being halfway through 2022,  we thought this would be a great time to update our partners on the MIBA’s outcomes to date.  The headline: 2022 has been a banner year so far! 

Through June, the MIBA has supported approximately $2.8 million in economic growth to Michigan. To put this in perspective, in all of 2021 we supported approximately $1.22 million in economic activity for the entire year.  We have more than doubled our 2022 goal and still have 6 months to go! We are pleased with these outcomes so far, are grateful to our partners who have helped us achieve these results, and are not taking our foot off the gas! Looking forward to continued success.

Our successes could not be a possibility without our board of directors, funders, corporate partners, members, and donors. If you would like to become a part of our MIBA family, you can head to our website for more information on collaboration information. We also have given our website an upgrade including a new and improved supporter directory and a blog page! Follow us here and check out MIBA's new blog page!

Your Partner in INNOVATION, 

The MIBA 

MIBA Board Chair, Matt Elliott -
2023 Mackinac Policy Conference Chair 

The Michigan Israel Business Accelerator (MIBA) is proud to announce that the MIBA Board Chair, Matt Elliott, will serve as the 2023 Mackinac Policy Conference (MPC) Chair!

The MPC brings together public and private sector leaders from across Michigan to have strategic conversations with the purpose of moving Michigan forward! The Detroit Regional Chamber couldn’t have selected a better leader! Read more details here.

President Biden's Visit to Israel 
Naomi Miller, MIBA, Director of Israel Partnerships

Since the first US presidential visit to Israel by Richard Nixon in 1974, every US President since has visited the Jewish state (the record holder is Bill Clinton, who came over 4 times). This month, President Biden visited the country for an intensive 2-day stay. 

The landing of Air Force one and the ceremony on the tarmac in Tel Aviv were broadcast live on all the Israeli TV stations, followed by prime-time coverage of the presidential visit, showcasing the excitement this event creates in Israel. Hours prior to the arrival, roads leading to Jerusalem were closed to traffic and during his visit travel in the capital was almost impossible. Despite the inconvenience, most Israelis felt it was a small price to pay for such a monumental visit.

President Biden was hosted throughout his two-day sojourn by the new rookie Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who called the visit ‘historic’. Israeli President Isaac Herzog used a biblical analogy to welcome the President as the brother Joseph on a Middle Eastern journey of peace from the Holy Land to Saudi Arabia. The President’s itinerary included a visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s national memorial and museum to the Holocaust. He moved the nation when he met with two women Holocaust survivors, speaking to them beyond the allotted time, bent on one knee.

One of the most surprise highlights was a first: an American President’s presence at the opening ceremony of the Maccabi Games, the Jewish Olympics created 90 years ago. I was fortunate to attend the ceremony and watching the crowd celebrating the leader of the free world attending the largest Jewish global event was electric. 

Just as the President was departing for Saudi Arabia, the Saudis delighted Israelis by announcing that Saudi air space would now be open to Israeli civil aviation, resulting in a significant reduction in flying hours from Israel to the East and Asia. Prime Minister Lapid went beyond the aviation advantages and called it “the first official step in normalization with Saudi Arabia.” While the Saudis aren’t yet ready to join the Abraham Accords, President Biden’s visit has undoubtedly jump-started a process of regional cooperation that will hopefully lead to benefits for all the US allies in the Middle East.

President Biden at the Maccabi Games with President Herzog and PM Lapid   
Photo courtesy of jpost.com

Michigan Israel Business Accelerator (MIBA) staff spent the afternoon volunteering and team building in the gardens at Yad Ezra. Hebrew for "helping hand", Yad Ezra opened its doors in 1990 in response to the impoverished Jews living in southeast Michigan who relied heavily on government assistance programs. 

Currently, Yad Ezra provides food to an average of 1,200 impoverished families, totaling almost 2,500 individuals, every month. Their food selection includes an abundance of kosher items and fresh produce from their gardens.

The MIBA staff were grateful for the opportunity to support this meaningful cause in their community. In addition to the MIBA staff learning about Yad Ezra’s complex operations and how they adapted to the challenges of the Pandemic, they helped tend to the newly expanded vegetable gardens by weeding and installing irrigation. Click here to learn more about volunteering at Yad Ezra.