In 2002, after 22 years of life in New York and Uruguay, Dorit Zimmerman returned to Israel. Upon her return, Dorit, originally from Jerusalem, decided to make the Western Galilee her new home.

After a short period of acclimatization, Dorit formulated an idea to develop a small factory that would produce a line of specialized sportswear called "Margarita". Dorit turned to the MATI (Small Business Development Center) in the Western Galilee to present her idea.

Henry Biton, director of the MATI assisted Dorit in preparing a business plan for the new venture. Dorit participated in a business development course for new immigrants, returning Israelis and unemployed individuals sponsored by MATI and Partnership 2000. The course provided the participants with the opportunity to learn about the current business environment in the country and acquire necessary professional skills.

"Preparing a business plan with MATI helped enhance my self-confidence and gave me the feeling that my business decisions were correct and achievable" Dorit noted, "the experts at MATI expressed their faith in me and decided that my business had an excellent chance of success".

After preparing her business plan, Dorit applied for and received a Jewish Agency sponsored loan to set up her business. Plans are currently underway to establish a Small Business Loan Fund by the Central Consortium for the Western Galilee. Dorit opened a small factory at Kibbutz Sa'ar in Matte Asher, north of Nahariya.

The factory's employees are actively involved in the total production process, beginning with design, cutting, sewing and customer marketing. The quality fabrics imported from the USA are sweat-absorbent, colorfast and shape to the body. The products designed from these materials are intended primarily for those involved in fitness training, aerobics, athletics and dance.

At "Margarita", there is an emphasis on unique designs for specific applications, the concept of producing a limited number of special use design models rather than a mass-produced series.

In the beginning workdays were very long, beginning with production during the morning hours and afternoon traveling to the center of the country to market directly to fitness centers, gyms and private customers. However, positive results came quickly. A year later, the label infiltrated the market and today a number of leading sportswear boutiques in the center of the country sell "Margarita" sportswear.

Today, the company employs a staff of five, within a year cloth orders and factory space doubled. Dorit relates, "purchase requests come from throughout Israel and initial interest was expressed in the United States". Today, production rate stands at 600-700 units per month while demand is for 1,500 units per month and this is only for existing orders in the local market.

"Today, we do not have the means to supply the ever increasing demands and we are in need of addition financial investment (which we hope to receive with the help of MATI) in order to expand our activity and initiate export".

Dorit was born in Jerusalem, at the age of 18 married a young Jew from Uruguay and moved there to live with his family. The young family returned to Israel for the birth of their two children after which they moved to New York, where they resided for some six years. After a time in the US, the family returned to Uruguay, where they lived until the children were grown. In 2002, Dorit returned to Israel to start again.

Dorit has enjoyed significant support and encouragement from those surrounding her, and professional and financial help from the MATI and Partnership 2000. "After 22 years in the Diaspora, I've returned to my family and good friends, this is the best thing that has happened to me since the birth of my children. The most important thing when establishing a company is to believe 100% in yourself, your business and your product. I am in love with Israel and plan to remain here."

Partnership 2000 promotes people-to-people relationships between our Jewish community and Israel's Western Galilee through cultural, social, educational and economic programs along with 12 other cities in the central United States, is linked with the Western Galilee, located in the most northern part of Israel on (along) the Mediterranean coast.

  Sivan 5764 - June 2004