WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – There’s an effort to grow business relationships between Massachusetts and Israel.
22News spoke with Israeli Consul General Yahuda Yaakov in West Springfield. He’s recently launched a project to take the business contacts and partnerships that have been created in Greater Boston, and bring them here to western Massachusetts.
“The numbers are staggering in business contacts between the Commonwealth and 200 Israeli-founded companies have brought $6-billion to the coffers of the state,” said Consul General Yakov.
Yaakov told 22News there are now three direct flights per week between Israel and Boston’s Logan Airport. He’s exploring what Western Massachusetts has to offer to bring more Israeli tourists here.
Senator Eric Lesser of Longmeadow is working to capitalize on direct flights from Boston to Tel Aviv that have been in service since June.
On Wednesday he hosted the Israeli Consul General at a round table discussion with western Massachusetts tech leaders and entrepreneurs. Lesser said once Israeli investors and tourists land at Logan, he wants to give them reasons to travel west to spend their time and money.
“We have a highly skilled workforce,” said Senator Lesser. “We have a traditional history of manufacturing, 3D printing. We have a great health care system with Baystate Medical Center.”
Yakov said, “There’s nothing like seeing first hand, going to the Basketball Hall of Fame and saying what’s going to be attractive to an Israeli?”
Senator Lesser said there are already more than 200 companies across the Commonwealth founded by Israelis.