NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans is excited to announce that registration is now open for a unique mission to Israel from July 12-18, 2022.  Visit www.louisianatoisrael.com for mission information and to register.

By expanding its traditional cultural exchange mission to include a multi-sector trade and business development mission, the 2022 Federation Mission will strengthen Louisiana's economic ties with Israel by helping to increase exports to the country, build strategic relationships and explore new business opportunities.

The trade mission includes an all-star lineup of partners including: Jones Walker LLP, Ochsner Health, NFP, Tulane University, the New Orleans Business Alliance, the World Trade Center New Orleans, GNO Inc., Louisiana Economic Development, and the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust. The mission will feature a traditional Jewish culture and history track ("Explore Israel"), as well as four industry tracks in sectors for which Israel is among the world leaders in business and innovation:

• Medicine/Biotechnology/Healthcare
• Energy/Water Management/Engineering
• Transportation/Port/Maritime
• Cybersecurity/Innovation

The mission will include visits to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and industry-specific places of interest for each of the four business tracks. The delegation will be comprised of approximately 200 business, community, educational and government leaders. Participants will also enjoy an exclusive opportunity to take part in the Opening Ceremonies of the Maccabiah Games, the third largest sporting event in the world.

Information sessions will be held on Zoom on February 8 and 10, 2022. Those interested in learning more about each track can register for each session at www.jewishnola.com/israelmission/webinar:

• February 8 | 11:30am - Medicine/Biotechnology/ Healthcare
• February 8 | 1:00pm - Energy/Sustainability
• February 8 | 7:00pm - Explore Israel
• February 10 | 11:30am - Transportation/Port/Maritime
• February 10 | 1:00pm - Cybersecurity/Innovation

"Israel is known as the 'Startup Nation'," said Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans CEO, Arnie Fielkow, "and this upcoming trade mission presents a unique opportunity for Louisiana businesses to gain access to this major international hub of innovation and technology." 

"We are honored to be a part of this trade mission to Israel and are always happy to support opening economic development doors for the State of Louisiana and City of New Orleans," said Jones Walker Managing Partner, Bill Hines. "We greatly look forward to exploring and expanding the economic relationships between the private and public sectors in Israel and the private and public sectors of our city and state."

The United States is Israel's single largest trading partner. Since signing the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in 1985, U.S.-Israel trade has grown eight-fold. Nearly all non-agricultural trade tariffs between the United States and Israel have been eliminated since 1995.  In 2017, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) real growth increased by 3.4 percent over 2016. Israel's GDP Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) in 2017 was $334.6 billion. Israel has a strong economy, led by an export-oriented high-tech sector and a spirit of innovation that continues to attract U.S. companies. The market is primed for U.S. manufacturers of high-end equipment with technology advantages over competition and for components that can be integrated into Israeli systems, either for domestic use or for re-export. Key target sectors for U.S. exports include safety & security, healthcare, information and communication technologies, and defense.

Small businesses may apply to receive reimbursement on registration and travel expenses related to the trade mission through Louisiana's State Trade Expansion Program (STEP). Reimbursements are subject to U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) funding availability. In the unlikely event that Israel closes its borders to travel due to COVID-19, participants will receive a full refund. Visit the mission website for more information on the cancellation and refund policies.

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SOURCE Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans