Israeli Women Entrepreneurs Push Forward Through War and Uncertainty
Maayan Hoffman’s latest report tells a bracing story of grit, improvisation, and the kind of stubborn resolve that keeps a business alive when everything around it is wobbling. At the center are Israeli women entrepreneurs who kept going through war, evacuations, economic strain, and fresh fears tied to Iran, even when the odds looked lousy.
The story opens with Olga, who runs a distillery in northern Israel. Her business was just beginning to gain traction when the October 7, 2023, war broke out. Because the operation was new, government compensation was limited. Then came evacuation, supply problems, and the loss of fruit needed for her signature liqueurs. After residents were allowed to return, she reopened her visitor center, only to see planned international tours and missions fall apart as regional tensions rose again. It is the sort of story that would make many people shut the doors. She did not.
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That personal struggle is part of a larger pattern described in a new report from Yozmot Atid, released for International Women’s Day on Sunday, March 8. The organization supports self-employed women, freelancers, and small business owners, especially in Israel’s social and geographic periphery. According to the survey, 89% of women reported increased income over the past year, and 81% said they kept their businesses running despite the war. For small businesses in a country fighting on multiple fronts, that is no small feat.
Tsofit Gordon, the group’s CEO, argues that the data shows what happens when women get serious support, training, and practical tools. Some are now earning more through their businesses than many women employed by others. The report also shows that entrepreneurship spans age groups and communities, from Jewish and Arab women to Bedouin, Druze, ultra-Orthodox, and new immigrant participants.
Still, the broader picture is mixed. Hoffman also points to new figures from the Israel Innovation Authority showing that women remain underrepresented in high-tech leadership and continue to earn less than men. That leaves readers with two truths at once: in Israel, women are building businesses with real staying power, but the climb to equal footing is far from over. Read Hoffman’s full piece for the sharper numbers, the human stories, and the stubborn ingenuity behind them.
