6 | JULY 21 • 2022 

essay
Beer Sheba — Israel’s Innovation Capital
B

eer Sheba (known 
in Hebrew as Be’er 
Sheva) is not on most 
visitors’ itinerary to Israel, 
but once arriving at what was 
often regard-
ed as a sleepy 
desert out-
post in Israel’s 
socio-economic 
periphery, the 
visitor now finds 
Israel’s inno-
vation capital. 
The capital of Israel’s Negev is 
developing a most impressive 
650-acre innovation district 
that will connect the city’s aca-
demic institutions, industry 
and the community, focusing 
on digital health solutions, 
desert technologies and cyber. 
Professor Daniel 
Haimovich, president of Ben-
Gurion University, says it very 

clearly, over seven decades 
after Israel’s first prime 
minister David Ben-Gurion 
advocated the potential of the 
desert, “The innovation dis-
trict is no longer a project but 
a significant landmark in the 
emerging history of the State 
of Israel and the Negev area in 
particular. I can already envi-
sion how the district will look: 
the whole area will be bustling 
with activity: innovative proj-
ects, promising new startups, 
technological and scientific 

advancements, blooming 
research, and multiple proj-
ects and collaborations that 
will be realized. Something 
big is about to happen … It 
will set the stage for ongoing 
action toward fulfilling earlier 
dreams.” 
Currently, Beer Sheba is 
home to the world’s first 
Innovation Center for Climate 
Change, specializing in des-
ert technology. It will be 
joined by DeserTech, a newly 
launched desert technology 

company announced by the 
Israeli Innovation Institute. 
Following suit, the Israeli gov-
ernment declared Beer Sheba 
the Cyber Capital of Israel and 
went into action by moving 
the IDF technology and com-
munications divisions to the 
Negev.
The cooperation between 
the city’s institutions, includ-
ing Ben-Gurion University 
of the Negev (BGU), with 
its 20,000 students, the Tech 
Park and the Soroka Medical 

Naomi Miller

LIORG1993

PURELY COMMENTARY

continued on page 8

1942 - 2022

Covering and Connecting 
Jewish Detroit Every Week

To make a donation to the 
DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 
FOUNDATION
go to the website
www.djnfoundation.org

The Detroit Jewish News (USPS 275-520) 

is published every Thursday at 

32255 Northwestern Highway, #205, 

Farmington Hills, Michigan. Periodical 

postage paid at Southfield, Michigan, and 

additional mailing offices. 

Postmaster: send changes to: 

Detroit Jewish News, 

32255 Northwestern Highway, #205, 

Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334

MISSION STATEMENT The Detroit Jewish News will be of service to the Jewish community. The Detroit Jewish 
News will inform and educate the Jewish and general community to preserve, protect and sustain the Jewish 
people of greater Detroit and beyond, and the State of Israel.

VISION STATEMENT The Detroit Jewish News will operate to appeal to the broadest segments of the greater 
Detroit Jewish community, reflecting the diverse views and interests of the Jewish community while advancing the 
morale and spirit of the community and advocating Jewish unity, identity and continuity.

DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
32255 Northwestern Hwy. Suite 205,
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
248-354-6060
thejewishnews.com

 
 
Publisher
The Detroit Jewish 
News Foundation

| Board of Directors:
 Chair: Gary Torgow
 Vice President: David Kramer 
 Secretary: Robin Axelrod
 Treasurer: Max Berlin
 Board members: Larry Jackier, 
 Jeffrey Schlussel, Mark Zausmer
 
 
 Senior Advisor to the Board: 
 Mark Davidoff
 Alene and Graham Landau Archivist Chair: 
 Mike Smith
 Founding President & Publisher Emeritus: 
 Arthur Horwitz
 Founding Publisher 
 Philip Slomovitz, of blessed memory

 
 
 

| Editorial 
 DIrector of Editorial: 
 Jackie Headapohl
jheadapohl@thejewishnews.com

 Associate Editor:
 Rachel Sweet
 rsweet@thejewishnews.com
Associate Editor: 
David Sachs
dsachs@thejewishnews.com
Social Media and Digital Producer:
Nathan Vicar
nvicar@thejewishnews.com
Staff Reporter: Danny Schwartz 
dschwartz@thejewishnews.com
Editorial Assistant: Sy Manello
smanello@thejewishnews.com

Contributing Writers:
Nate Bloom, Rochel Burstyn, Suzanne 
Chessler, Annabel Cohen, Keri Guten 
Cohen, Shari S. Cohen, Shelli Liebman 
Dorfman, Louis Finkelman, Stacy 
Gittleman, Esther Allweiss Ingber, 
Barbara Lewis, Jennifer Lovy, Rabbi 
Jason Miller, Alan Muskovitz, Robin 

Schwartz, Mike Smith, Steve Stein, 
Julie Smith Yolles, Ashley Zlatopolsky

| Advertising Sales 
Director of Advertising: Keith Farber
kfarber@thejewishnews.com
Senior Account Executive: 
Kathy Harvey-Mitton
kmitton@thejewishnews.com 

| Business Office
 Director of Operations: Amy Gill
 agill@thejewishnews.com
 Operations Manager: Andrea Gusho 
 agusho@thejewishnews.com
 Operations Assistant: Ashlee Szabo 
 Circulation: Danielle Smith
 Billing Coordinator: Pamela Turner

| Production By 
 Farago & Associates
 Manager: Scott Drzewiecki 
 Designers: Kaitlyn Iezzi, Kelly Kosek, 
 Deborah Schultz, Michelle Sheridan 
 

Beer Sheba at night

