6 | MAY 11 • 2023 1942 - 2023 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, refl ecting 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 Executive Director: Marni Raitt 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 Contributing Editors: David Sachs, Keri Guten Cohen Staff Reporter: Danny Schwartz dschwartz@thejewishnews.com Editorial Assistant: Sy Manello smanello@thejewishnews.com Digital Manager: Elizabeth King eking@thejewishnews.com Contributing Writers: Nate Bloom, Rochel Burstyn, Suzanne Chessler, Annabel 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 I srael is celebrating 75 years of independence this month and has been deservedly defined as the innovation nation. Israel has the largest percentage of scientists and engineers per capita, with 135 per 10,000. There are thousands of startups, patents and companies, almost all developed through a need to feed, defend or help heal people. There is a plethora of inventions that deserve mention, but here are just a few from the past 75 years that have made major global impact. AGRICULTURE Israel is a land that is two-thirds desert and, already in the pre-state years, the agricultural pioneers were developing ways to fulfill the vision of the nation’s first prime minister, David Ben- Gurion, who said, “The Negev is where the creativity and pioneering vigor of Israel shall be tested.” When you eat a salad, note that Israel is sharing with the world the delicious cherry tomato. In the barren desert, the drip irrigation system was developed; it is manufactured by the Netafim company and controls 30% of the global market. Yet, the need for transferring water from the lush north to the arid south was evident in Israel’s first decade and, as a result, it created a massive water project known as the National Water Carrier. With growing water shortages and lack of access becoming a global crisis, Watergen has developed a machine that can create water from air, making it one of the world leaders in atmospheric drinking water devices. MOBILITY Israel has manufactured one car, the Sussita Carmel in the 1960s, a project that was not considered overly successful or profitable but has realized its potential in the smart mobility sector. Waze and Mobileye are considered two of Israel’s most successful companies. In 1999, Mobileye was launched to develop a technology aimed to warn drivers of potentially dangerous situations. Today, the systems are found in the vehicles of most major automakers. Purchased by Intel in 2017, it is Israel’s largest exit to date. Naomi Miller PURELY COMMENTARY essay Israel at 75: The Innovation Nation continued on page 8 The PillCam B’nai B’rith Great Lakes College Scholarship Program Open enrollment for high school students entering college in the fall of 2023. We anticipate awarding three scholarships for the 2023-24 academic year in the amount of $5,000 each. It is our goal that these scholarships will inspire the honorees to pay our gift forward after graduation by serving as leaders in their communities and as ambassadors for the B’nai B’rith Great Lake Region’s College Scholarship program. Deadline for applying is May 19th. 41st Annual B’nai B’rith Great Lakes Region Stephen B. Zorn Memorial Golf Outing Monday, June 12th 2023 Tam O’Shanter Country Club 5051 Orchard Lake Road West Bloomfield Happy 75th Birthday Israel! B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate of behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. For 180 years, wherever there is a need, there is B’nai B’rith. 5 6 0 0 W E S T M A P L E R O A D • S U I T E A - 1 0 0 • W E S T B L O O M F I E L D , M I 4 8 3 2 2