By: Sergio CarmonaContact Reporter

The Israeli-American Council recently announced plans to host its fifth annual IAC National Conference in South Florida.

The conference, which has annually drawn thousands of participants from around the country, will take place later this year from Nov. 29-Dec. 2 at the Diplomat Resort and Spa in Hollywood. The previous conference in Washington, D.C. drew a record 2,700 participants and hundreds of thought leaders, influencers, entrepreneurs, policymakers and activists from the United States, Israel, and around the world.

Shoham Nicolet, co-founder and chief executive officer for the Los Angeles-based IAC, recently visited South Florida to make preparations for the conference and to try to get a good picture on what the community's interests are. He met with community leaders, including heads of Jewish federations, city officials and synagogue leaders including rabbis, during his local visit.

Nicolet described bringing this conference to South Florida for the first time as a "unique opportunity" and one for the entire community that he feels is pro-Israel during an interview while he was in town.

"It's a community that's very connected to Israel. There are many Jewish organizations here and the leaders that I've met here are real leaders."

Nicolet also noted that for the IAC to be hosting this event in a strong pro-Israel community is going to be a "huge game-changer."

Nicolet said the theme for this year's event is going to be From Declaration to Startup Nation and will celebrate Israel as an innovative and entrepreneur center. He also said the conference's presentation will be spoken in English. He noted, regarding the conference's appeal, "I think what makes our conference special, compared to other conferences, is that throughout the day, you talk, and at night, you party."

"There are amazing speakers, but at the end of the day and in the evening, it's a big, fun Israeli conference. There's also a pro-Israel community in the conference that loves Israel beyond politics. If you want to experience Israel without buying a plane ticket to Israel, you can come to this conference. There are amazing speakers from Israel and it's going to be a great opportunity for anyone who wants to experience Israel, talk Israel and express their love for Israel."

Nicolet described how attendees can feel connected to Israel at this conference.

"First if all, they're going to be around a lot of Israelis, so they will see the energy and hear the language. Second of all, we really bring a lot of Israeli culture, with music, entertainment and food. Third is the content. We bring Israeli politicians and those from Israeli academia and the high-tech industry. These are people who shape and lead Israel and they'll all be in one place discussing things in a very open way."

Nir Lerman, IAC's Florida regional director, said regarding the conference, "This is going to be a unique experience for the South Florida community that is really supportive of Israel."

"People will have the opportunity to enjoy something that is unique at a beautiful place, the Diplomat."

Pre-sale tickets are now available for discounted general admission. Visit israeliamerican.org/conference for more information.

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