{"id":504700,"date":"2026-06-22T01:17:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T01:17:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/504700\/"},"modified":"2026-06-22T01:17:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T01:17:12","slug":"from-brooklyn-to-tel-aviv-olim-entrepreneurs-turn-dreams-into-businesses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/504700\/","title":{"rendered":"From Brooklyn to Tel Aviv: olim entrepreneurs turn dreams into businesses"},"content":{"rendered":"

For many Olim, moving to Israel is about building a new life. For Rose Khan, Eli Gendelman and David Bensimhon, it also meant building businesses from the ground up.<\/p>\n

The three entrepreneurs joined ynet Global ahead of Shuk Olim in Tel Aviv, Nefesh B\u2019Nefesh\u2019s annual marketplace celebrating immigrant-owned businesses, where they shared how their aliyah journeys inspired them to create brands that reflect their passions, values and connection to Israel.<\/p>\n

Shuk Olim interview: Eli Gendelman, David Bensimhon, Rose Khan<\/p>\n

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Gendelman, who made Aliyah from Washington, D.C. in 2021, with the support of Nefesh B\u2019Nefesh, in partnership with the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, The Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael, and Jewish National Fund-USA, said her path into entrepreneurship grew naturally from her lifelong passion for art and design. After working in luxury art sales, she saw an opportunity to create accessible artwork that brings joy into people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I came to Israel, it was my first time here. I never knew I was going to stay. I just felt a really strong sense of belonging,\u201d she said. \u201cOnce I saw that market and started receiving feedback about the art I was making, I thought maybe I can build something of my own.\u201d Today, her business, Pink Sink Art, creates colorful pieces inspired by everyday life and Israeli society.<\/p>\n

For Khan, owner of Brooklyn Sisters, the decision came after nearly a decade in Israel and years spent working in marketing and high-tech.<\/p>\n

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2 View gallery <\/p>\n

\"Shuk<\/a>\"Shuk<\/p>\n

\u201cI realized I had been building other people\u2019s brands and wanted to build my own,\u201d she said. Together with her sister, she purchased an existing thrift store and began transforming it into Brooklyn Sisters, blending Brooklyn vintage culture with Tel Aviv energy. \u201cI\u2019ve always wanted to own a little shop, and we decided to go for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The timing, however, was far from ideal. Khan and her sister signed the purchase agreement just days before the outbreak of the recent conflict with Iran.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe signed, and two days later I\u2019m opening the store with missile alerts going off and everything shutting down,\u201d she recalled. \u201cBut we realized we had to open anyway. We became Israeli very quickly. We figured out how to work between sirens and keep moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bensimhon\u2019s journey began when he arrived from London 14 years ago to volunteer for the IDF. After serving, building a family and working in high-tech, he launched PinPerfect, a company creating enamel pins inspired by Israel, Zionism and Jewish pride.<\/p>\n

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2 View gallery <\/p>\n

\"Rose<\/a>\"Rose<\/p>\n

Rose Khan and David Bensimhon <\/p>\n

\u201cAt a time when showing support for Israel has become more difficult in many places, we wanted to create products people could wear proudly,\u201d he said. The company\u2019s designs include pins supporting hostages, commemorating national events and celebrating Israeli identity.<\/p>\n

All three entrepreneurs pointed to the openness and support they found within Israel\u2019s entrepreneurial community. Gendelman said she was surprised by how willing other business owners were to share advice, opportunities and encouragement.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no animosity, competition or ego,\u201d she said. \u201cPeople helped me figure out pricing, gave me opportunities to sell at markets and genuinely wanted me to succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n

The panelists also highlighted the role Nefesh B\u2019Nefesh played in helping them navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship as immigrants. Khan described the organization as her first stop when researching how to start a business in Israel, while Bensimhon credited it with helping him build connections, customers and partnerships.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout them, I wouldn\u2019t have a business today,\u201d Khan said. \u201cEverything from mentors to resources and guidance came through Nefesh B\u2019Nefesh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, the entrepreneurs shared ambitions to continue growing while remaining deeply rooted in Israel. Bensimhon hopes PinPerfect will become a recognized local and international brand, while Khan plans to keep expanding Brooklyn Sisters and supporting fellow Olim entrepreneurs. Gendelman, meanwhile, sees creativity as an ongoing journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know exactly what the next five years hold,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m constantly creating, testing new ideas and seeing what resonates. The things that stick are the things I\u2019ll continue building.\u201d<\/p>\n

Their message to prospective Olim was simple: take the leap.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re thinking about making Aliyah, do it,\u201d Khan said. \u201cDon\u2019t wait for everything to be perfect. You don\u2019t need to have it all figured out. The community is here to help you succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For many Olim, moving to Israel is about building a new life. For Rose Khan, Eli Gendelman and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":504701,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[114,293,85,46],"class_list":["post-504700","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entrepreneurship","tag-business","tag-entrepreneurship","tag-il","tag-israel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/504700","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=504700"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/504700\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/504701"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=504700"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=504700"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=504700"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}