Billionaire Bill Ackman: „From a business perspective, Israel is currently the best place in the world. My best investment this year was putting $25 million into the Israeli stock market, yielding over a 100% profit.“
Bill Ackman is an American financier and entrepreneur, billionaire, and founder and CEO of the hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management. Recently, at the age of 58, he celebrated his bar mitzvah, and last week he made a remarkable statement regarding investments in Israel. In an interview with the newspaper Globes, he stated that from a business standpoint, Israel is the best place on earth to invest money. However, he was likely unaware that in 1991, the Lubavitcher Rebbe predicted this situation!
In a special interview with Globes on the occasion of the opening of the Globes Business Conference, Ackman explained how the events of October 7th changed his worldview. He sharply criticises the American left, especially against the backdrop of rising antisemitism in elite U.S. universities, and expresses surprising optimism about Israel’s future.
Ackman actively supports Israel not only in words but also through significant financial investments, such as in the Israeli stock market.
„I am optimistic. Israel has presented very good economic data in the recent period, which I think surprised many. I always believe that good comes from evil, and October 7th was a terrible day for the Jewish people... But this terrible day also united and consolidated the Jewish community worldwide and reminded people how important Israel is to the Jewish people.“
Ackman discusses his investments in the Israeli stock market, which have been particularly profitable for him: „My best investment this year was putting $25 million into the Israeli stock market, yielding over a 100% profit.“
Ackman decided to make this investment after a 45-minute meeting with the CEO of the stock exchange, Itai Ben-Zeev. The investments did not meet Pershing Square’s criteria („We look for large companies to invest a billion dollars“), so he had to get the fund’s approval. „I thought it was a good way to support the country. And, as mentioned, it was great, including the result.“
In conclusion, Ackman tells Israelis: „This is a long war, and I am sure we are very tired, but from a business perspective, Israel is currently one of the best places in the world. If the economy can achieve this in such a difficult time, imagine how well it will succeed when we live in peace. Overall, I think Israel’s best days are definitely ahead, not behind.“
It should be noted that in 1991, Mordechai-David Segal, chairman of Israel Bonds of America, sought advice from the Lubavitcher Rebbe on how to influence Jews to invest their capital in enterprises in the Holy Land. The Rebbe King Moshiach uttered prophetic words: „The Land of Israel is one of the most reliable places on the globe. This means that anyone who invests their property, their money in the Land of Israel, has the most reliable bank of those existing in our time.“
And today, thanks to Bill Ackman, one of the most successful investors in the world, we can see this for ourselves.