Article written on behalf of Israel FirstFruits team.
The 6th Israel Business Forum produced by Israel Firstfruits Center, in partnership with E.L.Y Israel, took place on March 10-16.
The peak days of the Forum, March 13-14, dedicated to connecting local and international believers in business, were held in Netanya. During these two days, the Forum theme – “Transfiguration, from Glory to Glory,” was expressed in a wide variety of ways.
Over 40 international Christian business people and investors together with more than 120 local Messianic Jewish and Christian Arab business people participated. One of the highlights was the “matchmaking sessions” where local business people were teamed up with international participants. Both sides received much from these sessions, sharing experiences, giving and receiving advice, encouraging one another and praying for each other.
A key event of the Forum was the final stage of the annual Business Plan Competition. Eight finalists competed, pitching their business plans to a mixed international and local panel of judges. This year, all three of the winners, two of them women, were participants in the Business Course, which is also a program run jointly as a partnership between Israel Firstfruits and ELY Israel.
Partnership was a repeating conference theme with moving testimonies from international and local participants. Several speakers who were business partners presented as “duos”, sharing movingly about the challenges, benefits and blessing of walking together in the marketplace. Among the speakers were also an international and local “duo” who are partnering to build God honoring business in Israel.
A panel of local Messianic business women spoke about their experiences of what being a woman in the marketplace means for them, including the challenges they face, and their experience of partnering with their spouses as they pursue their business calling.
The overwhelming response from the participants, both local and international was that this year’s Forum was the best Forum yet. The Forum focus on doing business according to Biblical principles encouraged and challenged the local participants to be excellent in their work and by this to be witnesses for the gospel of Messiah in the Israeli marketplace and around the world. We believe God blessed this year’s Forum in a special way, and we encourage you to join us at future Forums.
