Knocking Shekel Off Track May Be More Than $30 Billion Problem Ivan Levingston, Bloomberg News A Star of David hangs over customers shopping at a fruit and vegetable stall in Carmel Market in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Israel's economy grew an estimated 3.3% in 2019, beating the central bank's forecast, with public and private consumption leading the expansion. Photographer: Kobi Wolf/Bloomberg , Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- The Bank of Israelâs pledge to buy an unprecedented $30 billion to weaken the shekel might not be enough to do the trick. From a current-account surplus to record technology investment and increased natural-gas exports, the backdrop is favorable to currency appreciation. A global recovery from the coronavirus crisis, rising stock markets and a weakening dollar are expected to only further buttress a currency that was a top global performer last year.