This post has little to do with investing in Israel, but I needed to write it anyway to garner some sympathy from our readers. Yours truly was today a victim of crime. It was about 8:15am and I went outside with a couple of our children to take them to school. I started looking for my car and couldn’t find it. I asked our 5-year old if he remembered where I parked last night and he said, “Right here, next to the garbage can.” Well there was no Chevrolet next to the garbage can, so I continued walking up and down the street searching for the car. After muttering a few choice words under my breath, it was clear that my car was stolen.

Great. Can’t think of a better way to start the week! Luckily for me I have a leased car so after filing a police report, I went to the leasing company and they had a new car waiting for me. Shout out to SaGal for some excellent customer service.

Problem was that I had some personal stuff in the car and we also lost our 3 car seats, 2 of which were brand spanking new.

I was reminded of the Seinfeld when Jerry had just installed a car phone in his car and the car was stolen. George and Cramer had the idea of calling the thief. They called and Cramer got on the phone and asked if they could return his new gloves. Well I am calling out to thieves as well. Can we get our car seats back?

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Aaron Katsman is Managing Editor of the Israel Opportunity Investor newsletter. He is lead portfolio manager for the Israel Growth Portfolio and Managing Director of America Israel Investment Associates, LLC. For more information, go to www.israelnewsletter.com or call 1-888-327-6179, or email aaron@profile-financial.com.

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It appears that due to the popularity of Israelnewsletter.com( or maybe not), and the fact that the investing public wants to get more news on the Israeli capital markets, it’s rumored that financial media powerhouse Bloomberg, is planning to open up an office in Israel’s capital city, Jerusalem. According to a report in Globes, “that financial wires services company Bloomberg LP will open its first office in Israel on September 10, and has rented space in Jerusalem’s Malcha Technology Park.” The article continues, “It seems that Bloomberg understands that the Israeli capital market is important enough to open an office here, and that’s a good thing.”

Along with all the innovation coming out of Israel, and all the foreign investment pouring in, this is another step for Israel becoming a financial center.

Please see our Disclaimer HERE.

Aaron Katsman is Managing Editor of the Israel Opportunity Investor newsletter. He is lead portfolio manager for the Israel Growth Portfolio and Managing Director of America Israel Investment Associates, LLC. For more information, go to www.israelnewsletter.com or call 1-888-327-6179, or email aaron@profile-financial.com.

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The entire interview with Dave Fry of ETF Digest part of our new subscription newsletter, Israel Opportunity Investor. You can find out more about the product and the opportunities we cover at www.israelnewsletter.com.

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How did you become a leading analyst on ETFs?
Dave Fry, Founder of ETF Digest: I think being early in coverage of these fast growing investment vehicles is the easy answer.  Beyond that we have tried to be more honest and blunt in our coverage of new products.  We haven’t been “yes men” or suck ups for issuers and sponsors for example.  Where we’ve been critical some ETF sponsors won’t talk to us any more for example which isn’t a bother since we don’t use their products anyway.  Further where there are problems we’ve been out front in pointing these out.  That occurred with shorting problems for retail investors where the promised benefit didn’t meet reality. (Continue »)

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As the shekel continues to advance against most major currencies and especially against the US dollar, Israeli exporters are suffering.  As Katsman wrote recently about software integrator, BluePhoenix (BPHX), currency issues are partly to blame as certain firms feel the pinch on shekel-based research costs and the double-whammy of a macro slowdown.

I’ve heard of Israeli start-ups beginning to hire more employees in the U.S.  The wage differential is almost gone and given the onus of larger benefits packages for Israeli employees, Israeli firms are turning to offshore part of their engineering staff to America.

Imagine an engineer based in the Valley being cheaper than his counterpart in Tel Aviv?!

It’s nuts. (Continue »)

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