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choosePCA: “[Tel Aviv is] one of our more
active sister city relationships. That
helps because there is such a strong
Jewish community here, and also
because there is an Israeli Chamber
of Commerce ...”
SIOBHAN LYONS
215-765-9040 www.pcaCares.org
Martin, resident, catches up with Nataya,
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Why did I wait so long?
It took me a while to take the initiative... change is hard. But, once
I chose Symphony Square, they helped to make the move so easy.

Now, I can’t stop wondering why I didn’t do this sooner. I’m so
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THE GUIDE 2018/2019
said Siobhan Lyons, president and CEO of Citizen
Diplomacy International Philadelphia, which over-
sees Philadelphia’s sister city relationships. In 1997,
the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia made
Netivot and the surrounding district of Sdot Negev
a sister city of Philadelphia as well.

“[Tel Aviv is] one of our more active sister city
relationships,” Lyons said. “That helps because there
is such a strong Jewish community here, and also
because there is an Israeli Chamber of Commerce
and, until very recently, the Israeli consulate had
an office here in Philadelphia. And until recently,
of course, we had a direct flight from Philadelphia
to Tel Aviv. That certainly helps the relationship
continue because sister city relationships are not
only at an official level. They are people-to-people
exchanges.” The 1966 resolution noted several similarities
between the City of Brotherly Love and what is
today Israel’s cultural and economic center. Besides
the fact that they are the birthplaces of indepen-
dence in their respective nations, they both have
similar industries, are centers of art and culture
and, of course, share an affinity to the contributions
of Philadelphia’s Jewish community.

Today, Lyons said, the two cities continue to
have commonalities and provide opportunities for
each other. Philadelphia, for example, can glean
a great deal from the innovation and high-tech
industry of Tel Aviv. They are both open-minded
cities as well, evident in Tel Aviv’s reputation as an
LGBT-friendly city.

The strength of this relationship can be seen
through the delegations that shuttle between them.

Over the past few years, for example, delegations
from Tel Aviv have come to Philadelphia to learn
more about Independence Hall and about how to
increase tourism to historical sites, Lyons said.

Programming over the past five decades has
changed, though the goals of learning from the
other and strengthening the relationship have
stayed the same. That programming has included
exchanges of best practices and two missions led
by former Mayor Michael Nutter to promote trade