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 22 May 4 • 2017 jn