Cooperation Between Israel
and the State of Oklahoma

Binational foundation grants shared by Oklahoma institutions:

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

Acme Engineering Corp.
International Environmental Inc.
Limco-Airepair Inc.
Oklahoma State University
University of Oklahoma

Agreements with Israel

In 1992, the Oklahoma-Israel Exchange (OKIE) was created by Gov. David Walters to stimulate mutually beneficial projects. In 1994, the legislature established a permanent OKIE Commission to develop joint projects in energy, agriculture, trade, water use and conservation, and cultural and educational exchanges.

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. By engaging in SHARED VALUE INITIATIVES in areas such as the environment, energy and health, the citizens of both nations benefit.

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. At least 23 states have cooperative arrangements with Israel.

In 1992, the Oklahoma-Israel Exchange (OKIE) was created to stimulate mutually beneficial projects. In 1994, Bernice Shedrick, Penny Williams and Jeff Hamilton were chief sponsors of legislation establishing a permanent OKIE Commission to develop joint projects in energy, agriculture, trade, water use and conservation, and cultural and educational exchanges.

In 2007, Oklahoma exported over $11 million worth of manufacturing goods to Israel. Israel is now Oklahoma's 44th largest trade partner. The total value of exports since 1996 have exceeded $141 million. In 2006, Oklahoma companies received $1,603,204 in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) as US military aid to Israel.

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 Oklahoma.

Israel, for example, 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 after first being adopted in Tulsa in 1984.

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

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

Oklahoma Firms Profit From Business With Israel

As the only country with free trade agreements with both the United States and the European community, Israel 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, Intel and McDonald's have found that it is profitable to do business in Israel.

Many Oklahoma companies have discovered the benefits of doing business in Israel, including Altec Lansing and Kerr-McGee Chemical. One, L.S.B. Industries of Oklahoma City, has a subsidiary in Israel. Senior Vice President Rami Mitzlav said he suggested the company consider operations in Israel in the early 1980's. "I said that Israel had a pool of talent that could do very good and inexpensive research and development." The company, which makes parts for air-conditioning equipment, subsequently established an R&D operation in Tel Aviv and later an electronics factory to produce components for its environmental division. Mitzlav said the company is "very happy" with the Israeli connection.

In 1992, Gov. David Walters led a delegation to Israel that resulted in a deal, between shopping cart manufacturer Unarco and Israel's largest supermarket chain. Now, Oklahoma City-based Unarco sells throughout Israel and, according to recently retired CEO Marvin Weiss, “it has been a very successful venture.”

"We have a very good relationship with Israel," said Michael McDonnell, Vice President of Marketing for Kerr-McGee Chemical Corp. in Oklahoma City. The company sells chemicals to Israel, including one used for paint and elastics.

Similarly, Ken Williams of Electro-Enterprises in Oklahoma City, said his company has successfully marketed military-style connectors that can be used for aircraft maintenance.

Joint ventures between Israeli and Oklahoma companies can obtain funding from the Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation (BIRD). The United States and Israel established BIRD in 1977 to fund joint U.S.-Israeli teams in 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. BIRD funds projects in 33 states and the District of Columbia.

Most grant recipients are small businesses involved with software, instrumentation, communications, medical devices and semiconductors.

Since its inception, BIRD has funded more than 740 joint high-tech R&D projects through conditional grants totaling more than $210 million. Products developed from these ventures have generated sales of more than $8 billion, tax revenues of more than $200 million in the United States alone and created an estimated 20,000 American jobs.

Two Oklahoma companies received BIRD grants in the 1980's. In was not until 1995, that another firm took advantage of the opportunity BIRD offers to reduce the risk of new ventures and tap into the deep pool of Israeli talent. That company, Limco-Airepair, is now working on the development of an environmentally friendly air-conditioning system.

Scientific Innovations

The University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have shared with counterparts in Israel more than $154,000 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.

OSU's Steven McKeever and his Israeli colleague were among the first to develop a new material to help measure the amount of radiation absorbed by the body. "It is important to have more and more sensitive dosimeters," McKeever said, "so we can know how much radiation people are exposed to from environmental pollution, and in places like hospitals and nuclear submarines.

"The BSF grant," he added, "gave me access to material, which at the time was available only in one place besides Israel. It also allowed me to exchange ideas with people who are leaders in the field.

Paul Devlin is a physical chemist at OSU who studies the structure and behavior of icy materials. The research, he said, has important implications for the study of astrophysics. “Ice is also viewed as a catalyst to ozone hole formation,” according to Devlin, “so understanding how molecules react with ice can help explain things like the reaction of freon gas with ozone.”

Devlin's experimental bent complements his collaborator's theoretical focus. “Sometimes her ideas lead the research and sometimes mine do. One of the benefits of the BSF grant is it allows us to meet and hammer things out as well as discuss where we're going.”

Other projects involve basic science research and may have no applications. The University of Oklahoma's Michael Engel is interested in the alteration of organic material in the earth's crust. Claims are sometimes made, he said, that the DNA of a dinosaur has been found in a fossil. Engel and his colleague successfully tested a new method for using isotopes to determine if such DNA could indeed be that of the original dinosaur.

“The BSF grant gave me access to samples from the Negev that I wouldn't have otherwise had,” he said.

BSF-sponsored studies benefit the United States by extending research resources to achieve milestones that might not otherwise be attainable; introducing novel approaches and techniques that can lead American researchers to move in new directions; confirming, clarifying and intensifying research projects; providing access to Israeli equipment and facilities and early access to Israeli research results that speed American scientific advances.

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. Since its inception, BARD has funded more than 800 projects that produced new technologies in drip irrigation, pesticides, livestock, poultry, disease control and farm equipment. In 2005, 28 projects were funded at 31 U.S. institutions. BARD funds projects in 45 states and the District of Columbia. Oklahoma colleges have shared grants worth more than $1,400,000 since 1987.

A major problem for Oklahoma is the infestation of cattle with ticks, which cause production losses and the animals to lose weight. Elsewhere, particularly Africa, ticks transmit Lyme and other diseases. Ticks are second only to mosquitoes as transmitters of disease to humans No natural means of controlling them exists and the ticks are hard to kill. Oklahoma State's Katherine Kocan has been working with an Israeli expert on microscopic worms in the soil called nematodes to develop a biocontrol for ticks. Their research has demonstrated the nematodes can kill ticks and this could lead to a means of controlling the pests.

“The BARD grant helped broaden my horizons,” Kocan said. “I'm doing fascinating research with incredibly intelligent, caring people. And the research could lead to the control of parasites that would benefit the world.”

Bill Shelton of the University of Oklahoma is working under his second BARD grant in aquaculture. His first project led to the development of new methods to control breeding of Talapia, an important food fish. His most recent research relates to breeding carp. Using genetic engineering, he has been able to enhance and select the color of fish. This is important to the Israeli fish farming industry, which exports ornamental fish like koi.

Though Oklahoma has no aquaculture industry, Shelton says the State benefits because he has an opportunity to interact with international researchers and that helps enhance the university's prestige. “BARD provides an important mechanism for interacting with colleagues.”

Oklahoma also benefits from BARD research done elsewhere. For example, BARD grantees have done research indicating carbon-dioxide may be a nontoxic alternative to pesticides currently used on stored grains like wheat.

Another project identified a type of fungus that protects wheat and increases crop yields. Still another innovative approach involved using dye sensitizers that react with sunlight to break down pesticides used for crops like sorghum. The BARD treatment protects crops and also reduces water contamination.

A team of agricultural economists from the University of Maryland and University of California 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.

Other Cooperative Programs

UJA Partnership 2000 Communities

Tulsa Kinneret Cluster - Sovev Kinneret

Hillel Campus Profiles

State Contacts

Department of Commerce
900 North Stiles
Oklahoma City, OK 73126-0980
Tel: 405-815-6552
Email: info@odoc.state.ok.us
Web: http://www.odoc.state.ok.us

Jewish Federation of Greater Oklahoma City
710 W. Wilshire Blvd. Ste. C
Oklahoma City, OK 73116-7736
Tel. 405-848-3132
Fax. 405-848-3180
Email. info@jfedokc.org
URL: http://www.jfedokc.org

Sherwin Pomerantz, Israel Director
Oklahoma Department of Commerce
Oklahoma-Israel Exchange (OKIE)
c/o Atid EDI Ltd
Building 2, Har Hotzvim
POB 45005
91450 Jerusalem
Tel. 02-571-0199
Fax. 02-571-0713
Email: atidedi@netvision.net.il
URL: www.atid-edi.com/oklahoma.htm

Oklahoma Israel Exchange
3907 E 79th Street
Tulsa, OK 74136
Tel. 918-492-4770
Fax. 918-491-6704
Email: info@oklahomaisraelexchange.org
Web. http://www.oklahomaisraelexchange.org

Jewish Federation of Tulsa
2021 East 71st St.
Tulsa, OK 74136
Tel. 918-495-1100
Fax. 918-495-1220
Email. federation@jewishtulsa.org
URL: http://www.jewishtulsa.org