Overcoming Fear, and Reaping the Benefits

Israelis, unfortunately, have learned to live with the occasional, sometimes frequent spurts of violence that come in the form of a wave of terrorist attacks or all-out war.  The global media naturally jumps at the opportunity to report, and often not so favorably towards Israel, making it appear as though the country is under siege and that it has perhaps come to a stall.  This, fortunately, could not be farther from the truth.

It’s sad that after 67 years of independence, some of Israel’s neighbors continue to strive for its destruction.  But amazingly, Israel, and its over 8 million Jewish, Muslim and Christian citizens, continues to prosper (with religious freedom for all faiths, a free and independent press, and a robust, sometimes even rambunctious democracy) as a global hi-tech leader and with that come opportunities for foreign professionals, investors and business leaders.  Those who persist, undeterred by media-generated fear, and continue to travel to Israel regardless of what is perceived by many as “unrest”, find a completely different environment and reap the fruits that this extraordinary industry has to offer.

One such example is Jonathan Minnen, a transactional attorney and head of the Israel Practice Group at Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP.  He shared this thought with me, having just completed a two week business trip to Israel:  "Experienced overseas professionals and executives furthering business relationships in Israel realize that there is little, if any, correlation between the political climate existing at any particular point in time, and the pace of business.  The zeal of Israelis to develop and enhance cutting edge innovation transcends both internal challenges from acts of terrorism as well as external challenges such as the BDS movement.  While this was certainly not one of Israel's more peaceful periods of time, I was struck by the number of international business people found in the hotels and restaurants; not only from Europe, but from Asia, including the subcontinent.  For those international professionals and executives seeking opportunities in Israel, a major key to success is consistent presence in Israel."

Jonathan has been persistent about visiting the country at least once a year for the past 15 years, regardless of the situation on the ground, and in return has earned respect and appreciation by Israeli businesspeople, as well as their business – not because of the great risk he’s taken on himself, but because he overcame the fear that keeps many from witnessing, first hand, the gap that exists between what is perceived, and what is reality.

Ilan Friedman
ilan@ncompas.net

Originally posted on LinkedIn November 12, 2015