ISRAEL

From 2000 to 2008, I proudly worked on behalf of the Technion Institute of Technology as a director for the Detroit Chapter of the American Technion Society. Fundraising included shining the light on world-class lifesaving research and technology in every engineering field, from computers to electrical and mechanical engineering and every aspect of medical research add technology. Professors from the Technion came to America to share their research and many collaborations took place for the good of all mankind. I was fortunate to meet these incredible scientists and listened to and learned from their stories and histories of research. We used to meet in country clubs, office buildings, businesses and private homes in our communities and all around the country in support of Israeli research.

Jews in the Detroit Metropolitan area gathered regularly to meet, mingle, and support students and professors from The Technion or Weizmann Institute or Hebrew University or Tel Aviv University. The Professors and students flew from city to city and American Technion Society raised billions of dollars to support Israeli research because it changes lives and makes our collective world a better place.

For those who are choosing to boycott, divest and sanction, are you also following through on your convictions to boycott the many important Zionist companies? Hundreds of US tech companies have moved their research divisions to Israel because this is where we find many brilliant technical minds who have graduated from top Israeli universities.

U.S. firms account for nearly two-thirds of the more than 300 research and development (R&D) centers established by multinational companies in Israel. Israel has 135 companies listed on the NASDAQ, following only the United States, Canada, and China.

Famous brands like Motorola-Israel and Google-Israel, continue to draw on Jewish Israeli brains for the design of their products. IBM has had over a three-decade long partnership with the University of Haifa. If you’re an anti-Zionist, think about throwing away your laptop, because the computer chip was first developed in Israel. What would we do without Israeli technology?

Israeli universities are powerhouses of research and discovery. Technion Professors Aaron Ciechanover and Avraham Hershko discovered the cellular process of ubiquitin-protein degradation, a key to the development of all cancer cells and because of this discovery, today’s ground-breaking research to treat cancer has origins in Israel. But all the anti-Zionists and antisemites stick to your guns, don’t be hypocrites. Decline the many cancer medicines that have been developed thanks to Ciechanover and Hershko, two Nobel Prize winners.

Nanotechnology? You should forget about most of that as well. In fact, don’t use any of the devices, technologies, or medicines that have come from Israel and in particular the Jewish Nobel Prize winners, more than 20% of the 900-some awarded. Antisemites don’t be hypocritical.  Go back to living in the nineteenth century. Then, you’ll realize how Jews have improved the global quality of life and longevity for everyone.

I have family in Israel. My cousin Natalie tells me that she and so many others are volunteering to take care of the people in her country. Restaurants cook food for soldiers. Non-kosher restaurants are getting the kashrut certificate to join in. Bakeries are sending cakes. Youth volunteers are heading into the fields to pick fruits and vegetables as many of the agricultural workers from Thailand and elsewhere have opted to go back home. People sign up to volunteer every single day and are willing to help in the absence of soldiers, called back to serve or those who are no longer alive, or who were murdered or kidnapped or mentally incapacitated from the loss of loved ones during this horrific time.

Jewish Senior Life residents have been taking up collections on campus to raise funds for the Jewish Federation. Federation CEO Steve Ingber reports that Federation’s Israel Emergency Campaign has raised $23.2 million from over 2,500 donors, including major contributions from the William Davidson Foundations and the Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation. The Federation has appointed an Allocation Committee to ensure that needs are being assessed and gifts and donations are being used in the most effective way.

$286,000 has been allocated to the three municipalities in our Partnership 2Gether region for the renovation and reinforcement of public safe houses.

$100,000 was allocated to the JAFI Victims of Terror Fund, going to aid families and individuals who have been impacted by acts of terror and violence, providing immediate grants to rebuild homes damaged by rocket fire, and for long-term rehabilitation and post-trauma care.

The Detroit Federation is currently providing temporary housing in safer areas for 80 families from Southern Israel. 100 backpacks have been delivered to IDF troops. Thermal clothing for 400 has been provided to troops in the North.

$50K has gone to Dror Israel, one of Federation’s supported programs, to help evacuees, provide youth counselors and programming in bomb shelters, and daycare for children of hospital staff and essential personnel.

Locally, security remains a core priority. Jewish Community Security Inc. (JCSI) continues to work closely with local and national law enforcement to safeguard our community. We are grateful to local law enforcement agencies for their ongoing vigilance and protection.

Our efforts here are only a small part of the global community’s recognition of Israel’s importance to the world. Every Jew and Zionist and the many others who support Israel knows that Israel’s many achievements and contributions are a potent argument against those who doubt the importance of keeping Israel strong and safe. I pray all these efforts will continue to help bring peace to Eretz Israel one day soon.

Shabbat Shalom.