NYC Sends Delegation to Israel to Forge Connections with Innovative Start-Ups

By Yehudit Garmaise

“NYC wants Israeli businesses here,” Mayor Adams’ Chief of Staff Frank Carone told BoroPark24. “We want them to plant their flags here, and that was the primary purpose behind our trip to Israel last week: to create valuable business relationships for New Yorkers, so we can have an exchange of ideas and economics.”

Carone, who recently visited South Korea on a similar trip, led the NYC delegation in Israel. The NYC officials planned their visit with Israeli start-ups to coordinate with the visit of President Joe Biden, who was strengthening diplomatic ties between Israel and the US.

The NYC delegation, which also included Senior Mayoral Advisor Joel Eisdorfer, Ed Mermelstein, the city’s commissioner for international affairs, Tim Pearson, the senior advisor to the deputy mayor for public safety, and NYPD Inspector Richie Taylor, was focusing on “creating valuable relationships with Israeli business leaders,” Carone told BoroPark24.

The idea to establish friendly business relationships with Israel’s thriving entrepreneurial culture with Biden’s first diplomatic visit as president came from the creative thinking of Boro Park’s Eisdorfer.

“We knew the president was going,” Frank Carone, Mayor Adams’ chief of staff, told BoroPark24. “We spoke to the administration. We said, “We were also planning to be there.” 

The Biden administration said, ‘Great, let’s coordinate.’ 

“Sometimes you take the initiative, and it makes the difference,” Carone said about the mission to which no other American city sent representatives. “That is what this administration is about.” 

During its whirlwind four-day tour of Israel, the NYC delegation met with four Israeli mayors and had the honor to represent NYC at a gathering that honored Biden at the elegant home of Israeli President Isaac Herzog. 

Inspector Taylor said he had the best hummus and bread he had ever tasted at Herzog’s home, which he said Adams, a vegan, would have liked.

“The feel in the room at President Herzog’s home was really special and warm,” said Carone about the event. “We really felt the bond between the Biden and Herzog and Israel and America as a whole.”

The event was attended by another native of Boro Park: Anne Neuberger, the US’s Deputy National Security Advisor.

The focus of the trip of the NYC delegation included hearing from representatives of ground-breaking Israeli businesses, such as a company that uses mushroom stems to create burgers that look, smell, and taste like real burgers,” said Carone.                                                                                                                                                                                     

The mayor's chief of staff has been interested in Israel’s entrepreneurial spirit since he read the book Start-Up Nation, by Dan Senor.

Carone, who called the high-energy innovations of Israel “unique” and “special,” said that he learned in Senor’s book that part of the reason for Israel’s entrepreneurial success is the grit of the people who serve in the military causes them to be less risk-averse to pursue success.

“That attitude and grit is amazing, and that exact entrepreneurial spirit is what I love to share with New Yorkers: particularly young New Yorkers who have not been exposed to companies that follow their dreams,” said Adams’ chief of staff.

“We believe that part of our jobs is to rebuild the NYC economy and to build relationships so that everyone has a better chance at accomplishing the American Dream,” Carone said.