points of view >> Send letters to: letters@thejewishnews.com Contributing Editor Editorial 0, Jerusalem! Arrival in Israeli capital an elevating moment. Th(- . Jert.riaicry, A act) tog i Rirk 4 _ • Michelle and Jim Millman of Farmington- Hills at the William Davidson-endowed archaeological park that displays the layers of discoveries made in the Old City, from the Canaanite to Mamaluke periods "For ye are to pass over the Jordan to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God giveth you, and ye shall possess it and dwell therein." -Deuteronomy 11:31 Jerusalem /Israel Journal 0 my once during my April 19-May 2 journey across Israel as part of the Temple Israel of West Bloomfield Adult Mission 2012 did I get the chills. It happened ascending to Jerusalem through the Naomi Shemer Mount Scopus Tunnel leading from the Jordan Valley. As the Jerusalem stone of this ancient hilltop city came into view, I was awestruck, once more, by the majesty and splendor of this eternal, indivisible capital of the Jewish people. Clearly, we, as Jews, were home. Ever since King David, in defeat- ing the Jebusites, pronounced Jerusalem the capital of the Israelite nation more than 3,000 years ago, the city has played a central role in Jewish existence. No wonder Naomi Shemer, one of Israel's most uplifting and venerated songwriters, closed her now-classic ballad Jerusalem of Gold with: "Yerushalayim all of gold Yerushalayim, bronze and light Within my heart I shall treasure Your song and sight:" Jerusalem, a bustling and diverse city of 750,000 people, is a sight to behold no matter how often you walk its cobblestones, explore its tunnels and pray at the only remaining portion of the retaining wall of the Temple Mount. The city is simultaneously stunning, inspiring and daunting. It's Israel's biggest city as well as the poorest. It's a city of special smells and voices. It's also religiously significant to Jews, Christians and Muslims, with the Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Al Aqsa Mosque all located within the same square mile. The Muslim call to prayer finds its place among church bells and shofar blasts. Jerusalem is home to the Knesset, the Israeli Supreme Court, the Israel Museum and Hebrew University. The eastern sector was under Jordanian control from Israeli statehood in 1948 until the city was reunited in the Six-Day War of 1967 — a reunification we'll celebrate this Sunday, May 20, Yom Yerushalayim (Day of Jerusalem). We entered the city Tuesday, April 24, and headed straight to the Haas Promenade. The popular Mount Scopus overlook provides an expan- sive portrait of the Jerusalem skyline. It was here we absorbed the old and the new — from the remnants of the Second Temple, the walls of the Old City and the graves of the Mount of Olives to the juxtaposi- tion of modernity, including the David Citadel Hotel and the Mamilla mall, where our 114 mis- sion-goers would soon be staying and shopping. Leadership on this ARZA World-hosted mis- sion included Rabbis Harold Loss and Paul Yedwab, their wives, Susan and Wendy, and Cantor Michael Smolash and his wife, Jen Green. After we sang the Shehechyanu, Rabbi Loss shared how, years ago, congregants Sarah and Irving Pitt gave $10,000 to Temple Israel and said if anyone on an adult mission didn't savor the sojourn, he or she could ask for a refund. After 10 years, the dollars, all unclaimed, were put into a temple scholarship fund. Bridge Economically Ties Michigan, Israel I r t's a potential- mic p, GAN ‘7, it A E. rich economic bridge between BUSINESS B' RIDGE Michigan and Israel, a trans-Atlantic span that allows Michigan's bounty of manufacturing, human resources, universities and infrastructure to tap into Israel's entrepreneurial, high-tech workforce and its interest in extending manufacturing, development and distribution to North America. The Bloomfield Hills-based Michigan Israel Business Bridge (MIBB) was built with fanfare in 2007, the innovative idea of founders Chuck Newman, who owns the used-cellphone power- house Recellular of Dexter, and Susan Herman, executive direc- tor of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's Michigan Jewish Conference. MIBB seeks to spur business and investment opportunities between Michigan and Israeli companies. MIBB seeks to bring new business and jobs to Michigan by encouraging Israeli companies with new technologies to open their North American business cen- ters in Michigan. Promising partnerships, totaling at least 60, have proven the adeptness of the organization over the past five years at planting Israeli business roots in Michigan soil. The best-known relationship is between the Oakland University- William Beaumont Hospital School of Medicine and Emek Medical Center. A resident exchange program links the new Oakland County medical school and the Afula hospital serving a Galilee region of 500,000 culturally diverse people. MIBB is busily planning its third automotive power breakfast to introduce Israeli automotive companies to Michigan automotive enterprises. Co-hosting the June 12 event are the Israel Export and Cooperative Institute and the Government of Israel Economic Mission-Midwest. Israel's technological prowess is a byproduct of well-educated and highly skilled researchers and product developers – many who emigrated from the Soviet Union 20 years ago. They found an inviting country, a growing economy and government support. There's more to the Jewish state's high-tech stature than the influx of talented Russians, however. As Dan Senor and Saul Singer put it in their landmark 2009 book Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle, "If there is one story that has been largely missed despite the extensive media coverage of Israel, it is that key economic metrics demonstrate that Israel represents the greatest concentration of innovation and entrepre- neurship in the world today." The prestigious list of local business and communal leaders on the newly named advisory council – including Ralph Gerson, Alon Kaufman, Florine Mark, S. Evan Weiner, Brian Hermelin and Norman Pappas – gives instant credibility to MIBB, led by execu- tive director Pamela Lippitt. How the board, staff and advisory council lay out a vision and direction well into this new decade will help influence Michigan's economic vigor and MIBB's ultimate role. Time will tell how many partnerships emerge as a result of MIBB's mix of trade missions, expos, networking meetings and one-on-one matchups. But there's plenty of hope. As its economy recovers, Michigan can better promote its potent economic assets. Israel has 3,000 companies focused on life sciences, homeland security, alternative energy, automotive, water technology and agro-industry. It boasts a higher percentage of engineers and sci- entists than any other nation. And it has the third-highest number of U.S. patents per capita, according to MIBB. Israel also has pre- ferred status with the U.S., making it an ideal global partner. il Or Jerusalem! on page 32 May 17 • 2012 31