we do will get us to our desired goal. And although these challenges are similar in all locations, when it’s Israel, it feels 100x more difficult.
In spite of this, a big difference I find in Israel, is that no matter how challenging, confrontational or even rude things may be, people forgive and forget instantaneously, holding no regret and simply moving forward to the next stage. This makes working together very effective, no matter how passionate or personal conflicts may become.
There’s heaps of opportunities here, and I think anyone who is interested in moving should properly test the waters, take a program, learn the lay of the land, think about which city is right for you, what career path you’re interested in, and the kind of life you may want to have. Israel has more available resources than one may realize, so best to utilize them all while possible.
And when arriving, don’t expect anything to go as you planned, the first job and place you live will be a soft landing, and once you become more accustomed, you’ll find what's right for you, and once this happens, you will not regret it.
Lastly, what is a fun fact about your life right now?
I think the Chagim are very special in Israel. Recently we had Pesach (well since writing this), and it was incredible to see that shops and restaurants were covering up Chametz, serving matza or kosher for pesach bread, offices and homes thoroughly cleaned, families on holiday, kids singing Ma-Nishtana on the streets during seder evening, and everyone from north to south wishing each other Chag Sameach. Only in Israel is this possible.
I’m Israeli-born, Silicon Valley raised. I hold a BSc. in Marketing and Entrepreneurship from the University of Arizona. From my peers, I’m the “jack of all trades” marketer, helping companies scale and go to market.
In my free time, I kick-box, DJ, go to the beach, and do fun passion projects like this. If you’re an Oleh/Olah in tech and would love to be featured, let's connect on LinkedIn!