Business can bridge the Beit Shemesh divides

The world has shifted and many of us need to play catch-up, and fast.

Today it’s easier than ever before to make a mark, to have a voice heard and have messages spread. Not always do these advances leave a positive outcome.

Many cities are thriving in the new hi-tech world of sharing and collaborating, whilst others with a history of division are often left behind, though it’s these communities that oftentimes can benefit the most.

Beit Shemesh has a long and glorious history, of course there’s also been a fair share of checkered stories and scandals. Scandals that might leave the average on-looker believing the city is rife with political chaos and beset by cultural infighting between brands of Judaism and slices of Israel.

The reality however could not be more different. As local residents will testify, the city is not just a wonderful place to live and rear children.  Beit Shemesh boasts one of the lowest crime rates in the country and among the highest levels of education in the country.

With almost 100,000 residents there are thousands of hungry entrepreneurs and businessmen who spend their days either community out of the city they love, or alternatively they work from home.

When time is valuable, commuting is lost income and when a small business relies upon a steady deal-flow, the solitary life of home-working runs counter-productive.

Other cities around the country have begun to see the start-up ecosystem arrive in the guise of coworking spaces. These business hubs not only offer low cost high value office space, more than that they offer a base for the local business community to thrive. Through ongoing programs of speakers and networking events, the success is being duplicated across the country.

Tomorrow, in Beit Shemesh, this long awaiting arrival will finally become a reality. SUBS (Start Up Beit Shemesh) opens it’s doors with a launch party replete with well known speakers and locally produced food and drinks. This first networking event is expected to draw a significant crowd having already gained the attention of many popular news outlets.

What is for sure, is the city is in need of a central hub that does not discriminate between individuals or communities. A hub where the language spoken is ‘business’ and the community is strengthened economically and socially.