Front Lines
JNenline
NOTEBOOK
This Week
www.JNonline.us
An Electrified Ride
Speaking on electric car technology and reviving business, General
Motors' popular vice chairman said he's "convinced the future of the
automobile lies in the electrification of the automo-
bile."
Addressing nearly 700 business and commu-
nity leaders at JVS' 11th annual Strictly Business
Networking and Awards Luncheon on June 16 in
Dearborn, Robert Lutz, GM vice chair for global
product development, said: "That's why at GM we're
pouring engineering resources into developing our
E-Flex system, which will underpin a generation of
Robert Lutz
electrically driven vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt:'
The event raised more than $270,000 for employment programs
and services provided by the Southfield-based agency.
Lutz predicted that alternative fuels would relieve our gluttonous
reliance on gas. "GM is 100 years old in 2008 ... and changing faster
than at any time in the past 80 years, at least:' he said.
— Robert A. Sklar, editor
What Have I
Got To Lose?
Strategy and Communications.
The telephone survey was performed June 24-25 and sampled 500
Jewish Israelis 18 and older.
According to the survey, 50 percent of Jewish Israelis also believe
diaspora Jews should not be allowed to legally fund political cam-
paigns or personally support Israeli politicians while 40 percent said
they should be allowed.
The poll also provided questions regarding Israeli Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert's new policy, changing from mass aliyah promotion to
"strengthen [ing] Jewish education in Jewish communities, including
the study of Hebrew; increase awareness regarding Jewish culture and
Heritage; instill Jewish values; and deepen the links between world
Jewish communities and the State of Israel."
Results indicated 46.1 percent agreed with Olmert's new goals.
However, 38.4 percent disagreed, affirming the main goal of the gov-
ernment in Israel-diaspora relations should be to maintain the pro-
motion of mass aliyah.
"This result was unexpected since little public debate on the issue
had taken place before and since the prime minister's announcement
of official Israeli government policy regarding aliyah," B'nai B'rith
World Center Director Alan Schneider said.
Additional results found that 82 percent believe the recent series of
investigations and prosecutions of Israeli politicians created a nega-
tive effect on Israel's image abroad — with 68.3 percent stating the
effect was very negative and nine percent contesting the effect was
positive.
— Stephanie Steinberg, T2T intern
Artwork by Ping Lian
Book Seeks Art Entries
The creators of the award-winning book Artism: Art By Those With
Autism! are seeking new original artwork to include in the next book
in this series titled Artism Anew.
"People with autism are known to create some of the world's most
exquisite and detailed artwork," said author and lead editor Karen
Simmons. "They are among some of the most gifted artists in the
world
Simmons is founder of the Autism Today Web site and author of
the books Artism and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Children with Special
Needs. Debbie Hosseini will be curating and co-authoring the book.
If you or someone you know with autism has a great piece of art-
work and would like to be included in Artism Anew, please send high-
quality TIFF or PNG files by e-mail to artism@autismtoday.com .
There are no limits to the number of submissions, which must be
received no later than Aug. 15.
Fresh Paint From Israel
The Janice Charach Gallery, in conjunction with the Danielle Peleg
Gallery in West Bloomfield, continues to celebrate Israel's 60th birth-
day with "Fresh Paint From Israel;' a show and sale of contemporary
art from Israel.
Works by more than 30 Israeli artists, including the internation-
ally known David Gerstein and Avi Ben-Simhon, are being offered for
show and sale at the gallery in the Jewish Community Center in West
Bloomfield. The event continues through Aug. 7.
Co-sponsors of the show and sale are the Marcia and Eugene
Applebaum Family Foundation, the Levi Strauss Foundation,
Andi and Larry Wolfe and the Raymon and Atara Zimmerman
Philanthropic Fund. For more information, call (248) 432-5579 or go
to www.charachgallery.org.
— Keri Guten Cohen, story development editor
A8
July , 200R
JN Story
Development Editor
Keri Guten Cohen takes you
along in her quest for fit-
ness as she participates in
a new program at Franklin
Athletic Club in Southfield.
Along with JN reader Dr.
Mark DeVore and four others,
she's a guinea pig testing the
program, which also includes
food from Gourmet Everyday
in Ferndale. That means
restricted calories and more
exercise than most couch
potatoes get in a year. Hey,
what has she got to lose?
Find out by reading her
newest blog entry. Go to
JNonline.us and click on the
box labeled "What Have I
Got To Lose" on the right.
Latest From Israel
Want the most current
news from Israel? Check
our streaming news from
Ynetnews.com for continu-
ous updates and longer news,
opinion and feature stories.
Just visit JNonline.us and
click on a scrolling story on
the left.
Celebrations!
Find weekly listings of births,
b'nai mitzvah, engagements,
weddings and anniversaries
as well as past simchahs all
online.
Visit JNonline.us and click
on Lifecycles on the left.
Online Poll
This week's poll question:
Are U.S. immigration laws too
strict?
Visit the JNonline.us
homepage, below the left
menu, to cast your vote.
— Keri Guten Cohen, story development editor
Surprising Israeli Statistics
In a poll conducted by a recent B'nai B'rith International survey, 76
percent of Israeli Jews believe it is safer to live as a Jew in Israel than
in the diaspora.
This is just one statistic discovered through the third annual Survey
of Contemporary Israeli Attitudes Toward World Jewry conducted
by the B'nai B'rith World Center in Jerusalem and Keevon Research,
See New Blog Entry
Artwork by Avi Ben-Simhon
Last week's question:
Should Israel continue to
swap Palestinian prisoners
for Israeli soldiers or their
remains?
Last week's poll results:
Yes: 68%
No: 32%