West Hartford, CT -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/30/2014 -- The Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford’s public affairs department is taking a lead role in developing business and academic partnerships between Connecticut and Israel. Federation’s work is focused on bringing opportunities and solutions to Greater Hartford. Recently, the public affairs department has helped to galvanize support for partnerships that will bring talent and resources to Connecticut. Working with universities, businesses, local institutions, state legislators and trade associations, the Federation has significantly increased the visibility of leaders who bring the two cultures in unique and powerful ways.

Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford helped to facilitate the January 23, 2014 signing of a formal academic agreement by University of Saint Joseph President Pamela Trotman Reid and Dr. Ariela Lowenstein, President of Max Stern Academic College of Emek Yezreel in Israel.

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who attended the signing at the University in West Hartford noted in his introductory remarks that through education, we learn the values and traditions of others, and build a kinship with foreign countries.

“The agreement marked another milestone in advancing substantive interchange between Israeli and Connecticut institutions,” said Laura Zimmerman, vice president of Jewish Public Affairs for the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford. President Reid emphasized that reaching out and forging partnerships is a real opportunity that will change lives and forward global and national goals. The institutions also have a shared focus on health sciences and a diverse student body.

This past December, Zimmerman represented Federation on a State of Connecticut business mission to Israel led by Catherine Smith, Commissioner of the Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD). The focus of the trade mission was economic development. Israelis got a personal introduction to the state’s economic strengths and development leaders presented the advantages of doing business in Connecticut. In a short time, innovators and businesses with similar interests quickly generated relationships and began an exchange of ideas. Economic development leaders also presented the advantages of doing business in Connecticut.

The trip grew out of the Federation’s Connecticut-Israel Technology Initiative Summit, organized by Federation and MetroHartford Alliance, the region’s economic development leader. At this year’s summit, State Commissioner Smith recognized four companies that over the last year have successfully formed a Connecticut-Israel partnership, including Hartford Hospital, Mogen David Adom, Sustainable Innovations and Israel Compounds, LTD.

“The goal of Federation is to use personal relationships between Israeli and Greater Hartford leaders as a bridge to finding solutions to large-scale issues,” said Cathrine Schwartz, President and CEO, Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford. “Connecticut-Israel collaboration has fostered greater credibility and more trust between institutions, and helped bring new players to the table.”

Our Mission
Jewish Federation’s mission is to create a thriving and caring Jewish community that connects people of all faiths, builds tomorrow’s Jewish leaders, cares for Jews in need around the world and supports the state of Israel. We believe that our differences can be our strengths and we make strategic investments annually in partners and programs that engage a diverse population in planning a Jewish future based on our core values. Nothing is more essential to ensuring the Jewish future than providing opportunities for all generations to share experiences and create memories that will be the foundation of our future.