Editor's Letter bM Jewish Renaissance Media DETROIT JEWISH NEWS thejEWISHNEWS.com Advertising Sales Slowing Israel's Brain Drain I srael is the glue that holds together Jews as a people. What makes us a people with historic and religious roots is a collective embrace of our ancestral homeland. The undaunted march of the Jewish people for 3,300 years — despite slavery, exile, crusades, pogroms, the Holocaust and other oppressive acts — has yielded a glorious Jewish state within part of Eretz Yisrael, the biblical Land of Israel. How inspiring! So hearing about Israel's acute brain drain is troubling. The state can't afford to keep losing its best and brightest to places offering more career opportunities and a lower likelihood of terror. A Jan. 18 report by the New York- based JTA wire service recounted how Israel exports more Ph.Ds. than any country — and how 25 percent of Israeli academics work abroad. The problem: the fact that Israelis are short-changed in quality of life given the constant security threat, prompting too much local brainpower to move on. It's good that Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu declared at a conference in Jerusalem titled "Israel 2021" that the Jewish state is finally going to act strategically to become one of the top 15 socioeconomic nations in the coming decade. I just pray it's not too late: The high-tier brain drain is on. "We cannot rest on our laurels," Bibi proclaimed to Israeli government officials, business leaders, students and social activists. "We are entering a more competitive era." Hundreds of brainstorming roundtables shaped Israel 2021. Over the next 10 years, Israel seeks to evolve into a JN CONTENTS country with a high-ranking GDP (gross domestic product) — what JTA described as "the type of domestic leapfrog growth that would see incomes and other quality-of-life metrics boosted across the socioeconomic divide." Leapfrog nations, such as Germany, Ireland, China, Singapore and South Korea, spur high and sustained growth for eight years against the backdrop of improved quality of life. Israel 2021 addressed two lingering concerns: how well Israel competes on the world stage and how successfully it integrates Arab and haredi citizens into the workforce. Studies show that higher salaries for workers across the board, not elite-sectors growth, create a higher per-capita GDF. Gidi Grinstein, president of Israel's Reut Institute and a noted "leapfrog" futurist, addressed the 3,000 confer- ence goers two weeks ago. He contends countries leap not because of a few decisions at the top, but because of a transformative mobilizing of leaders in business, NGOs, academics, labor unions and government. "We know in countries that leapt there was an honest and credible discourse about priorities between business leaders, the nongovernment elite and the government:' Grinstein told JTA. "We need to educate an empower that group." We know the Israeli government historically is more adept at responding to crises than at thinking strategically. Military strength is the one area Israel is especially planful. Let's hope Israel 2021 provided the energy and vision for participants to reach confidently for the strategic stars as part of a group now large, bold and influential enough to change Israel for the better. It won't be easy winning over ordinary Israelis to heady debate about the distant future; their main worry is the physical and economic wellbeing of their families now. 1 I theJEWISHNE Jan. 27-Feb. 2, 2011 I 22-28 Shevat 5771 I Vol. CXXXVIII No. 25 Cover Story on page 26 Ann Arbor Arts/Entertainment Business Family Focus Letters Marketplace Mazel Toy! Metro Obituaries Opinion Roundup Spirituality 22 39 24 49 6 55 51 13 63 22 8 36 Shabbat: Friday, Jan. 28, 5:23 p.m. Shabbat Ends: Saturday, Jan. 29, 6:27 p.m.* Shabbat: Friday, Feb. 4, 5:32 p.m. Shabbat Ends: Saturday, Jan. 5, 6:36 p.m.* * Times according to Yeshiva Beth Yehudah calendar. Havdalah practices may vary. Consult your rabbi. 5 42 3 On The Cover: Suzie Meklir and Robin Pluto of Renew Hair and Skin Center Photo, Jerry Zolynsky Page design, Deborah Schultz Our JN Mission The Jewish News aspires to communicate news and opinion that's useful, engaging, enjoyable and unique. It strives to reflect the full range of diverse viewpoints while also advocating positions that strengthen Jewish unity and continu- ity. We desire to create and maintain a challenging, caring, enjoyable work environment that encourages creativity and innovation. We acknowledge our role as a responsible, responsive member of the community. 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