“With great sorrow and tears I read about the economic suffering that occurred in Northern Israel to the small women's businesses due to the bombing that happened. I felt the pain of all the artisans mentioned in your news brief… my heart cried for Israel"

– An excerpt from an email sent to Yosepha Tabib-Calif, Northern Exposure Coordinator, following a feature article on the project in the Jerusalem Post, July 10th, 2007.

Earlier this month, SHATIL hosted a group of journalists on a Northern Exposure tour of micro-businesses, highlighting the accomplishments of this innovative SHATIL initiative (www.nes.org.il). Following the tour, an article appeared in the Jerusalem Post, detailing SHATIL's work and included highlights of interviews with business owners such as Dorit Jordan Dotan, a ketubah designer (http://www.nes.org.il/businesses/79/).

Women of the Earth and Zatar, an agricultural cooperative met with Israeli journalists
during the recent SHATIL-coordinated tour of Northern Exposure Businesses.

Northern Exposure, made possible with the support of the UJC Federation /Jewish Agency, is a partnership with six of Israel's leading economic empowerment organizations. One of the primary strategies is the cultivation of new markets for micro-business owners through the promotion of a new internet site to market micro-business products and services, and through tourism. SHATIL has hosted several delegations this summer and will host several more in the next few months.

The Northern Exposure project has already received tremendous feedback, including a constant flow of emails from people around the world praising the site, asking how they can participate in the project or inquiring about making purchases (items may be purchased directly from the business owner; contact information is available on the website). In response to media attention generated around this project, SHATIL has received inquiries from delegations and individuals wishing to participate in one of our several tourism "tracks", which enables visitors to spend time combining local tourism with visits to Northern Exposure businesses such as art galleries, shops, craft studios and boutique restaurants.

Several business owners have reported an increase in sales as a result of the buzz generated around the project. Nagah Khir, for instance, who began making gluten-free bread and other products because of her daughter's allergy, is receiving orders from as far away as Jordan as a result of an article that appeared in a local newspaper. Overnight, her production has more than doubled.