Federation Congratulates Our
2017 Award Winners
Frank A. Wetsman
Young Leadership
Award
Rabbi Yisrael
Pinson
Sylvia Simon
Greenberg Young
Leadership Award
Dr. Jennifer Sobol
jews d
in
the
Mark-Lis
Family Young
Leadership Award
Steve Migliore
Mission Accomplished
Israeli defense companies visited
Michigan on industrial mission.
William Davidson Lifetime Achievement Award
John E. Jacobs
Marjorie Krasnick
MARGE SORGE SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
I
Join Us At Federation’s
Beth Gotthelf
Awards Night
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
5:30 pm
Light fare and drinks | Dietary laws observed
The Berman Center for the Performing Arts
Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit
6600 W. Maple Road
West Bloomfield, MI 48322
Please respond by May 17, 2017,
at jewishdetroit.org/awardsnight.
Hadas Bernard
ABOVE:
Israeli defense
companies
learned about
TARDEC’s
initiatives during
their visit.
t took Beth Gotthelf 18 months, lots of phone calls,
even more emails and two visits to Israel before she
accomplished her goal — to bring the first-ever trade
mission of Israeli defense companies to Michigan.
Working with the “‘commercial end” of the Israeli
Ministry of Defense known as SIBAT, the International
Defense Cooperation Directorate of the Israel Ministry
of Defense, she was able to bring a business delegation
of 13 Israeli defense companies to Michigan April 24-27.
Those companies provide top technology and solutions in
defense and homeland security and include the five larg-
est defense companies in Israel. The focus was on subsys-
tems for armed vehicles, robotics, autonomous systems
and various homeland security solutions.
The goal of the visit was to strengthen cooperation
between Israeli and Michigan companies and encourage
them to share technology and begin joint production in
Michigan. The mission was led by SIBAT, the Michigan
Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) Defense
Center, Michigan Israel Business Bridge (MIBB) and
Macomb County.
It started with Gotthelf ’s trip to Washington, D.C., in
October 2015 for the Association of U.S. Army’s (AUSA)
annual conference as co-chair of law firm Butzel Long’s
Aerospace and Defense Practice Group.
Gotthelf was the newly elected president of MIBB and
was committed to grow Michigan businesses with the
help of Israeli companies as well as increase the value of
MIBB membership.
She approached SIBAT representatives at the confer-
ence and suggested a trade mission to Michigan of Israeli
defense companies. With Vicky Rad and Jim Ahee of
Macomb County Economic Development, Gotthelf went
to each Israeli company displaying at the conference
explaining the benefits of Michigan and asking if they
would come on such a mission.
“SIBAT had never done a trade mission, but was con-
sidering a one-week mission for five companies to three
states,” Gotthelf said. “However, Michigan was not on
their list of potential states.”
After lots of communication, Michigan made the list,
along with a few other states.
continued on page 24
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May 4 • 2017
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