From the Midwest to the Middle East

Last Updated 8 months ago In part II, Philip Stein and Yair Benjamini continue diving into the latest Israeli tax reforms, unraveling how the new “wallet company” and “trapped profits” legislation is shaking up the business world. Discover what these changes mean for business owners, especially U.S. citizens living in Israel, and how they can navigate this complex landscape...

Last Updated 8 months ago In this podcast, Philip Stein and tax lawyer Yair Benjamini discuss significant changes in Israeli tax law affecting Olim (new immigrants) and returning residents. They explore the implications of new reporting requirements for foreign income, the voluntary disclosure program for those who may have misreported income, and the challenges posed by proposed changes to reside...

Last Updated 3 months ago In this episode, Yaacov Jacob and Philip Stein discuss the financial considerations for individuals making Aliyah to Israel. They cover essential topics such as how much money to bring, the implications of the 10- y ear tax holiday , filing the FBAR , and the complexities of investing in passive foreign investment companies ( PFICs ). The conversation also highlights the...

Last Updated 8 months ago In this conversation, Professor Dan Ben-David discusses the historical and contemporary socioeconomic challenges facing Israel, particularly focusing on the impact of the 1970s on the country’s growth trajectory. He emphasizes the urgent need for educational reform to address the disparities in the education system and the potential risks of a ‘spiral of colla...

Last Updated 11 months ago Join us for a follow-up conversation with Maya Natan, CEO of Keshet DAF IL, as we explore how Israeli giving has evolved since our 2019 discussion . Tune in for insights on how donors drive greater impact through long-term philanthropy and social investment. The post Episode 138: Keshet 2.0 appeared first on Philip Stein & Associates .

Last Updated 11 months ago History buffs, this one is for you! Join Philip and his guest, historian Shalom Lamm, founder of OperationBenjamin.org. Operation Benjamin is devoted to preserving the memories of American-Jewish servicemen and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while defending the cause of freedom during World War I and World War II. Tune in and enjoy! The post Episode 137: Righting...

Last Updated 1 year ago Featuring Shlomo Schreibman of Turning Point by Brand Launcher , this episode explores the highly sensitive issue of working with family. The post Episode 136: All in the Family? appeared first on Philip Stein & Associates .

If you haven’t heard of her yet (where have you been?), here’s your chance to get to know the powerhouse that is Fleur Hassan-Nahoum ! Fleur is Israel’s Special Envoy for Trade and Innovation, the former Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, Co-founder of the UAE-Israel Business Council, and so much more! Tune in and enjoy. The post Episode 135: The Fleur Factor – Leadership, Innovation, an...

Last Updated 11 months ago In the first episode of 2025, Philip interviews Philippe Blumenthal, Founder and CEO of the not-for-profit Governmental Savings Institute . Philippe’s primary goal is to help Americans retire overseas while still accessing their earned healthcare benefits. He also focuses on helping Americans living abroad become eligible for residence-based taxation. Additionally,...

Last Updated 11 months ago Join Philip and guest Roee Azizi. During the past year, after serving in southern Israel post-October 7th, 2023, Roee changed his life, moved to the Western Negev, and established “ Hinenu “(here we are). This movement encourages young men and women to move to the Western Negev and participate in its revival and prosperity. Tune in to this inspiring episode a...

Last Updated 11 months ago Join Philip and longtime friend   David Weinberg for a brand new episode of From the Midwest to the Middle East. David is a government relations and foreign affairs specialist based in Israel. He is a diplomatic, defense, political, and Jewish world columnist for  The Jerusalem Post  and  Israel Hayom  newspapers and a senior managing fellow at the Jerusalem-based Misgav...

Last Updated 11 months ago Discover an oasis of raw nature in the heart of Gush Dan at Ecopark Glilot . Today’s guest, Yoav Kremer , is the passionate environmentalist behind this ambitious project when he’s not at his day job as a lawyer. Hear all about how the park came to be and what you can do to help keep Israel’s natural resources thriving. The post Episode 131: Rewilding t...

Last Updated 11 months ago In our final episode of the Outlook on 2024 series, get all your burning real estate questions related to Israel answered by our guest, Yitzchak Kowalsky, CEO of YYK Real Estate . With over a decade in the real estate business, you benefit from Yitzy’s expertise! Happy listening! The post Episode 129: Outlook on 2024, Part VIII – Residential Real Estate appea...

Last Updated 11 months ago Aaron Zucker , a friend of the show, returns for a new conversation. As the Founder and Managing Partner of Sapir Venture Partners , Aaron shares his thoughts on the latest industry trends and innovations and what to expect in the near future. As you may know, Israel is one of the leading countries in the world of startups. Its thriving tech scene has produced many succe...

Last Updated 11 months ago Turn your Aliyah dream into reality with insights from the latest episode of From the Midwest to the Middle East. In this episode, Philip is joined by Jay Kierman of Prime Aliyah . No matter your life stage, you will find this episode extremely helpful in planning your Aliyah. Happy listening! The post Episode 127: Outlook on 2024-Part VI – Aliyah: Dream to Reality...

Last Updated 11 months ago In today’s tumultuous world, marked by the ongoing war in Ukraine, congressional challenges in the U.S., rising interest rates, and the unfolding conflict in Israel, the resilience of the U.S. stock market is nothing short of remarkable, consistently hitting record highs against all odds. Episode 126 of our series, “Outlook on 2024,” presents an engagin...

Last Updated 11 months ago Michael Granoff, founder of Maniv Mobility , joins Philip to discuss the future of Electric Vehicles in 2024 and beyond. Is there disenchantment with EVs in the U.S.? Are traditional car manufacturers pulling back on their EV production? Is a company like BYD going to become a household name? Tune in to hear his take on these questions and much more! The post Episode 125...

Last Updated 1 year ago In part III of our podcast series, Outlook on 2024, Philip speaks with Commercial Real Estate expert Jonathan Steinberg , the CEO of Newmark Natam , the largest commercial real estate company in Israel. Located in Tel Aviv, it has five regional offices. In addition to his position at Newmark Natam, Steinberg is the chairman of the board of the Shechter Institute for Jewish...

Last Updated 1 year ago We all know the quote from Benjamin Franklin ..”. in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes,” However, if you are lucky, you will also someday be eligible for a pension! Join Philip as he chats with his longtime friend and Israeli pension expert, Yitschak Cina (aka Scotzy). Learn about how to plan for retirement and what to do with your Keren Hishtalmut...

Last Updated 1 year ago Join host Philip Stein in an enlightening conversation with Lena Levin , a certified accountant and serial entrepreneur. Discover Lena’s incredible journey, from co-founding medical device startups to her latest venture, Octopus AI , a cutting-edge technology company revolutionizing the way financial processes are automated and optimized. Lena’s expertise in fin...

Last Updated 1 year ago In our latest episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Aaron Zucker , the Executive Director of MassChallenge IL, part of a global network of zero-equity startup accelerators, including one in Jerusalem, Israel. With over a decade of experience in entrepreneurship and innovation, Aaron shared his insights on the evolving startup landscape and the key challenges and opp...

Last Updated 1 year ago Did you know that around 1/3 of all food produced for human consumption goes to waste? Now you can save money on groceries while also helping the planet and preventing food waste by shopping at a supermarket that uses the innovative technology provided by Wasteless . In this episode, Philip chats with Founder and CEO Omer Oded about his innovative company. The post Epi...

Last Updated 1 year ago Discover how Daika Wood is revolutionizing the wood manufacturing industry by repurposing wood waste. Join host Philip Stein as he speaks with CEO and Co-Founder Dr. Michael Layani about the innovative startup on the latest episode of From the Midwest to the Middle East. Tune in now for an eye-opening conversation on sustainable solutions! The post Episode 118: Old Wood, Ne...

Last Updated 1 year ago The alternative food industry is expanding at a rapid pace, and in this episode, Philip chats with Noam Sharon , Co-founder, and CEO of CHKP Foods . CHKP is engaged in the development of plant-based dairy alternative consumer products, ranging from milk, yogurts, spreadable cream cheese, and sweet puddings-all derived from chickpeas. Tune in now to learn all about it! The p...

Last Updated 1 year ago In this episode, Philips chats with an old friend of the show from Morocco. Amine Ayoub is a freelance consultant in Market Intelligence and Business Development and is frequently featured on i24news. While most of the post-Abraham Accords’ attention focuses on the UAE, a lot is going on behind the scenes between Israel and Morocco. Tune in to hear Amine’s take...