Insight

PAVING THE WAY

Detroit attorney forms American-Israel economic development
chamber for creating business opportunities.

about new technology
you're talking about
Israel. You're no longer
talking about tourism,
olitics and violence aside,
oranges and diamonds."
high-tech and new-tech
A current inflation rate
business in Israel is going
of
around 1 percent,
at warp speed, said an
down from 400 percent
Israeli consul member during a
in the 1980s, also has
breakfast meeting in Southfield.
made Israel a place
Limor Nakar, economic consul of
where business can
the Government of Israel Economic
Office in Chicago, said only tourism, thrive, she said.
Nakar spoke on Nov.
agriculture and buildinab have been
17 at the Skyline Club
directly affected by the current trou-
in Southfield to 15
bles, stifling 5 percent of Israel's
members of the newly
Gross Domestic Product. Yet 70 per-
formed American-Israel
cent of Israel's GDP now is in high-
Chamber for Economic
tech industry and that's going
Development. She said her role is to
strong.
create more cooperation between
The only rival to [California's]
Israel and the United States, and this
Silicon Valley is Israel," Nakar said,
chamber is needed to succeed.
citing a recent article in Newsweek
The head of the chamber, Detroit
magazine. "When you're talking
attorney Michael
Traison, is willing to
help. Traison sought
to form an organiza-
tion similar to
Detroit's American
Israel Chamber of
Commerce — inactive
for three years now —
that would operate
much leaner.
Traison has contact-
ed members of the
older organization
who still have an
interest in promoting
business and com-
merce with Israel, as
well as taking advan-
tage of the networking
opportunities.
"What we want to
do is very focused," he
said. , `There's no need
for much more than a
yearly business meet-
ing, and we hope to
put together an e-mail
Israel's Limor Nakar addresses the American-Israel
listing for updates on
relevant issues."
Chamber for Economic Development in Southfield.

HARRY KIRSBAUM
Staff Writer

1p

,

"The job of
the Israel consul
general cannot
be done without
local help in
different communities."

— Michael Traison

Connectivity

Traison hopes to network with the
Society of Automotive Engineers, an
international organization of engi-
neers, which meets in Detroit every
year. It will be bringing more than
50,000 delegates here in March, and
Traison wants the Chamber to help
facilitate meetings for the Israeli del-
egates with potential sources of cus-
tomers here in the automotive
industry.
Chamber members come from all
business sectors in the Detroit area,
including representation by automo-
tive suppliers.
"The job of the Israel consul gen-
eral cannot be done without local
help in different communities,"
Traison said. Citing Detroit as the
second-largest city for Israel in the
midwestern region (after Chicago),
he said, "We need to have something
here that the consul general and the
commercial office can work through,
and that's why there's a compelling
reason for a chamber." ❑

The next meeting of the
American-Israel Chamber for
Economic Development is sched-
uled for January. For informa-
tion, call Michael Traison at
(313) 496-7657.

From the pages of the Jewish News for
this week 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50
years. ago.

1990

Japanese citizens affiliated with the
pro-Israel Makuya movement
planted trees at Jewish National
Fund's Kiryat Menachem Center
near Jerusalem.
Former New York Mayor Ed
Koch was struck in the head by a
rock while on a walking tour of the
old city of Jerusalem.

1980

Women's American ORT received
one of two 1980 American
Vocational Association awards.
James H. Wineman of West
Bloomfield was elected to a second
one-year term as chair of the
Automobile Club of Michigan.

Detroiter Mrs. Morris (Goldie)
Adler was chosen to receive the
Eleanor Roosevelt Humanities
Award from Israel Bonds.
Kosher Cholov Yisrael milk was
made available to the Detroit
community for the first time
through the efforts of Camp Gan
Israel, affiliated with the
Lubavitcher chasidic movement.
Dr. Peter G. Shifrin of Southfield
was honored for his years of service
to the Jewish Welfare Federation.

1900

Hans Schlarp of Berlin, Germany,
was sentenced to four months in
prison for making anti-Semitic
remarks to a Jewish innkeeper.
The U.S. team came in second in
the final standings of the Chess
Olympics in Leipzig, Germany ,.
Pisgah Lodge of B'nai B'rith hon-
ored Food Fair Markets President Torn
Borman of Southfield for his service.

1950

Comedian Jack Benny shook hands
with England's King George, fol-
lowing a command performance.
Jacob Kaplan became the grand
rabbi of France.
Northwest Hebrew Congregation
laid the cornerstone of its new
main chapel in Detroit.
— Compiled by Sy Manello,
editorial assistant

12/1
2000

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