Eyal Efrat, head of the banking division at Bank Leumi, told attendees at the Jerusalem Post New York Conference that Israeli technological leadership, together with the support of Jewish communities in the US and around the world, has both the power and the obligation to continue moving Israel forward.
Efrat said that Bank Leumi has continued to operate fully throughout the past three years of war and praised the resilience of its employees and customers. “Resilience isn't just a slogan or some abstract idea,” he shared. “It’s something real that you can experience and see with your own eyes, every single day. The rate at which Israeli society and the economy can adapt is amazing and never-ending. Resilience truly characterizes our society.”
According to Efrat, the Israeli economy has maintained stability during periods of crisis because its key sectors—finance, high-tech, and defense—have continued to function effectively, supplying products and services to both local and global markets. This stability, he said, enables the Israeli economy to keep growing, even during periods of crisis.
Efrat added that Leumi is also successfully addressing the challenges of the AI revolution and is currently rolling out a full AI implementation for its customers. “We believe that the impact of these technologies will enable us to rethink how we work, to reinvent internal processes and routines, to provide our customers with better and more advanced tools, more tailored products and services, and an overall much better banking experience.”
He said that a shared culture of innovation, adaptability, and perseverance, together with the American Jewish community’s unique role in connecting the two countries, is what makes the Israel-US partnership so exceptional. “It’s not just a diplomatic relationship. It’s an economical, technological, and financial partnership that runs deep, with a significant American presence, especially in Israeli high-tech.”
Efrat added that aliyah is an engine of social and economic growth, with new immigrants continuing to arrive from the US, Europe, and Australia, integrating into the country's economic ecosystem and contributing to its growth.
In collaboration with Bank Leumi