Israel-America Chamber of Commerce

Future Events

General Annual Meeting

On Thursday, March 26, 2009, at 2:30 p.m., the Chamber will hold its Annual General Meeting. Prior to the Meeting, the Chamber will hold the Annual General Meeting of its Zeev Grodecki Scholarship Fund. The meetings will take place at Migdal Shalom Building, 9 Ahad Ha'Am St., Tel Aviv, Main Floor - Southern Entrance.

Invitations were mailed to Members of the Chamber. To RSVP, contact the Chamber, Tel: 03-6952341 or email: amcham@amcham.co.il.

Meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Hon. James B. Cunningham

On Thursday, March 26, 2009, at 3 p.m., the Chamber will hold its first meeting for Chamber Members with the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Hon. James B. Cunningham. The meeting will take place after the Annual General Meeting. To RSVP, contact the Chamber, Tel: 03-6952341 or email: amcham@amcham.co.il.

Seminars

Israel's Economy within the Global Crisis

On Monday, March 23, 2009, noon-4:30 p.m., together with Bar Ilan University, The Chamber will hold a seminar on Israel's Economy within the Global Crisis. The invitation and program are attached. The event, at Bar Ilan University, will take place in Hebrew.

To register, contact Dina Mayer of the university's public relations office, 03-5318480, or via email: dina.mayer@mail.biu.ac.il.

Ethics and Corporate Governance in time of Crisis

On Wednesday, March 25, 2009, 8:30am-2:15pm, the van Leer Institute in Jerusalem will hold a seminar on Ethics and Corporate Governance in time of Crisis. Guest Speaker: Prof. Stanley Fisher, the Governor of the Bank of Israel. The event will take place in Hebrew. For further information, click on the following link: http://events.myreg.co.il/etika. Registration fee: 130 NIS, at a special rate for Chamber Members.

The Ultimate Lesson of True Leadership

The Chamber, together with Dov Gordon, a management and strategy consultant, is inviting its Members to a teleseminar on "The Ultimate Lesson of True Leadership", on Wednesday, March 25, 2009, at 4p.m. The host will be Steve Farber, a senior-level leadership consultant, who will discuss his recently published book, "Greater than Yourself: The Ultimate Lesson of True Leadership."

Participation is free, but requires pre-registration at the following link: http://www.gordongroupec.com/tc/sf/steve-farber-sign-up.html

Branding Israel

The Chamber will hold a seminar on the Branding of Israel, together with the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce on Thursday, April 23, 2009, at 4p.m., at the conference room, 84 Ha'Hashmonaim St. in Tel Aviv. Mr. Ido Aharoni, Head of the Brand Management Team at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will present the Branding Israel Project, an image and economic project designed to improve Israel’s public image around the world. The project is backed by seven years of research of an international study by the Israel Brand project in North America, Europe and Asia. The seminar will take place in Hebrew Invitations will be sent in the upcoming days. To RSVP, contact the Chamber, Tel: 03-6952341 or email: amcham@amcham.co.il.

APCAC Meeting

Tamar Guy, Executive Director of the Chamber represented the Chamber at the Annual Conference of bi-national American Chambers in South East Asia (APCAC), which took place in Singapore. Participants discussed economic issues concerning all of the Chambers.

Past Events

Seminar: "Transfer Pricing - How it Works"

A seminar on "Transfer Pricing - How it Works" took place on February 23, 2009.

Lior Harary-Nitzan, Partner, ITS - Transfer Pricing & TESCM at

Ernest & Young, Kost Forer Gabbay & Kasierer, discussed such issues as principles of transfer pricing concept; international transfer pricing standards; Israeli transfer pricing regulations, and how to plan your structure and business model to align with the transfer pricing standards.

Business Delegation from the Coushatta Tribe in Louisiana

On March 1, 2009, the Chamber hosted a meeting with a delegation from the Coushatta Tribe in Louisiana, the first business delegation of a Native American tribe in Israel aimed at examining opportunities for investment and cooperation. The delegation met dozens of Chamber Members and described the advantages of investing in a tribe, including Federal and State tax exemptions. The event was aimed at companies in the hi-tech, agro-tech, bio-tech and HS fields.

Further information on the Coushatta tribe can be found in the following links:

http://www.coushatta.org

http://www.coushattacasinoresort.com/about_us/coushatta

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-151556

http://www.jeffdavis.org/PageDisplay.asp?p1=4703

Members to Members

Work Visas to the U.S.: The new administration in the U.S. that was committed to a reform in the immigration laws, along with the current economic crisis, is leading to a major change in the ability of foreign experts to work in the U.S.

The Chamber with collaboration from Erin Green Esq. of Kan-Tor & Acco Law Offices will provide Chamber members a preliminary legal consultation by phone regarding U.S. work visas.

The consultation will be provided courtesy of Kan-Tor & Acco every Sunday during the month of March, between 4-7 p.m., subject to prior registration. To register, contact orel@ktalegal.com or call 03-6138202.

Business Opportunities

Business Opportunities from Israel

1. An Israeli company, developer of footwear that corrects flat-feet while getting rid of insoles and allowing freedom of movement at the ankle, is seeking a manufacturing agreement or a joint venture agreement.
2. An Israeli business development company would like to assist companies in penetrating the Israeli market or expanding its operations here (225).
3. A producer of red light phototherapy devices is seeking importers or distributors in the health care or cosmetic industries (226).

Business Opportunities from the U.S.

1. Raytheon has initiated a project to match major companies with innovative technologies, university researchers, high-tech entrepreneurs, and other innovative high-tech companies.  Raytheon is interested in innovative technologies which could be utilized to track unmanned aerial vehicles; detect chemical and biological substances, and identify and track semi-submersibles.

To submit your nomination by the April 3, 2009 deadline, click on the following link: http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102476501570&e=001EZKkYR3EpWy66orxGccTp-nYlrGq4q5BwMnCIcgbKIYUrAIPpuBat0j1CWWTxDdtrkaGjUwHUlyOVMpGQGxbmLCH115GIoS7baX_CFmp8__WVg6q339osBOsU8o4D7Pux4ms6wUd6Tj2N0VU210ys8iph6t0d4cR.

For further information, contact John Jacobs, SVP, at john@metroplextbc.org.

1. Florida provider of vitamins and food additives is seeking business relationships with importers and distributors to market its products under a private label and/or the manufacturer's commercial name. For information, contact Yael Torres at the Commercial Section of the U.S. Embassy. Tel: 03-5197611.
2. Georgia manufacturer and marketer of jewelry is seeking representatives.
3. Pennsylvania manufacturer of tropical juices is seeking representatives.
4. Georgia manufacturer of pretzels and other snacks is seeking concessionaires willing to invest between $50,000 and $100,000.
5. Delaware manufacturer of Natural Gas Heat Pumps is seeking agents and distributors.
6. Georgia TexMex restaurant chain is seeking concessionaires.
7. Delaware provider of management and financial advisory services to businesses and organizations is seeking clients.
8. Georgia manufacturer of applications to treat severe wounds and injuries is seeking representatives.

Would you like to publish your own business opportunity in the U.S. and Israel? Contact Amos Fabian, amos@amcham.co.il.

Benefits for Members

Improve your English in your own free time, conveniently – online!

60 hours – Just 250 NIS

The Chamber, with The Q Group, is offering members an online, low-intermediate-level English business course for all your international business and travel needs.

Q Business Traveler allows you to study the specific English you will need in 16 business and travel situations, including: travel, hotels, greetings, eating out, socializing, work, directions, and appointments.

The Q Business Traveler offers you the chance to improve your:

• reading, pronunciation, grammar, and speaking skills.
• overall vocabulary – including words and expressions.
• American and British spelling, vocabulary, and pronunciation.

You can purchase the course only through the Chamber, at a special discount – 250 NIS for Chamber Members, 350 NIS for others. The number of licenses is limited. For more information, contact Amos, amos@amcham.co.il

Chamber Boardroom

The Chamber is providing its Members, at a symbolic price, its boardroom on the 8^th floor in the America House in Tel Aviv. Up to 18 people can be seated around the table, or up to 35 people in a theatre configuration. Services include a first-rate projector, a "barcode" for presentation purposes. To make use of the boardroom, contact the Chamber.

Fast-Track Visa to the U.S.

The Chamber assists its Members with a fast-track service for interviews for visas to the U.S. The service is designated only for business trips. The service includes a fee.

For information, contact the Chamber.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Announces Mandatory Registration Prior to Visa-Free Travel to the United States

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced the implementation of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), a Web-based system for the collection of information on Visa Waiver Program (VWP) nationals prior to boarding U.S.-bound air or sea carriers. Registration in ESTA became mandatory for citizens of all 34 VWP countries on January 12, 2009.
For further information, please visit http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html

New Members

17 companies have joined the Chamber in 2009. The following companies have joined the Chamber in the last month: