This week, the Jewish & Indian Alliance brought that vision to Tel Aviv, convening its second international leadership gathering at Fiverr's headquarters. The event welcomed innovators, entrepreneurs, diplomats, academics, business leaders, faith representatives and community members from Israel, India and the wider Jewish and Indian diasporas for a day of dialogue focused on strengthening cooperation across innovation, entrepreneurship, education, public diplomacy, philanthropy and civil society.
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Sanjay Kumar, Yoni Ben Zaken, Diana Shafar, Dr. Oshrit Birwadker, Revital Moses, Shiran Mlamdovsky Somech, Dr. Efrat Sopher, Mark Lewis, Yoav Faketa, Rebecca Spagnoletto, Noa Muzafi, Kobi Shoshani, Yuval David, Yeshaya Rosenman and Aniruddha Ani Bera
(Photo: Noa Muzafi)
The gathering followed the Alliance's inaugural convening in Los Angeles earlier this year and marked an important step in expanding the initiative's international network. Founded by Yuval David, Shiran Mlamdovsky Somech and Dr. Efrat Sopher together with four fellow Voice of the People council members, Deborah Apeloig, Rabbi Erez Sherman, Shoshana Turkia and Shmuel Hoffman. The Jewish & Indian Alliance was established to deepen relationships between two communities whose histories span thousands of years and whose shared values continue to create new opportunities for collaboration.
Throughout the day, discussions focused on the enduring friendship between the Jewish and Indian peoples, and on how that relationship can continue to evolve. Participants explored practical opportunities to collaborate across business, technology, education, cultural diplomacy, and community leadership, reflecting the complementary strengths of both communities and the growing ties between Israel and India.
"Just as we have done in other cities around the world, bringing this gathering to Tel Aviv turns a shared vision into a working partnership," said Shiran Mlamdovsky Somech, Founder of Generative AI for Good, Council Member of Voice of the People, and Founding Member of the Jewish & Indian Alliance. "When Jewish and Indian innovators sit in the same room, we move from celebrating our common values to building on them together."
For co-founder Yuval David, the gathering represented the next chapter in a relationship built on centuries of mutual respect that is increasingly taking shape through modern collaboration: "The friendship between the Jewish and Indian peoples is rooted in thousands of years of history, shared values and mutual respect," he said. "Today's gathering shows that this relationship is not only enduring, it is evolving into deeper collaboration across innovation, diplomacy, business and civil society. The Jewish & Indian Alliance is a force multiplier for all involved."
Shiran Mlamdovsky Somech and Yoav Faketa
(Photo: Noa Muzafi)
That vision was echoed by participants from across diplomacy, academia, business and civil society, who emphasized that lasting partnerships are built through personal relationships and people-to-people engagement.
"This morning's gathering was a powerful reminder that the Jewish-Indian relationship is built not on theories but on relationships—diplomats, academics, business leaders and influencers choosing to come together, in the spirit of alliance-building that President Isaac Herzog himself has long embodied," said Dr. Efrat Sopher, Chair of the Ezri Center for Iran and Gulf States Research, Executive Committee Member and Head of the International Task Force on Islamist Extremism & Iran at Voice of the People, and a founding member of the Alliance. "The Jewish & Indian Alliance and Voice of the People were proud to help bring this partnership to life, because the most durable relationships between nations start exactly this way: face to face, one connection at a time."
Former Consul General Kobbi Shoshani highlighted the broader strategic significance of the relationship between India and Israel: "The India-Israel relationship is strategic, with broad and deep cooperation across many fields," he said. "We are committed to further strengthening this partnership by promoting closer collaboration between the Indian-American and Jewish communities in the United States, whose engagement serves as a powerful force multiplier."
While governments have strengthened bilateral cooperation over recent decades, participants agreed that lasting partnerships are ultimately built by people. Noa Mutzafi, Partner at Innovation Asia (InnoA), emphasized the importance of creating opportunities for genuine dialogue. "The connection between our communities runs deeper than politics or business," she said. "Creating a space where Jewish and Indian leaders can truly listen to one another is how real, lasting partnership begins."
Dr. Efrat Sopher, Shiran Mlamdovsky Somech and Yuval David
(Photo: Revital Moses)
Revital Moses, Founder and Host of Moses in Israel and Co-founder of India-Israel Nexus, spoke about the unique role culture plays in strengthening the relationship between the two communities. "Culture is harder, because nobody 'needs' it the way they need fighter jets or drip irrigation systems," she said. "But it's exactly the part that will turn a transactional relationship between India and Israel into an emotional one. I'm so happy to have the Jewish & Indian Alliance focusing on people-to-people connections between these two ancient civilizations."
Dr. Oshrit Birvadker, Director of the South and East Asia Center at JISS, CEO of Indivade, and President of the National Federation of Indian Jews, reflected on the broader significance of the Alliance's work. "The connection between India and Israel is not merely a strategic partnership between two democratic, tech-driven nations, but a profound meeting of two ancient civilizations," she said. "The alliance between the Jewish people and India is rooted in historical mutual respect, shared values and a bold vision for the future. Together, this bond serves as an anchor of stability, innovation and strength for the entire world."
The Jewish & Indian Alliance extends its sincere thanks to Noa Mutzafi, Partner at Innovation Asia (InnoA), for her leadership and dedication in making the Tel Aviv gathering possible. We also thank Fiverr for hosting the event at their headquarters, right at the heart of Israel’s innovation ecosystem.
Looking ahead, the Alliance plans to continue convening leadership gatherings in Israel, North America, UK and India, bringing together changemakers from across business, technology, education, philanthropy, public diplomacy and culture. As the network continues to grow, so too does its mission: transforming shared values into meaningful partnerships that strengthen both communities and contribute to a more connected global future.