New York-Israel Chamber of Commerce, Inc.

Mordechai Lightstone?is one of the few rabbis who ever gave a TED Talk No, not TEDx, but TED (TED Conferences, the talk here: https://lnkd.in/gRCP6zpx) I met?Mordechai a few years back?at the annual #openShabbat dinner he hosts at SXSW, where he brings together the whole community under one roof, and have been attending his Tech Tribe events ever since With the tragic news of the brutal murder of UAE based Chabad rabbi Zvi Kogan, I saw the agency of Chabad rabbis these past few days, and how digital communication was a large part of how they engaged with their communities during this dark time They’re in the business of saving souls, so despite the darkness, they focused on the light Mordechai is a Chabad rabbi and a prominent figure at the intersection of Judaism and digital media. Together with his wife Chana Lightstone, he leads Tech Tribe, a community for Jews in tech and digital media. From Torah classes at?MAMAA?offices to happy hours for startups, Tech Tribe is a unique community for NYC's Jewish techies He also serves as the social media editor for?Chabad.org, where he has been instrumental in establishing the Chabad-Lubavitch presence on platforms like Twitter (X) and Snap Inc. Mordechai’s early work in building a strong digital presence helped Chabad in becoming a uplifting global influence online, thus positively impacting many people’s lives I’m a secular person but have always gravitated towards Chabad because of its judgment-free environment, and Mordechai’s work at the intersection of tradition and tech appeals to me. He has a unique approach to integrating ancient Jewish practices with modern tech with projects like the NFT Torah or his TED talk Aside from helping us navigate the world between spirituality and the material, when I speak with Chabad rabbis, I always feel like they are living on a spiritual plane, like they’re in the metaverse, connecting to a higher source of inspiration 24/7 His work is important?today?in that young people are generally lost and looking for community these days, particularly in the Jewish community post?Oct 7th Chabad rabbis always seem to be the most entrepreneurial, but I believe that it’s in the DNA of the professionals who step into this type of challenging leadership role As?Mordechai mentioned regarding the work he does “The Rebbe's approach to Jewish engagement is one that focused on the infinite?potential within each and every one of us. No matter where we are in life, we have the power and ability to share our Jewish knowledge and pride with others” His Ask for the LinkedIn community is: In the aftermath of Rabbi Zvi Kogan's murder, a new initiative has begun to honor his legacy and dedication to providing?Kosher food for Jews around?the world Please check it out and consider joining here: https://lnkd.in/gKP8eukx #fridaythoughts #techtribe #tedtalk

Courage and Conviction to help good prevail over evil We need more of this in the US We need bi-partisan leadership https://lnkd.in/e-ST49_K

I am optimistic about Israeli tech in 2025. I shared my positive outlook for next year with James Spiro of Calcalist ??????? at the recent Poalim Tech Roadshow. We spoke about a number of topics which included the challenges the ecosystem has faced in recent years, and how the Israeli tech and investment landscape are showing promising signs of recovery. We're witnessing a surge of startups being established, however, progress in later-stage funding rounds remains a bit slower. The Israeli ecosystem in particular is showing resilience, and though foreign capital has declined, we're seeing a resurgence with funds like Sequoia Capital rebuilding their operations in Israel. To watch the full interview, click below. StageOne Ventures CTech by Calcalist #venturecapital #startupnation #2025goals https://lnkd.in/eGJejnfS

Mayors Making a Difference - Connecting Ecosystems of New York and Israel in Semiconductor and Photonics to Advance Innovation This meeting between Mayor MALIK EVANS of Rochester, Former Mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio, Former Mayor of Rochester, Robert Duffy, and Yaniv Ben-Haim, CEO of NewPhotonics, an innovative Israeli startup, was a fascinating discussion on strategies and ways in which cities can help jumpstart complex economic development activity Immediately after this meeting, we had a community event connecting the NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub managed by OneROC, local photonics businesses, the Israel Innovation Authority ???? ???????, economic development entities Greater Rochester Enterprise, NextCorps, and Empire State Development, and local universities University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Monroe Community College NewPhotonics is positioned to galvanize and jumpstart our efforts to link activity in semiconductors and photonics in Upstate New York and Israel When Mayors talk - people listen

“Nothing will happen on its own if you don’t take the first step” -Maj. Issachar Natan This quote epitomizes Issachar’s action orientation and commitment to leading from the front. He was a brave and selfless soul who embodied the values of the IDF with leadership, dedication, and a love for his country. At just 28, Issachar served as a company commander in the elite Maglan unit, was known for his courage and strategic mind, and led his troops with honor, always putting his team and mission above all else. He fell in the line of duty during combat operations in northern Gaza on November 12, 2023. Issachar grew up in Kiryat Malachi, where he was raised in the close-knit Chabad community. A pillar of his family, he lived in Kfar Warburg with his wife, Ayelet, with whom he planned to build a future. ? His legacy of service and sacrifice extends beyond his military career. It speaks to the deep connection he had to his community, his family, and his country. May his memory be a blessing. #israelunderfire #israelunderattack #october7th

Unicorns aren’t always the clearest indicators of startup success, despite Israel being #2 on this list… This chart measures success by the number of unicorns a country produces… but I have always held a different perspective on how to define success in this space. Unicorns, while impressive, can be deceiving. This became particularly evident in the post-crisis period of 2022-23, when many of these highly valued startups failed to live up to their promise. The data in this chart is from 1997 to 2019, although not the most comprehensive, corroborates this view… but there are still valuable insights to take from this chart. With that, there's no denying the entrepreneurial spirit of Israeli founders. Despite its small population, Israel is consistently punching above its weight, producing a disproportionate number of successful startups. This is even more remarkable when you consider that the top five nations on the chart - the US, China, India, and France - have significantly larger populations. But it's not just about the numbers. This is especially impressive in light of the fact that the country is at war, and the tech sector has been particularly impacted. It's about the culture of #entrepreneurship that is part of the DNA of these countries. During my time in the US, I saw how the ecosystem fostered success. Immigrants, far from being set up for failure, found themselves in a position to succeed. In Silicon Valley, for instance, you'll find successful communities or “mafias” of Indian, Israeli, Chinese, and French entrepreneurs. Geography plays much less of a role these days, as I believe in and invest in Israeli entrepreneurs, wherever they may be. While our largest portfolio of startups is based in Israel, we also have significant investments in Silicon Valley and the East Coast, particularly New York. In the past, we advised founders to have a presence in the US. Today, however, we've seen our companies succeed without needing to be based in the Bay Area or New York. That said, there is still value in being a part of these vibrant localized ecosystems. When you consider the per capita calculation, Israel's success in the #startup world is nothing short of extraordinary. Yes, Israeli founders’ ability to build companies is impressive on the global stage, but let's not lose sight of what really matters. It's not about chasing unicorns or hitting a billion-dollar valuation, but building sustainable businesses that solve real-world problems and create lasting value. That I believe is the real measure of a startup’s success. A big thank you to Stanford University Professor Ilya Strebulaev?for publishing and sharing this valuable data! StageOne Ventures #venturecapital #startupnation #foundersjourney

The best incubator/accelerator in the world for companies in optics, imaging, and photonics Israeli companies interested in applying should contact NYICC to learn more and enhance chances of being accepted

Luminate is the premier incubator/accelerator for companies in the optics, photonics, and imaging sectors They represented one aspect of supporting capabilities and services that make Rochester attractive for deep tech companies, especially for those with imaging at the epicenter Even companies that are more advanced get tremendous value from the mentoring and networking - connecting to global leaders

Excellent opportunity to learn about challenges, trends and the role of innovation in dermatology

Despite hard times, Israeli entrepreneurs flourish at US confabs My latest piece in ISRAEL21c —?Good News From Israel Israeli participants at Climate Week and the Israeli-American Council (IAC) Summit believe the Startup Nation brand is still strong. It was fun attending the IAC Summit and bouncing around New York during the UNGA... not all news coming from Israel was bad A big thank you to all those who participated (or were featured) in this article! Shlomi Ben Haim Udi Mokady Yasmin Lukatz Yoseph Haddad Montana Tucker Rami Matan "kosha dillz" Even-Esh Dana Gorsky Yair Vardi Guy Katsovich Avivit Ohana Niv Calderon Daniela Kandel Avi Feldman Shmuel Kedmi Dovi Frances Oracle JFrog CyberArk Group 11 ICON - Israel Collaboration Network Reli Fusion VC ELI | Entrepreneurship Leadership Israel Periodic Ventures Evergreen Innovation Platform Mobilion Ventures Israel Economic Mission to the USA - East Coast Israel Export Institute ???? ????? PLANETech - Climate Change Technologies NetZero Tech Ventures #startupnation #israelinnovation #israelunderattack