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- Written by Silvia G. Golan
IDWI 2020 Opens to Full House Hosts World Diamond Leaders
The International Diamond Week in Israel opened today to a packed exhibition hall, with over 300 international buyers from 18 countries in attendance.
Also participating were diamond leaders from around the world including, Alrosa President Sergei Ivanov, WFDB President Ernie Blom, CIBJO President Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri, Bharat Diamond Bourse VP Mehul Shah, Dubai’s DDMC Executive Chairman and CEO Ahmed Bin Sulayem, London Diamond Exchange President Alan Cohen and Honorary President of the World Diamond Council Eli Izhakoff.
The ceremony was also attended by Ramat Gan Mayor Carmel Shama Hacohen, and Israeli diamond leaders: Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE) President Yoram Dvash, Israel Diamond Manufacturers Association (ISDMA) Jacob Korn, Israel Diamond Institute (IDI) Boaz Moldawsky and Chairman of the IDWI 2020 Ezra Boaron.
The show, which features more than $1 billion worth of diamonds will continue through February 12, 2020.
Among the 300 buyers from around the world were 110 buyers who arrived in Israel for the first time.
In his opening remarks IDE President Yoram Dvash said, "I am delighted to see all the distinguished guests who came from Israel and abroad. This year, a record number of buyers and delegations from around the world have arrived here.” He said that the total number of participants would have been larger, but that due to the emergency declared in China, many of the East Asian buyers were not able to attend. “We all hope that the Chinese will soon be able to control the spread of the corona virus and that the entire world will breathe a sigh of relief.”
Dvash added, "We are at the beginning of 2020 and we very much hope that this year will be one of recovery in the markets. In light of the reductions in rough allocation by some producers, shortages have been created and demand for certain goods has grown. This is certainly a step that will allow an adjustment in the global levels of rough and polished goods. We hope that this trend will continue in the coming months, and will create new opportunities for the world diamond industry. "
Later in the day Martin Rapaport, President of the Rapaport Group delivered an address entitled "Making Challenges into Opportunities." Rapaport spoke of the importance of upholding values in marketing diamonds, especially to the younger generations who wish to make the world a better place.
He called upon the diamond producers to reduce prices of rough diamonds by 30% to ensure market liquidity and to invest larger sums in generic marketing.
Rapaport also spoke of the power of diamonds, saying “diamonds mean something because they are worth something,” and called on diamantaires to sell value and meaning rather than sparkle.
The second day of the International Diamond Week in Israel will feature a professional panel entitled “Traceability & Provenance from Supply Chain to Manufacturing and Retail.”
Day three will feature a lecture by Oded Edelman, CEO of R2Net and James Allen about the role of e-commerce in selling diamonds.
Photos by Silvia G. Golan
More pics at Facebook Israel Diplo https://www.facebook.com/diplomacy.israel
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- Written by MWU
We have received a message from RABINO CARLOS A. TAPIERO Vice-Director General & Director of Education Macabi World Union, here I transmit them
" Tu[1] Bishvat, Medinat Israel & The transformation of the Jewish People"
Dear friends,
We are getting closer to Tu Bishvat – the 15th of the Hebrew month of Shvat: the festivity which celebrates "the New Year of Trees ", meaning the renewal of the natural cycle in the Land of Israel, represented by the flowering of the shkediah - the almond tree during the peak of the Israeli winter. This is a day of great joy in Medinat Israel, when children and young Israelis turn en masse to plant trees throughout the length and breadth of the Land of Israel - the most forested country in the world, with a rate of forestation much above the local wood consumption.
If you would ask most Jewish communities about the meaning of Tu Bishvat a hundred years ago, only a few of the very knowledgeable Jewish scholars could describe some of the characteristics of this celebration, referring basically to the times of the Mishnah, about 2000 years ago: "1st of Shvat is the New Year of the trees, according to the Rabbinical School of Shamai; the Rabbinic School of Hillel says: it is on the 15th of Shvat."[2]
But the establishment first of the Yishuv (pre-Medinat Israel), and then of the State of Israel, brought Tu Bishvat to the central stage of the Jewish people because of the very existence of our renewed National life in our Ancient Homeland. This very, very secondary celebration of the Jewish calendar turned to be crucial to the new-old Jewish State… because it provided with green to a land that had been devastated especially by the Ottoman Empire.
This new-old life, this returning to the Promised Land, posed new challenges to the Jewish leadership. Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook[3], the first Chief Rabbi of the First Zionist new City, Tel Aviv, when asked about Tu Bishvat, shared the following anecdote:
During a Tu Bishvat ceremony (1924), Rabbi Kook was at the establishment of Magdiel, a new townlit in the Sharon area. He was so overcome with emotion that tears flowed from his eyes and his face turned red and bright. Rabbi Kook was offered a hoe for planting a tree – and, to the surprise of everybody present at the ceremony, he refused to use it. Instead, he began digging with his bare hands… When asked about that odd decision from someone so admired by the growing Yishuv, Rabbi Kook provided the following explanation: “Since the planting of a tree in the Land of Israel is an act of holiness[4] and not just an agricultural chore, it is preferable not to use a tool which stands between the person doing the planting and the Holy Land he is cultivating”.
Of all the beautiful things the National Jewish life brought to the people of Israel in their Land and in all their Diasporas, Tu Bishvat is an example of resignifying and providing new sense to some forgotten traditions that were relevant as long as we lived in the Land of our Inheritance. It did not lose its holy dimension: on the contrary, it deepened it, and gained, too, the benefit of honoring ecology, establishing forests and glades, and bringing back to life the hills and valleys of the Land of Israel… with our own bare hands!
That was the reason why 450 of our finest future educators – the Bekeff Hadrachah Program coming from FACCMA and all its associates in Argentina – started their one-month educational program in Israel just few weeks ago by planting with their bare hands trees in the State of Israel, a holy and very practical way to reclaim back our Heritage.
May we, in this Tu Bishvat, root our souls with our renewed commitment to the Land of Israel and the State it comprises, for a present filled with a profusion of all manner of fruits and the promise of future growth and development.
Tu BiShvat Sameach!
Chazak ve'ematz!
RABBI CARLOS TAPIERO
Deputy Director-General & Director of Education
Maccabi World Union
[1] The name Tu BiShvat is a Hebrew Date: the 15th Day of the month of Shvat. In Hebrew alphabet numerology, the letter Yud stands for 10, so for example 11 is Yud-Aleph; 15, however, is not Yud-Heh because that would form one of the names of HaShem. Thus 15 is formed from Tet (9) & Vav (6).
[2] Mishnah, Rosh Hashana, 1: 1.
[3] 1863-1935.
[4] "When you enter the land [of Israel] and plant a fruit tree ..." - Vaikrah (Leviticus) XIX, 23.
Photos courtesy of MWU
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- Written by Costa Rica Embassy
On Tuesday, December 17th, 2019, Ms. Dyana Cordero, Director of the Costa Rican Export Promotion Agency (PROCOMER) in Israel, organized a cocktail in order to invite Israeli businesspeople to attend the event called Costa Rica Services Summit, which will take place on February 2020 at the Costa Rican Covention Center.
The event had the presence of the Ambassador of Costa Rica in Israel, Mr. Marco Vinicio Vargas Pereira, the Minister Counselor and Consul General of Costa Rica, Mr. Javier Rojas Víquez, the Honorary Consul of Costa Rica in Haifa, Mr. Natan Allalouf and representatives of Israeli universities and companies from different sectors, such us energy, real estate, autonomous mobility, cyber security and film industry, among others.
During the event, Ms. Cordero talked about the more conspicuous characteristics of the country, such as its political stability and democratic tradition, its zeal regarding the protection of the natural environment and its culture of peace as a country without an army. Besides, she presented what Costa Rica has to offer in the field of services, highlighted the advantages that Costa Rica offers as a destination for foreign investment and invited the audience to attend the Costa Rica Services Summit. Israeli entrepreneurs narrated their own experiences doing business in Costa Rica and both parties vowed to continue strengthening the commercial bonds between both nations.
Photo Silvia Golan
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- Written by Silvia G. Golan
The 7th Cybertech Global event began today at the Expo Tel Aviv conference center. Thousands of participants from around the world have made their way to Israel setting a new record of 20,000 participants from 94 countries in one of the largest technological events in the history of the nation.
The Cybertech Global events are taking place in booths 1 and 2 at the Expo Tel Aviv. Alongside the conference and as one of many special events taking place during the conference, a large number of international delegations visited the Gav Yam Hi-tech Park and the Ben-Gurion University in Beer Sheva.
USA is the largest participating delegation and the country with the largest number of representatives in this year's Cybertech event. In addition, large delegations from Canada, India, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Bulgaria, Singapore, Panama, Norway and from all over Europe.
Cybertech will take place for the 7th year, seeing participation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD), the Ministry of Economics, the Ministry of Energy and many more governmental offices. Prime-minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was a keynote speakers in past years, will send forward a message from his visit to Washington DC. Blue and White party chairman Lt.-Gen. (res.) Benjamin (Benny) Gantz will be amongst the main speakers as well as member of Knesset Nir Barkat, who formed a cyber company in the 90's and was one of the first investors with his brother in Check Point. Head of the INCD Yigal Unna will present new findings regarding Israel's cyber state. Minister of Energy Yuval Steinitz will be the guest of honor in the launch of the new cooperation between Cybertech Global and the Israeli Electric corporation, led by Yiftah Ron-Tal, Chairman of the Board of the Israel Electric Corporation and CEO Ofer Bloch.
Intelligence organizations from around the world will attend Cybertech in Tel Aviv. Amongst the speakers will be representatives from leading companies such as Microsoft, IBM, Deloitte, Lockheed Martin and more. Hundreds of startups will present their product alongside large companies at the conference exhibition. China has created a large national stand at the exhibition but unfortunately some of the Chinese companies will not be able to attend due to the spread of the Corona outbreak.
During Cybertech, the ministry of Communications will hold a meetup with dozens of communication ministers and international media platforms in order to discuss the 5G cellular topic as well as the IoT implications on the media field.
The Cybertech event, founded in Israel, is considered the largest cyber event holder in the world with conferences taking place in New York, Indianapolis, Rome, Singapore, Africa, Panama, Tokyo and Bangkok.
Cybertech founder Mr. Amir Rapaport: The quick growth of the cyber industry and the Cybertech event as worldwide event in Tel Aviv show us the cyber field is leading an historic revolution changing the global economy and the entire human race. Israeli companies have a major role in this revolution by developing new cyber technologies, AI, Iot, communications and computers. The new record of international delegations, arriving shortly at Cybertech, shows as the fast rate of the cyber revolution.
Photos Cybertech .
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- Written by Ministry of Defense Spokesperson's
For the First Time: The Israel Ministry of Defense and Montenegro Ministry of Defense Sign a GTG Agreement
Yesterday, (December 15th, 2019), the International Defense Cooperation Directorate of the Israel Ministry of Defense (SIBAT), has signed a historic, first agreement with the Montenegro Ministry of Defense. The government-to-government agreement awards Elbit Systems a contract valued at approximately $35 million, for the acquisition of Remote Control Weapon Stations (RCWS), which will be integrated into U.S. manufactured (OSHKOSH), state of the art, joint light tactical vehicles (JLTVs).
The agreement was signed during a festive ceremony at the IMoD HQ in Tel Aviv, Israel, in honor of the Motenegrin Delegation led by the Minister of Defense, Pedrag Boskovic. The event was held in the presence of IMoD General Director, Maj. Gen. (Res.), Udi Adam, Director of SIBAT, Brig. Gen. (Ret.), Yair Kulas, and Head of the Finance Department, Mr. Victor Weiss.
The agreement stipulates the procurement of advanced RCWS, and spare parts, and includes the transfer of Israeli expertise and know-how via training and guidance with our partners in the Montenegrin armed forces and Ministry of Defense. The Elbit Systems 12.7mm RCWS, is a lightweight, low silhouette, dual axis and stabilized mechanism, mounted externally on armored vehicles. The RCWS offers accurate firing on-the-move and is operated via handles and Smart Displays by the gunner from within the vehicle, ensuring the security of the vehicles’ crew.
Director of SIBAT, Brig. Gen. (Ret.), Yair Kulas: “This first, GTG agreement is welcomed and applauded by all of us at the Ministry of Defense, as a stepping stone to expanding and deepening our cooperation with the state of Montenegro, a strategic NATO ally and a friend to the State of Israel. This agreement reflects the value of Israeli defense innovation in addressing issues that our strategic partners and allies may face. It also reflects the excellent and ever-expanding relations that the Ministry of Defense and the State of Israel have with our Montenegrin partners on all levels. We look forward to furthering the cooperation and exchange of know-how with our fellow Mediterranean state, and to hosting our Montenegrin friends in Israel on additional celebratory occasions.”
Montenegrin Minister of Defense, Mr. Pedrag Boskovic: "After detailed market research and in accordance with the required technical characteristics of the remote control weapon, the Ministry of Defense of Montenegro selected the Israeli company 'Elbit Systems’. The experience and technological improvement of Israel in the field of Defense Industry make the country a credible partner for establishing an appropriate cooperation in this area. "
General Manager of Elbit Systems Land & C4I Division, Mr. Udi Vered: “We are very proud to introduce our 12.7mm RCWS to Montenegro’s Armed Forces’ on their 4X4 JLTV. This recent award further expands our NATO customer base of RCWS operators and strengthens our growing cooperation with Oshkosh. We are witnessing a growing demand for our RCWS, of which many hundreds are already operational onboard a range of land and naval platforms worldwide, and we trust that further customers will follow in acquiring our advanced and mature weapon stations”.
Photos
1. (Right to left) Secretary of Defense, Udi Adam and Montenegro's Minister of Defense, Fredragag Boskovich. Credit: Ariel Hermoni, Ministry of Defense
2. (Right to left) Chief of Civet Yair Coles, Director General of the Ministry of Defense Udi Adam, Minister of Defense of Montenegro and Head of Montenegro Procurement Credit: Ariel Hermoni, Ministry of Defense
3. Imaging of shooting positions. Credit: Elbit Systems
