Abigail Klein Leichman
February 20, 2018, Updated February 21, 2018

Positive messaging about Israel was the focus of the Israel Exchange Conference held January 31 in New York City, cohosted by ISRAEL21c and Vibe Israel.

The Israel Exchange was a first-of-its-kind conference, intended to be an open discussion about the need for a new mindset when it comes to transforming perceptions of Israel.

About 100 participants from more than 60 philanthropies, corporations, organizations and educational institutions listened as ISRAEL21c President Amy Friedkin, Digital Engagement DirectorNathan Miller, board member Jonathan Baruch and organizational consultant Pearl Kane talked about ISRAEL21c’s role as the most diverse and reliable source of online news and information about 21st century Israel, reaching millions of people through our website, social media channels, and e-newsletter each week.

ISRAEL21c President Amy Friedkin, third from right, moderates the Creative Connections to Israel through Social Media workshop with Nathan Miller, Lisa Neilson, ISRAEL21c board member Jonathan Baruch and Natan Edelman. Photo by Juliana Crawford/Vibe Israel

“All of us at ISRAEL21c feel that our work and the work of Vibe Israel can be extremely helpful for every organization focused on Israel. By having this public forum to engage so deeply into the conversation, we can see a ripple effect of many organizations incorporating the language and mission into their own work,” says Friedkin.

Among the guest speakers were Dani Dayan, Israeli Consul General in New York; his predecessor, Ido Aharoni, now Global DistinguishedProfessorat New York University’s School of International Relations and founder of an Israel-based full-service consultancy firm; James Beard Award-winning Israeli-born chef Michael Solomonov; iCenter founding CEO Anne Lanski; and David Sable, global CEO of ad firm Young & Rubicam.

Audience at the Israel Exchange Conference. Photo via Facebook

Participants had workshops on topics including grant giving, Israel on campus, trips to Israel and business and culture. Vibe Israel is a not-for-profit organization leading initiatives to strengthen Israel’s brand in the world, especially among millennials, by harnessing the power of social media and implementing digital place-making strategies.