Move over Italy, Brazil, and Germany. Israeli jewelry designers, long lost in the shuffle of countries looking for global exposure, are making a move to correct that. A newly formed group of Israeli jewelers named the Holy Land Group aims to introduce Israeli designs to consumers beyond their borders.

HLG comprises eight Israeli jewelry designers whose work, in sterling silver and karat gold, is made in the Holy Land. The artists banded together out of a need for marketing help. “It’s hard to design the jewelry and make it and market it—it’s too much,” says Lisa Kuperman, vice president of Ari Kuperman.

Enter another Israeli, HLG co-founder and sales and marketing director Jay Kohn, to help solve their dilemma. Kohn takes HLG jewelry to trade shows in various American markets, including Miami and Orlando, Fla., to generate new business. He also maintains memberships in the Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute, the Israel Jewelry Manufacturers Association, and the Florida Chapter of the Israel-America Chamber of Commerce. A U.S. office in Winter Park, Fla., also helps facilitate sales in the States.

HLG members already have multiple retail accounts on their home turf. By branching out overseas, HLG aims to introduce Americans to their Eastern Mediterranean themes and motifs, including doves for peace and the pomegranate for righteousness. Oxidized silver, swirls, and beading are other “typically Israeli” looks, says Kuperman.

“British and American designers are very safe,” notes Kuperman. “That safety has to do with their general public and what they buy. But here in Israel, it’s so diverse that anything goes.”

For more information about HLG, call (866) 400-0836 or visit www.hlgjewelry.com.