A newly launched investment vehicle is offering individuals, foundations and institutions the opportunity to "own a stake in Israel's thriving economy" by owning fractional interests in a diversified group of more than 100 Israel-focused companies.
Introduced by the RVW Wealth, LLC financial advisory firm, The Jerusalem Portfolio (TJP) allows investors to carve out a portion of their portfolios to reflect their values. The companies in the portfolio operate across sectors of the Israeli economy such as cybersecurity, energy, health care and technology. Some of the most prominent companies involved include Check Point Software, Elbit Systems, NovoCure and Wix.com.
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RVW Wealth, which has a multi-decade track record of delivering the highest-quality investment management and related services, said it is channeling its "deep passion" for supporting Israel into this new venture. The venture's dual goal, according to RVW Wealth, is empowering its investors to make financial decisions that simultaneously reflect their values and enhance their bottom line.
"The Jerusalem Portfolio fills a critical need in the market: a values-driven investment opportunity for individuals and institutions dedicated to supporting Israel," said Selwyn Gerber, co-founder and chief strategist of TJP and RVW Wealth.
"With TJP, investors gain unprecedented access to Israel's rapidly growing economy by investing in established, listed companies."
At a May 29 launch event, Stanley P. Gold, one of the largest and earliest major foreign private investors in Israel, said the Jewish state offers the opportunity to "buy brains wholesale, convert it to a product and sell that product on the world market."
Israeli investment strategist and economist Joe Levin, who also spoke at the event, noted that the Israeli economy and Israel-focused stock indexes managed to outperform their Western counterparts during the 2008 global financial crisis, weathering the crash without a decline.
Levin described investment in Israel as "the direct antidote to divestment," reflecting TJP's objective to help its investors take a concrete step to counter the BDS movement through a positive, proactive approach.
"This is a way to invest with your heart and with your head," said Jeffrey I. Abrams, TJP's co-founder and managing director of RVW's Legacy Resource Center. "This portfolio gives investors the ability to own a stake in the Israeli economy, counter delegitimization of the Jewish state and achieve their financial goals through a highly competitive asset class."
'An ideal gift'
The new financial instrument also features a charitable component. As part of RVW Wealth's stated mission to give back, TJP is donating its profits to Leket, Israel's national food bank, which collects and distributes some 220 tons of food for more than 140,000 people in need on a weekly basis.
"We are delighted to be the recipient of the generosity of the Jerusalem Portfolio," said Leket's founder and chairman Joseph Gitler.
TJP is encouraging members of the Jewish community to "consider ditching the check" and instead gift these investments in Israel for bar/bat mitzvahs, weddings or other special occasions. "It's an ideal gift for simchas," said TJP co-founder Jonathan Gerber. "Giving the gift of an enduring stake in the Israeli economy is a terrific way to commemorate any Jewish life-cycle event with a tangible link to the land."
A new account can be created with a minimum investment of $180.
The portfolios are managed through a fully automated online process that meets the needs of small and large investors alike while making investing "simple and immediate," according to RVW Wealth. Larger individual investors and institutions will have the opportunity to meet with an advisory team to customize their portfolio designs. Each portfolio is independently custodied at TD Ameritrade.
The advisory firm also emphasized that TJP's portfolio managers are "pure fiduciary advisors with no conflicts of interest," and that these investments in Israel-focused companies are "tax efficient, low-cost and completely liquid."
This article is reprinted with permission from JNS.org.
