Cooperation Between Israel
and the State of Ohio

Binational foundation grants shared by Ohio institutions:

Recipients of grants from U.S.-Israel binational foundations:

Audio Technica US, Inc.
Bowling Green
Case Western
Case Western Medical School
Case Western University Hospital
Cincinnati Electronics Corp.
Cincinnati Milacron Inc.
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Computer Logics Ltd.
Essef Corporation
Frantz Medical Development
Keithly Instruments Inc.
Kent State
NCR Corporation
Ohio State
Proctor & Gamble, Miami Valley Labs
Spectra-Physics Laser Plane, Inc.
Telxon
Triplett Corp.
University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati Medical School
University of Toldeo
Wright State

Agreements with Israel

Ohio Arts Council signed an agreement for cultural exchanges with Israel in 1996.

Partners For Change

The U.S.-Israel relationship is based on the twin pillars of shared values and mutual interests. Given this commonality of interests and beliefs, it should not be surprising that support for Israel is one of the most pronounced and consistent foreign policy values of the American people.

It is more difficult to devise programs that capitalize on the two nations' shared values than their security interests; nevertheless, such programs do exist. In fact, these SHARED VALUE INITIATIVES cover a broad range of areas such as the environment, energy, education and health.

Today's interdependent global economy requires that trade policy be developed at the national and state level. Many states are realizing significant benefits by increasing trade with Israel.

In 1996, Ohio signed an agreement for cultural exchanges with Israel. At least 23 states now have cooperative arrangements with Israel in areas such as agriculture, economic development, science and technology communications and transportation.

In 2007, exports to Israel totaled over $339 million. The total value of exports since 1996 have reached almost $1.9 billion. In addition, Ohio companies received $44,104,004 in 2006 for U.S. government-funded military contracts with Israel through the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program (U.S. military assistance to Israel). Israel is the State's 19th largest trading partner.

Israel is certainly a place where potential business and trade partners can be found. It can also be a source, however, for innovative programs and ideas for addressing problems facing the citizens of Ohio.

For example, Israel has developed a number of pioneering education programs. One, the Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY), has been praised by President Clinton as "the best preschool program on earth" and replicated throughout the country, including Cincinnati and Cleveland.

A range of other exciting approaches to problems like unemployment, environmental protection and drug abuse have been successfully implemented in Israel and could be imported for the benefit of Americans.

In 2003, the Ohio and Israel, through the Ohio-Israel initiative, began sharing agricultural research that culminated in a trade mission to Israel by a group of Ohio farmers. Researchers at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center are exchanging information on health-promoting chemicals that occur in plants; this information could be used in soy-based breads to lower cholesterol levels. Ohio scientists are also looking at Israel's energy-efficient greenhouses as models to see if they could work in the United States.

The potential for greater cooperation with Israel for the benefit of the State of Ohio is limited only by the imagination.

Ohio Firms Profit From Business With Israel

Because of Israel's unique status as the only country with free trade agreements with both the United States and the European community, it can act as a bridge for international trade between the United States and Europe. Moreover, because of the deep pool of talent, particularly in high-technology areas, Israel provides excellent investment opportunities. Some of the nation's largest companies, such as IBM, Microsoft, Motorola and Intel have found that it is indeed profitable to do business in Israel, as have more than 300 Ohio firms.

When Governor George Voinovich led a mission to Israel in 1993, he opened doors for many Ohio companies and institutions. Voinovich, for example, persuaded the Israeli government to hire Battelle Memorial Institute of Columbus to match up Ohio users of technology with Israeli sources.

Neil Moss, chairman of the investment banking firm Global Linx Corp., announced his company would expand its Israel-based operations and work on the contracts with Battelle.

The Limited, the Columbus-based clothing retailer, closed a deal to acquire Tefron, making The Limited's subsidiary, Macpell, one of the 100 largest companies in Israel.

Electra Form Inc., a Vandalia-based firm that manufactures plastics-processing machinery, already sells equipment in Israel. Director of sales Philip Brun found several new customers on the Governor's mission, including one who tentatively agreed to purchase more than $1 million of new equipment.

William Lhota participated in a dual capacity as a senior executive from the American Electric Power Co. and as chairman of the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce. AEP is a leader in the development of clean-coal technology. Lhota explored opportunities to work with his Israeli counterparts on the use of these technologies to improve the environment. In his role with the Columbus Chamber, Lhota sought to promote the city as an air distribution point for Israeli exports to the Midwest.

Most delegates who traveled with Voinovich did not expect to make deals when they were in Israel but hoped to establish contacts that might lead to future business. Two of the participants, David Miller and Joseph Borovsky, for example, were from small companies that identified new buyers and began discussing possible joint ventures. Miller is president of Aquatech, a Cleveland-based company that manufactures sewer cleaning equipment, and Borovsky is president of Columbus-based Enzymol International, a new company that makes a nontoxic industrial resin.

Other companies have entered into joint research and development projects with the help of grants from the Binational Research and Development Foundation (BIRD). BIRD funds projects in 33 states and the District of Columbia. The United States and Israel established BIRD in 1977 to provide grants for the development and subsequent commercialization of innovative, nondefense technological products from which both the Israeli and American company can expect to derive benefits commensurate with the investments and risks.

Products developed from these ventures have generated sales of more than $8 billion in each country and created an estimated 20,000 American jobs. Since its inception, BIRD has funded more than 740 joint high-tech R&D projects through conditional grants totaling more than $210 million. Ten Ohio firms have shared grants with Israeli companies totaling over $1.1 million.

Greg Leonard, marketing manager for Cincinnati Electronics Corp., said his company does a great deal of business in Israel and was able to develop a new product in a joint venture with Ricor thanks to a BIRD grant. Ricor, he said, builds a unique cryogenic cooler that was combined with a duer made by Cincinnati Electronics to produce inexpensive, reliable packaging for focal plane arrays. These devices are used in infrared cameras that have military and commercial applications for things like surveillance and target location.

One of the big advantages of BIRD grants is that they allow smaller companies access to Israel's talented labor force. Todd Haug, Vice President of Engineering for Triplett Corporation in Buffington, said his company had almost no chance to work with engineers who are knowledgeable in the fields of digital signal processing and radio frequency electronics. "Israel has a lot of talent in these areas that BIRD gave us access to." The project also entailed greater risk than Triplett could normally undertake, but, Haug says, the grant helped reduce the risk to the point where it was doable.

Triplett is working with Elisra to develop a device for testing the new generation of digital cellular phones. By itself, Triplett didn't have the expertise, but the company was able to combine its knowledge of testing equipment with Elisra's engineering experience to design the cellular phone tester. The companies are working so well together, Haug says, "When we complete this project, we'll be looking for the next one."

Scientific Innovations

Bowling Green, Case Western Reserve, Kent State, Wright State and Ohio State have shared with counterparts in Israel more than $2.5 million in grants awarded by the Binational Science Foundation (BSF) since 1987. BSF was established in 1972 to promote research cooperation between scientists from the United States and Israel.  It has awarded more than 3,000 grants, involving scientists more than 400 institutions located in 44 states and the District of Columbia.

Albert Soloway, a chemist at OSU, is working on a promising therapy for treating malignant tumors. The idea is to develop compounds that can be used in conjunction with neutron beams to destroy tumor cells without harming normal ones. "It is scientifically stimulating to work with people in Israel who want to apply this new therapy," Soloway says. Though his grant has expired, he is continuing to collaborate with his Israeli counterparts.

Bowling Green's George Bullerjahn is interested in learning how photosynthesis is regulated. "Crops have to adapt to changing light intensities during the day," he explains, "so if it is possible to understand the physiological changes that take place in plants in high and low light, it may ultimately be possible to engineer plants to thrive in different kinds of light."

Collaborating with a Hebrew University scientist has been enormously helpful to Bullerjahn, who says that his colleague's physiology-ecology approach compliments his microbiology focus. The two have already published four papers and are working on the fifth. Bullerjahn says the work "really helped establish my career." They are now applying for a new grant to study a particular algae that thrives in low light in the Red Sea. Bullerjahn would not have access to this unique algae if it were not for his Israeli collaborator.

While much of the research is practical, some BSF grants enable Americans to do more theoretical work. Steven Rallis, for example, is a mathematician at OSU who is able to work with "first-rate scientists" in Israel. "I have seen no other country that takes an interest at this level in collaborating and in maintaining such a high level of science," Rallis says. Though his work is not "glitzy," Rallis believes he gets enormous benefits from a relatively small grant.

A 1999 external economic review took an in depth look at 10 BSF projects. These 10 alone, produced aggregate benefits of $780 million, a figure four times the total expenditure of BARD since its inception (1978). The benefits accrue to the United States, to Israel and to both countries together.

Agriculture Benefits

The Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund (BARD) was created in 1978 with equal contributions by the United States and Israel. Its goal is to serve the research objectives of both nations and all projects must be of mutual benefit. Since its inception, BARD has funded more than 800 projects that have led to new technologies in drip irrigation, pesticides, fish farming, livestock, poultry, disease control and farm equipment. 

BARD funds projects in 45 states and the District of Columbia. In 2005, 28 projects were funded at 31 U.S. institutions. Ohio institutions have shared grants worth almost $5 million since 1987, with Ohio State receiving the lion's share.

Ohio State received one grant to investigate the cause of wheat diseases. The Ohio Agricultural Research & Development Center at OSU and Israel's Agricultural Research Organization also worked together to find the natural enemies of sap beetles, an insect that is responsible for up to 10 percent of the losses in Ohio strawberry fields.

One problem common to Israel and the United States, as well as many other countries, is plant diseases caused by a combination of fungus and a microscopic type of roundworm. "Today, there is growing concern about the environmental impact of soil fumigant chemicals typically used to fight these diseases," said Randy Rowe, a plant pathologist at OSU. "We are doing preliminary research into the cause of these diseases that may eventually lead to the development of alternative ways of controlling them." Rowe has now been working for several years with Israeli scientists at the Volcani Institute who share his interest.

Another OSU plant pathologist, Harry Hoitink, has been working for more than a decade with Israelis interested in waste recycling by composting. Hoitink is now working under his second BARD grant in an effort to measure the decomposition of waste. By developing a new way to analyze organic matter, he says, it will be possible to predict the sustainability of soil. Ultimately, the research could lead to products that will help plants, particularly ornamental flowers, suppress diseases and reduce the need for fumigants.

A team of agricultural economists found that the economic benefits of just five projects - related to cotton, pecans and solarization - exceeded all U.S. investment in BARD. It is difficult to break down the impact on a state-by-state basis, but, overall, BARD-sponsored research has generated sales of more than $500 million, tax revenues of more than $100 million and created more than 5,000 American jobs.

A 29-person delegation of Ohio farmers traveled to Israel at the end of February 2006 to learn about Israeli approaches to water management, milk processing, urban expansion and other agricultural issues (AP, February 23, 2006).

Ram Ben-Dor, who lived on an Israeli farm for 20 years, said Ohio farmers should be able to help the Israelis with technologies that would increase their productivity and make them more competitive in world markets. He said it would be an opportunity for the Israelis to make contacts that could increase soybean imports from Ohio.

“I’m extremely intrigued by the ability of them to grow enough crops for 7 million people in the desert,” said Daniel Corcoran. Corcoran raises soybeans, wheat and alfalfa on his 4,000-acre family farm near Waverly. “Hopefully,” he said, “there are things we can bring back here.”

John Bechtel raises trout, perch and bluegill near Fredericktown. He wanted to learn how Israelis prevent the spread of disease among fish as well as pick up tips on fish nutrition, genetics and water-quality management.

Michael Putnam, a dairy farmer from Frankfort, wanted to see if Israeli equipment will allow him to process milk on his farm rather than ship it out. This would allow him to save transportation costs and enable him to make cheeses and yogurt he can sell to niche markets.

Bob Peterson raises hogs and grows corn, soybeans and wheat on his farm near Washington Court House in central Ohio. He said that residential and commercial development from Columbus, Cincinnati and Dayton are limiting his ability to expand his operation. He was interested in how the Israelis manage to farm in densely populated areas while increasing production and profits.

Other Cooperative Programs

Sister City Agreements:

City of Akron City of Kiryat-Ekron

City of Cleveland City of Holon

City of Columbus City of Herzliya

UJA Partnership 2000 Communities:

Cleveland Beit Shean/Beit Shean area

Akron Western Galilee

Columbus Western Galilee

Canton Western Galilee

Dayton Western Galilee

Toledo Western Galilee

Youngstown Western Galilee

Hillel Campus Profiles

State Contacts

AIPAC
85 E. Gay St., #1010
Columbus, OH 43215
Tel. 614-224-6007
Fax. 614-224-6427

The Association of America-Israel Chambers of Commerce (AAICC)
1111 Chester Ave., #810
Cleveland, OH 44114
Tel. 216-621-2533
Fax. 216-621-6862
Email. aaicc@aol.com
Web. http://www.israeltrade.org

Cleveland College of Jewish Studies
26500 Shaker St.
Beachwood, OH 44122
Tel. 216-464-5581

Dept. of Development
77 S. High St., P.O. Box 1001
Columbus, OH 43266-0101
Tel. 614-466-5017
Fax. 614-463-1540

Government Affairs Committee of Ohio Jewish Communities
50 West Broad St., #1915
Columbus, OH 43215
Tel. 614-463-1835
Fax. 614-463-1836

JCC of Cincinnati
105 W. 4th St., #810
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Tel. 513-241-5620

Jewish Community Council
300 Lovers Lane
Steubenville, OH 43952
Tel. 614-264-5514

Jewish Community Relations Council
4380 Malsbary Rd
Cincinnati, OH 45242-5644
Tel. 513-891-5111

Jewish Federation of Akron
750 White Pond Dr.
Akron, OH 44320
Tel. 216-869-2424

Jewish Federation of Canton
2631 Harvard Ave., NW
Canton, OH 44709
Tel. 330-452-6444

Jewish Federation Of Cincinnati
4380 Malsbary Rd
Cincinnati, OH 45242-5644
Tel. 513-985-1500

Jewish Federation Of Cleveland
1750 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44115
Tel. 216-566-9200

Jewish Federation Columbus
1175 College Ave
Columbus, OH 43209-2827
Tel. 614-237-7686

Jewish Federation Greater Dayton
4911 Covenant House Dr
Dayton, OH 45426-2007
Tel. 513-837-2651

Jewish Federation Greater Dayton
4501 Denlinger Rd
Dayton, OH 45426-2308
Tel. 513-854-4150

Jewish Federation Greater Toledo
6505 Sylvania Ave
Sylvania, OH 43560-3918
Tel. 419-885-4461

Ohio-Israel Chamber of Commerce
1111 Chester Ave., #810
Cleveland, OH 44114
Tel. 216-621-6832
Fax. 216-621-6862
Email. oicc@aol.com

Richard Schottenstein
Managing Director
Ohio Department of Development
1 Azrieli Center, 35th Fl.
Derech Petach Tikva 132
Tel-Aviv 67021
Tel. 3-609-6001
Fax. 3-609-6002
Email. ohio1@barak.net.il

Youngstown Area Jewish Federation
505 Gypsy Lane
Youngstown, OH 44504-1314
Tel. 216-746-3251