Israel is a nation often in the news but seldom for its potential as an investment.
Israel is a tiny country but a powerhouse for investing opportunities, particularly in the tech sector. Brian Mumbert joins us today to examine Israel in a different light.
Brian Mumbert is Vice President and Regional Sales Executive at Timothy Plan, an underwriter of Faith & Finance.
Despite frequent headlines about conflict in the Middle East, Israel stands out as a remarkably resilient nation with an entrepreneurial spirit.
Israelis have a low view of debt culturally. In fact, at one point, the government even sent out piggy banks to every citizen to encourage savings and wise stewardship. That mindset—combined with a tech-forward economy—creates strong fundamentals that appeal to values-based investors.
Understandably, some investors may wonder about the safety of investing in a country with frequent regional conflict. Israel is regulated just like the U.S. They have their own stock exchange—the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange—and the top 125 companies are listed on the Tel Aviv 125 index.
Even during times of war, Israel’s economy continues to operate. Brian compared it to the U.S. during World War II: while volatility occurred, the Dow still gained over 50% from 1939 to 1945.
Israel graduated from the emerging markets category to a developed economy in 2009. While this was a major step forward, it ironically resulted in less attention from global investors, since many international funds tend to favor larger developed economies like Japan or those in Europe.
Still, the fundamentals are strong. Israel’s unemployment and inflation rates remain low, and the U.S. continues to be a committed ally.
Israel has earned the nickname “Startup Nation” for good reason. Its high-tech sector employs 12% of the workforce and generates 20% of the country’s GDP.
Many Israeli companies don’t become household names because giants like Apple, Google, and Amazon acquire them. Notable examples include:
The government’s support of tech innovation has made Israel the third-largest tech hub globally by capital raised—just behind Silicon Valley and New York.
While tech leads the way, Israel’s financial sector is also strong due to the cultural avoidance of debt. This contrasts sharply with many Western nations. Innovations in agriculture (like drip irrigation) and strong export activity also contribute to Israel’s economic resilience.
Over 50% of Israel’s exports are tech-related; major U.S. companies like Apple have invested heavily in Israeli startups, demonstrating the global demand for their innovations.
Israel’s global relationships are improving, with normalization efforts such as the Abraham Accords expanding diplomatic and trade ties across the Middle East.
Venture capital is thriving, too. Israel boasts over 270 active VC funds, and from 2014 to 2018, investment in Israeli startups grew by 140%—more than double the rate in the U.S. during the same period.
Timothy Plan offers the Israel Common Values Mutual Fund for those interested in investing in Israel in a biblically responsible way. This fund stands out in several ways:
The fund performed very well last year as the Israeli Stock Exchange closed the year up over 20%, with most of that growth coming in the second half.
If you’re interested in learning more about investing in Israel and doing so in a way that aligns with your faith, visit TimothyPlan.com.
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