The Israeli Crypto, Blockchain, and Web3 Companies Forum was established in 2022, spearheaded by Nir Hirschmann-Rub and Shauli Rejwan. Recognizing the nuanced landscape of regulatory developments akin to unpredictable and harsh winter storms, they perceived these regulatory shifts as slow and gradual processes, much like a seed's journey from germination to maturity. Contrary to the abrupt havoc wrought by storms, regulatory changes, though slow to arise, become formidable once they surface.

Hirschman and Rejwan proposed the forum's creation to the Israeli Bitcoin Association's committee, advocating for a collaborative approach: the association would continue to support the developer, programmer, and user community, while the new forum would focus on industry-specific needs. This division of labor aimed to ensure long-term community support. 

Meni Rosenfeld, the Bitcoin association's chairman was appointed also as the forum's chairman, and Hirschmann and Rejwan rallied various foundational members to the forum, such as Collider VC, Aleph, Bits of Gold, Starkware, Fireblocks, Blox, Fuse, Masterkey, and later, Chainalysis, making the Isreali crypto companies forum Israel's only blockchain association.
 

The forum's mission is multifaceted, focusing on:

1. Assisting established and startup companies, as well as entrepreneurs keen on leveraging or developing digital currency products and services, including blockchain, NFTs, and other digital assets.

2. Collaborating with regulatory bodies to establish a comprehensive framework for digital currency operations, ensuring accessibility for interested parties while safeguarding against misuse.

3. Enhancing public awareness of digital currencies and blockchain technology.

Governance of the forum is shared between two main committees:
the professional and the executive. These committees, comprised of forum members, convene to discuss and decide on the forum's strategic direction, ensuring that all activities align with the collective interests of the ecosystem. Decisions are reached through consensus, ensuring that the forum's initiatives reflect the broad consensus of its members and serve the public interest without bias towards any particular group.

The forum's initiatives include:

1. Hosting the "Politics, Economy and Crypto" conference, aiming to integrate digital currencies into the Israeli and global economies. The conference featured key legal and financial experts, including the head of the Authority for the Prohibition of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing.

2. Establishing the Report Hamas Donation group, a collective effort within the Israeli crypto community to identify and report digital wallet addresses used by Hamas and Hezbollah to security forces.

3. Forming a partnership with the Economic Headquarters for Combating Terrorism to bridge Israeli tech entities with global security needs. The inaugural meeting was held at MTL's office in early January 2024.

4. Launching public awareness campaigns through various media outlets to educate on crypto-related issues and developments.

Notable publications include:
   - Walla News: Opinion article discussing the misconceptions around crypto funding for Hamas. [Link](https://finance.walla.co.il/item/3634892)
   - Ynet: Commentary on the state of the crypto community. [Link](https://www.ynet.co.il/economy/article/o5kie6m7g)
   - ICE: Article advocating for tax payments in crypto in Israel. [Link](https://www.ice.co.il/crypto/news/article/995665)
   - The Marker: An account of the challenges faced by crypto companies in banking. [Link](https://www.themarker.com/technation/2022-10-30/ty-article/.premium/00000184-14a6-de18-a7df-17f6e97d0000)
5. Publishing comprehensive studies on the crypto sector, including an overview of the industry, banks' attitudes towards crypto funds, a comparison of bank policies on crypto funds, and a position paper on DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) facilitating global collaboration in digital currency development.