Written by Preston Neimeiser
After a long but interesting day of learning about Israeli technological innovations we had worked up quite an appetite; thus, it seemed fitting to satiate ourselves with a prime example of Israeli Culinary innovation. Eretz Ir has all the feelings of a typical high-end burger bar, but what makes it unique is its presentation. Despite having arrived early for our reservation, Kobi, one of the amiable owners and founders of Eretz Ir, saw that twenty-one hungry fellows, two rabbis, and a lovely program coordinator were seated post-haste and attended to by the sweetest waitress in Tel Aviv who happened to speak impeccable English. After ordering drinks (Eretz Ir has over forty local Israeli beers) we had the opportunity to hear Kobi speak about his passion for good beer and good food. Kobi and his army buddies founded Eretz Ir intent on sharing their passion with the country and have done so remarkably well. The food was delicious and the beer crisp and perfectly poured. We dined on kosher roast beef sandwiches and burgers and sausages, stuffing our faces with fries and mashed potatoes and salad in between. Each beer came with a story and the music playing in the bar wasn't too loud to enjoy each other's company. Our trip also gave us the chance to reflect on all the companies we had spent time with that day. Each one of us seemed to come away with the same feeling of amazement with how ingenious Israelis have been in not only developing tech products, but also in the diversity of their marketing (make sure you look for Wix's superbowl commercial).
Getting the chance to sit and eat and drink with together as fellows of the Nachshon project also inspired us to think of our own creative marketing schemes. How could we share our passions with the world most effectively? Could we not only create, but also inspire ideas that were innovative enough to disseminate the things we truly care about to people all over? Even after leaving the restaurant with very full bellies, we continued these conversations late into the night and got to know each other that much better. Being exposed to all those amazing, innovative companies made us want to be amazing and innovative too. Just like Kobi said, his eyes twinkling with what could only be intense devotion "When you find what you really care about, you're only half way there. You've got to share that love and make other people love it too. Because when you make something good, you're compelled to make it the best it can be. And that means getting everyone on board."
