JYP Forum hosted "Jerusalem Business Overview" in partnership with America Hub Israel (U.S. Embassy Jerusalem) and Ynetnews. The event held earlier this month, designed to support the young professional community, brought together leading business experts from the U.S. and Israel, as well as young professionals from diverse sectors across Jerusalem.
The "Jerusalem Business Overview" featured two panels: a Business Panel and a Jerusalem Panel. The Business Panel included Shulamit Geri, director-general of the Bank of Israel, and Mike Calvert, deputy commercial counselor of the U.S. Embassy.
The Jerusalem Panel featured Mahmoud Khweis, a researcher at the Harvard Belfer Center and CEO of Techlinics, and Gilad Sevitt, Founder of Madrasa. The event began with opening remarks from Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Israeli Special Envoy for Innovation and former Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, and Caroline Nohr, the Embassy’s Public Diplomacy Officer for Emerging Voices.
In recent years, the City of Jerusalem has made significant investments in developing new business centers, retaining young adults, and fostering innovation and educational opportunities, including in East Jerusalem. However, there was a strategic need for more events targeted at young professionals.
Founded in 2022, JYP Forum has established itself as a key platform for Jerusalem’s young professionals, hosting events with prominent business and career development speakers. Previous events have featured representatives from leading Jerusalem companies such as Lightricks, and have been held at notable venues like The First Station and Lev Ha’Ir Community Council. JYP Forum has also collaborated with major partners, including the City of Jerusalem and Nefesh B’Nefesh.
Before the attacks on October 7, JYP Forum had planned several events to engage the East Jerusalem young professional community, including an event on October 10 featuring INSS Researcher & Jerusalem Foundation Fellow Jony Essa and Murad Natsheh of the East Jerusalem Development Fund. These events were subsequently canceled due to the ongoing war and out of respect for the tens of thousands of young professionals from Jerusalem serving in the Israel Defense Forces.
As municipalities, organizations, and companies begin to resume large-scale events and activities, "Jerusalem Business Overview" filled a critical gap for the city’s young professional community and helped foster dialogue and potential business cooperation among Jewish, Muslim and Christian young professionals in Jerusalem.
At the event, Shulamit Geri of the Bank of Israel noted: “I am delighted to see so many young professionals eager to learn, network, and innovate. Our mission at the Bank of Israel is to empower all Israelis to advance their careers and businesses. I believe that networking and soft skills are especially valuable for achieving the next level of success.”
- Marc Faust is the Founder & Chairman of JYP Forum, a business networking initiative for Jerusalem’s young professionals. He is also the Managing Director of Givah Group International, a leading strategic consulting and management firm based in the U.S. and Israel.