The Galiladies community, comprised of 2,000 women entrepreneurs from the Galilee and the Golan Heights, convened Tuesday at Margalit Startup City Tel Aviv, in an event aimed at spearheading innovation and economic growth in Northern Israel. The gathering highlighted the importance of supporting small business owners in the north amid the challenges faced by the war.
Established two years ago at the Foodtech Center of Margalit Startup City Galil, the Galiladies community represents a diverse group of women aged 28 to 65 hailing from various backgrounds, including cities, kibbutzim, moshavim, Druze, and Arab villages. United in their vision for a thriving Northern Israel, these women have become catalysts for change in their communities.
At Tuesday’s event, attendees had the opportunity to network and engage with prominent business figures such as Erel Margalit, Chairman and Founder of Margalit Startup City and JVP, and Yael Vinar, CEO of ‘Overot VeShavot,’ who provided mentorship talks.
One of the highlights of the event was a special sale showcasing Galilean products developed by these entrepreneurial women, offering a glimpse into the creativity and diversity of their ventures. Products ranged from cheese from Kibbutz Ortal to wine from Harei Galil Winery and hand-painted scarves from Moshav Ma’ale, among others.
At the meeting, the entrepreneurs reflected on how, since October 7, 2023, their businesses have collapsed and they have received zero assistance from the government. They also expressed fears of returning to the North until there is full security.
Adi Bar Golan, founder of Ma’ale, said: “For years, I have been dealing with tourism. Everything came to a halt on October 7th. You sit at home and think, okay, what now? And you realize you need to reinvent yourself. The big difficulty is loneliness, it’s lack of income, it’s going from a hundred to zero! What holds me is the people I talk to. That’s what keeps me alive and helps me. Until today, I haven’t received anything from the government. I’m an optimistic person, and I say it’s forbidden to give up. My friends who are in the same situation as me suffered a shock, and since then, they haven’t been able to recover.”
