The third annual Living Financially Smarter in Israel (LFSII) conference, held at the Nefesh B’Nefesh Campus in Jerusalem on Sunday, drew a sold-out crowd.
Some 350 English-speaking Israelis and new and veteran immigrants gathered for a full day of practical strategies on how to build financial stability and thrive in Israel.
“Long-term planning and achieving financial security in Israel can be confusing and overwhelming,” said Rifka Lebowitz, a certified financial planner, founder of LFSII and the driving force behind the event, partnered with Nefesh B’Nefesh, a nonprofit that promotes and facilitates aliyah from North America.
Her online community has now grown to more than 40,000 members. “I’ve seen a powerful transformation in how our community talks about money. People are determined to create sustainable foundations here in Israel. The days of thinking you can never make money after aliyah are over.”
Lebowitz, who worked for two years in the banking sector and nine years in a portfolio management company before becoming a financial planner, believes that Israel’s financial system, despite relatively high taxes, offers good opportunities for ordinary people to achieve lasting security.
“Money does not have to be about greed,” she said. “It can be about stability, opportunity, and responsibility. With its entrepreneurial spirit, thriving small business culture and creativity, Israel can become a world leader in building a financial model rooted in integrity, innovation, and kindness.”
She invited JGive, leaders in kindness and charity giving, to participate in the conference. “The way we jumped into helping everyone when the war started highlighted Israeli values of giving,” Leibowicz told JNS.
Launched in 2023, the annual conference was designed to give attendees Israel-specific financial guidance and help them navigate the country’s complex systems. With thousands of new immigrants expected this year from North America and the UK, Nefesh said the need for accessible, practical financial education is greater than ever.
This year’s program expanded to cover new and emerging topics, including the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in personal finance and strategies for people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
ADHD coach Alana Stern, in her session “Focus on Finances: Thriving with ADHD and Financial Organization,” explained why traditional budgeting methods often fail for adults with ADHD and offered tips to add novelty, challenge, and rewards to financial tasks to boost motivation.
AI expert Mayer Reich, founder and CEO of Prosperity AI, warned participants that his session might sound alarming. He presented hard data on AI’s impact on the workforce, noting that the pace of change is so fast that even the latest information may already be outdated and shared insights on emerging careers, the growing earning potential for AI-proficient professionals and platforms participants can use immediately for tax preparation, investment planning, debt reduction and more.
Traditional but critical topics, including budgeting, pensions and navigating Bituach Leumi (Israel’s national social security system), were the most popular.
Attorney Miriam Shatsky spoke on wills and inheritance law in Israel, emphasizing the importance of designating someone to manage digital assets such as email, WhatsApp messages, and cryptocurrency.
“Make a plan for a digital legacy and share account passwords with someone you trust,” she urged.
Economist Yehuda Porath, representing the Bank of Israel, offered participants an insider’s look at the central bank’s role and broke down the key economic indices shaping the Israeli economy.
Other featured speakers included Alon Katz, deputy CEO of Be The Bank Israel, on “Investing Like You Live Here,” financial advisor Norman Chait on retirement and estate planning and business mentor Rachel Lubchansky on defining and communicating one’s professional value for greater success.
Entrepreneur and “anxiety coach” Talie Waruklar, who made aliyah from London in 2009, said she has personally benefited from the conference. “It was packed with practical information and great takeaways I plan to implement. I’ve really seen my finances improve since the first conference and I’m looking forward to seeing them improve even more,” she said.
Participants traveled from across Israel, including business strategy coach Lesley Kaplan, who drove from Netanya.
Kaplan, who is organizing an upcoming Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel (AACI)–Nefesh B’Nefesh Jerusalem Business Conference, said, “I loved the variety of topics and the chance to reconnect with friends and business colleagues. It was worth the drive.”
Lebowitz closed the day by encouraging participants to act on what they had learned.
“As we begin the new year, set clear goals to improve how financially ‘smart’ you can live in the years ahead,” she said.
