H eadlines
Bennett leaders, a change in the prime
minister’s incumbency, or any
change in government office, is
Balaban. “And have made clear
unlikely to make these relation-
we will continue to do our part
ships waver.

to garner support and build
“Our communities’ deep
new relationships with Israel
love and support for Israel has
here in Greater Philadelphia.”
never been dependent on which
The Jewish Federation has
political leaders are in office,
long “maintained strong ties
and we don’t expect that to
with Israel since its founding,”
change now or in the future,”
Michael Balaban
Courtesy of Michael Balaban
offering workshops on Israeli
Balaban said.

art and popular culture and
Though the Jewish Federation
grants to local organizations
enjoys the benefits of its stead-
The Philadelphia-Israel
looking to build ties with Israel,
fast connection to Israel, for other Chamber of Commerce, which
as well as visits to Netivot and
Philadelphia organizations, the serves as the liaison between
the Sdot Negev region of Israel,
stakes are higher.

Philadelphia and
Israeli companies, innovators and
organizations, is hoping that
Bennett’s tech-savvy background
American National Community Commemoration of the 45th Anniversary
will propel Israel’s tech sector
forward, granting new opportu-
nities for PICC to grow.

“This is fantastic to have a
prime minister who under-
stands the innovation sector in
Israel, the competitiveness, the
need to invest in education to
Celebrating the Miraculous Rescue of Jewish hijacking victims of
Honoring Lt. Col. Yoni Netanyahu
sustain Israel’s leadership and
terrorism, and the Heroism of Lt. Col Yoni Netanyahu and the IDF —
innovation,” said Vered Nohi,
Monday July 5, 2021 a “Virtual” and On-site Event
Historic Congregation Mikveh Israel
executive director of PICC.

44 N. 4th Street, Olde City, Philadelphia
Bennett, who was inaugurated
— Video Address by
- Steps from the Liberty Bell
as Israel’s prime minister on June
Benjamin Netanyahu Former Prime
13, was a software entrepreneur
Minister of the State of Israel
after serving in the Israel Defense
– younger brother of Entebbe Hero Yoni Netanyahu
Forces, becoming the CEO of
anti-fraud software company
Emcees of Miracle at Entebbe Ceremony/Seminar:
Cyota in 1999 and the eventual
Amb. Ido Aharoni, Ceremony MC
.PS/VɈTHU, Seminar MC
CEO of tech company Soluto.

- Israel’s “Branding” Expert
- Jerusalem Post Chief Political
- Longest serving Consul General of Israel to the
Running businesses in New
Reporter/Analyst New York Consulate
York in the late-1990s and
early 2000s, Bennett is adept
in English, making him even
Neshama Carlebach, Award-Winning Singer Songwriter
friendlier to U.S.-based compa-
– performing during Ceremony and VIP Reception
nies, according to Nohi.

Like Balaban, Nohi is not
concerned that the govern-
ment transition will negatively
1RWLQJWKHVSHFLDOVLJQLðFDQFHRIWKH$PHULFDQDQG3KLODGHOSKLDFRQQHFWLRQLQWKH%LUWKSODFHRI$PHULFDQ/LEHUW\ 7KLVLVDVWRU\WKDWLV&(175$/WRWKH,'(17,7 impact day-to-day activities
\RXQJDGXOWVWRXQGHUVWDQGWKHLURZQ-HZLVKVWRU\ of PICC.

The program will consist of:
“The institutes are solid,” she
࠮ Seminar:LTJLLKI`.PS/VɈTHUHT,;"WTPU0ZYHLS
࠮ VIP Reception: with national community leadership and our
Israeli guests to “Launch” the American Foundation Creating
said. “And it doesn’t matter that
࠮ National Ceremony: emceed by Amb. Ido Aharoni, 2pm ET,
Leadership for Israel (AFCLI), 3:30pm ET.

(9pm in Israel)
Israel went through so many
;OPZLUKLH]VYOHZILLUVUNVPUNMVY[OLWHZ[`LHYZJLSLIYH[LKL]LY`Ä]L`LHYZI`@V\UN1L^PZO3LHKLYZOPW elections in the past three years.”
Concepts (YJLC) and Rabbi Albert Gabbai of Congregation Mikveh Israel. In 2016 with the lead role of Steven L.

Friedman, Esq., who now serves as the national Chair for American Foundation Creating Leadership for Israel (AFCLI),
However, Nohi is wondering
this truly became a national commemoration.

if Bennett will prioritize the
competitiveness of Israel’s tech
REGISTER AT: www.afcli.org
sector through the increase of
Israel’s education budget.

American Foundation
“Israel is in a position now
For more information contact: LBalcher@AFCLI.org
Creating Leadership
or text: 215-932-2974
where if it will not support the
for Israel (AFCLI)
tech sector with a continued
Continued from Page 1
12 JUNE 24, 2021
which have been in partnership
with the Jewish Federation for
more than 24 years.

In May, the Jewish Federation’s
leadership team hosted Herzog,
then Jewish Agency for Israel’s
chairman of the executive, over
Zoom. Herzog is now Israel’s
president-elect, and Balaban
is confident in his ability to
“strengthen diasporic relations,”
given the [Jewish] Federation’s
strong relationship
with Herzog.

Because of the longevity of
the Jewish Federation’s ties with
these Israeli communities and
JEWISH EXPONENT
Vered Nohi
Courtesy of Vered Nohi
educated workforce, it will not
be able to sustain its position as
a leader in the world in tech,”
Nohi said.

Large multinational compa-
nies, such as Amazon, Facebook
and Google, look to hire Israeli
workers. If skilled workers are
not available, Israel misses
opportunities to expand its
grasp in the world of innovation.

Nohi also hopes that
Bennett’s allyship with U.S.

organizations will mean a resus-
citation of the Israeli Consulate
in Philadelphia, which closed
five years ago. In addition to
providing consular services to
diplomatic agents and visitors
in the Philadelphia area, the
Israeli Consulate acted “to
broaden [companies’] under-
standing of what Israel has to
offer, in a personal manner, in
an accessible manner, because
still, there are many people who
have really never seen Jews in
their lives,” Nohi said.

With fewer consulates
responsible for larger swaths of
geography in the Mid-Atlantic,
Northern and Midwestern
regions of the U.S., they are
spread too thin to really build
meaningful relationships with
those interested in Israeli
business and diplomacy.

These changes are massive
and require sustained effort, but
Nohi is optimistic that Bennett’s
background will mean good
things for PICC.

“So far, so good,” Nohi said.

“We’re getting a lot of collab-
orations, but there’s always an
opportunity for more.” l
srogelberg@jewishexponent.com |
215-832-0741 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM