Israel is a land which, when war rears its many-fanged head, folds its economy like an idler?s pack of cards. Sanity dictates that in wartime productive capacity must kick into high gear. The 1973 Yom Kippur War now is nearly paid off, yet this most recent rat hunt again has emptied the till, putting the Promised Land into Promissory Note Land even worse than before. It will take Israel years to dig itself out of the pit of debt Yasser Arafat created. May the alleged US$30 billion in his personal bank accounts shared with the Israel Foreign Ministry be confiscated and spent on Israel, his victim, now. If the world can demand and collect of Germany and Japan war reparations, then let Arafat and the Palestinian Authority pay Israel the same. Hand over that joint-account bankbook; Israel is cashing it in now.
Yet sadly, as the aforementioned shall not happen owing to special interest groups in the Israeli government placing world opinion before justice and the welfare of its own people, industrial preparedness is marginalized. In a nation where education is cherished, productive labor is a cardinal virtue, and making things second nature, today?s recurring financial quandary is a product of putting, mistakenly, ?easy-money,? traveling-carnival tent enterprises like tourism and gambling first, while relegating sensible enterprises, such as industrial enterprise, last. While tourists and card-sharks disappear at the first ?bang,? there is no instance in history where manufacturing workers? net productivity did not improve under attack. This was so in England during the Blitz, it was so in Germany during the British and American air raids, and it was so in Soviet Russia when the Luftwaffe was dive-bombing the factories of Kiev and Leningrad. It must also be pointed out that many types of manufacturing can be automated now to the point where skeleton crews can maintain almost full capacity, while the machine operators are otherwise occupied arranging personal interviews with Allah for unfriendly military visitors to Israel of the Muslim faith.
A very hard question needs to be asked as a corollary to the above observation: when the next major clash happens, and Israel cannot achieve victory in under thirty days, G-d forbid, what then is the denouement to the military drama underway, if Israel?s allies refuse to provide airlifts of needed ammunition, armament and supplies? Few wish to be reminded that while resupply of Israel?s military needs were generously forthcoming during the Yom Kippur War, following the October 23, 1973, cease-fire, then-Prime Minister Golda Meir was informed by Mr. Henry Kissinger, President Nixon?s Secretary of State, that any further supplies and replenishment to rebuild the IDF?s strength in equipment would have to paid for in 120 days following its receipt (an impossible task at the time), and those deliveries would only be forthcoming after a six-month period, while the U.S. military replenished the stocks from which the first round of Israeli supplies were drawn. That any resupply options were open to Israel from the U.S.A. at that time was a major miracle, given the concern openly voiced by the American public that the U.S.A. was leaving behind one Viet Nam only to enter another one incrementally, through possible ?mission creep? in the Middle East, on Israel?s behalf.
How to counter Israel?s dependency on foreign industrial supply? What differentiates Israel from Canada, the Pacific Basin and the EU regarding its economic development is its present shyness in approaching the members of trade groups such as the U.S. National Association of Manufacturers to display Israel?s unmatched potential as a first-rank supplier of manufactured goods. Machined metal parts, mechanical subassemblies, and rotating equipment components for such high-demand products as light-rail passenger cars, power generation equipment repair kits, off-road construction equipment repair/replacement part kits, CNC (computer numerically controlled) machine tools, stainless steel bearings and bushings, and industrial security equipment - this last directed specifically at the U.S. budget allocated under the Homeland Security Act - all are ?short putts? in the golf game of economics for the Holy Land. Each new production contract expands Israel?s military manufacturing preparedness base just that much more.
Other trade associations in the U.S.A. that resoundingly support the State of Israel, yet scratch their heads in wonder at Israel's low profile in the U.S. market, are the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, the American Society for Mechanical Engineers? International Gas Turbine Institute, the American Society for Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, the Society for Automotive Engineering, and the American Society for Metals. There are over 1500 industrial trade associations before which Israeli trade developers are equally welcome to speak about their enterprises? manufacturing potential.
The membership of these groups consistently and unswervingly support the continued survival of Israel in its present incarnation for the following selfish, as well as altruistic and faith-based, reasons:
* In an age when the pool of intelligent, well-read, diligent and hard-working youth appears to be shrinking, the availability of Jewish engineering graduates is highly cherished by the American manufacturing community. Many are the design and production management departments of member companies headed by or supported positively by the efforts of Jewish engineers.
* Some member firms sell millions of dollars worth of equipment to Israel, and wish to expand their market share. Others have never tried on the Israel market, but would wish to give it a try, if only they knew how to set about doing so.
* There is no manufacturing concern in the U.S.A. not pursuing alternative sourcing for the components of the equipment and machines they sell. What better opportunity, then, for the appropriate Israel supplier?
* Many American manufacturing concerns would find Israel?s relative labor costs for production workers sufficiently attractive to bankroll setting up factories in Israel, if only they knew how and were likewise made fully aware of the many incentives Israel has to offer to establish manufacturing facilities there.
There are some countries that are far ahead of the U.S.A. in investing in Israel?s manufacturing excellence. One of these countries is Germany. As an American with five uncles who fought the Nazis all the way from Africa to Sicily to Anzio and then to Normandy (and all five, praise the Creator, made it back alive), this fact I find ironic, and just a little bit embarrassing. The list of substantive German manufacturing partners in Israel would fill two pages. While Germany?s geographic proximity and cultural commonality in several areas are key factors cementing this relationship, here is yet another instance where a U.S.A.-Israel opportunity to create mutually profitable expressions of national friendship is slipping by us.
Also, must the solution to creating a new and stronger manufacturing base for Israel be always a top-down proposition, with formal presentation of technical papers at engineering conferences and face-to-face meetings between upper management and diplomatic representatives? No. Experience in industrial sales has taught me that the best and fastest way to create a requirement for a piece of industrial equipment is to get to the production workers and foremen who use the equipment you have to sell. These workers in turn, through presenting the objective positive benefits of the product, can convince their managers to consider purchasing that new equipment, if a need can be demonstrated and the product fits the bill.
Education, as ever, is the key to Jewish survival and growth. Therefore, a simplified program of American Jewish community education should be fostered to equip Jews in industrial fields in the U.S.A. with the information needed to present their employers with beneficial suggestions incorporating Israel?s magnificent engineering, design and manufacturing capabilities. The State of Israel?s high-ranking foreign trade development team already has the top-down promotion covered very well. It is time for the individual Israel-booster in America to be given the tools to aid Israel grow, as it must, as a major international industrial player. Nothing complicated or in-depth is needed. All that is required is for small bridges to be made between commercial representatives and agents in both lands, through the supply of brochures, short informed talks before local chapters of U.S. trade groups, and the provision of useful telephone numbers to qualified, interested parties. Why solicit charity from the usual suspects for such development when you could conceivably supply a perfect stranger with the opportunity of a lifetime, which pays for itself, while making for Israel not only new friends, but living-wage jobs for unemployed Israelis? The State of Israel was created from a tiny spark of imagination shared over a cup of coffee between friends in a Viennese cafe. What miracle can you make flesh? Try.
With time, luck and perseverance, Israel?s ultimate goal of achieving full status as an industrialized nation will be realized. This hope can only be made a reality through the full democratic participation of each and every Jew worldwide in its progression toward that goal.
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Walter James O?Brien is a powerplant construction project manager and manufacturing cost estimator in Everett, Washington.
Yet sadly, as the aforementioned shall not happen owing to special interest groups in the Israeli government placing world opinion before justice and the welfare of its own people, industrial preparedness is marginalized. In a nation where education is cherished, productive labor is a cardinal virtue, and making things second nature, today?s recurring financial quandary is a product of putting, mistakenly, ?easy-money,? traveling-carnival tent enterprises like tourism and gambling first, while relegating sensible enterprises, such as industrial enterprise, last. While tourists and card-sharks disappear at the first ?bang,? there is no instance in history where manufacturing workers? net productivity did not improve under attack. This was so in England during the Blitz, it was so in Germany during the British and American air raids, and it was so in Soviet Russia when the Luftwaffe was dive-bombing the factories of Kiev and Leningrad. It must also be pointed out that many types of manufacturing can be automated now to the point where skeleton crews can maintain almost full capacity, while the machine operators are otherwise occupied arranging personal interviews with Allah for unfriendly military visitors to Israel of the Muslim faith.
A very hard question needs to be asked as a corollary to the above observation: when the next major clash happens, and Israel cannot achieve victory in under thirty days, G-d forbid, what then is the denouement to the military drama underway, if Israel?s allies refuse to provide airlifts of needed ammunition, armament and supplies? Few wish to be reminded that while resupply of Israel?s military needs were generously forthcoming during the Yom Kippur War, following the October 23, 1973, cease-fire, then-Prime Minister Golda Meir was informed by Mr. Henry Kissinger, President Nixon?s Secretary of State, that any further supplies and replenishment to rebuild the IDF?s strength in equipment would have to paid for in 120 days following its receipt (an impossible task at the time), and those deliveries would only be forthcoming after a six-month period, while the U.S. military replenished the stocks from which the first round of Israeli supplies were drawn. That any resupply options were open to Israel from the U.S.A. at that time was a major miracle, given the concern openly voiced by the American public that the U.S.A. was leaving behind one Viet Nam only to enter another one incrementally, through possible ?mission creep? in the Middle East, on Israel?s behalf.
How to counter Israel?s dependency on foreign industrial supply? What differentiates Israel from Canada, the Pacific Basin and the EU regarding its economic development is its present shyness in approaching the members of trade groups such as the U.S. National Association of Manufacturers to display Israel?s unmatched potential as a first-rank supplier of manufactured goods. Machined metal parts, mechanical subassemblies, and rotating equipment components for such high-demand products as light-rail passenger cars, power generation equipment repair kits, off-road construction equipment repair/replacement part kits, CNC (computer numerically controlled) machine tools, stainless steel bearings and bushings, and industrial security equipment - this last directed specifically at the U.S. budget allocated under the Homeland Security Act - all are ?short putts? in the golf game of economics for the Holy Land. Each new production contract expands Israel?s military manufacturing preparedness base just that much more.
Other trade associations in the U.S.A. that resoundingly support the State of Israel, yet scratch their heads in wonder at Israel's low profile in the U.S. market, are the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, the American Society for Mechanical Engineers? International Gas Turbine Institute, the American Society for Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, the Society for Automotive Engineering, and the American Society for Metals. There are over 1500 industrial trade associations before which Israeli trade developers are equally welcome to speak about their enterprises? manufacturing potential.
The membership of these groups consistently and unswervingly support the continued survival of Israel in its present incarnation for the following selfish, as well as altruistic and faith-based, reasons:
* In an age when the pool of intelligent, well-read, diligent and hard-working youth appears to be shrinking, the availability of Jewish engineering graduates is highly cherished by the American manufacturing community. Many are the design and production management departments of member companies headed by or supported positively by the efforts of Jewish engineers.
* Some member firms sell millions of dollars worth of equipment to Israel, and wish to expand their market share. Others have never tried on the Israel market, but would wish to give it a try, if only they knew how to set about doing so.
* There is no manufacturing concern in the U.S.A. not pursuing alternative sourcing for the components of the equipment and machines they sell. What better opportunity, then, for the appropriate Israel supplier?
* Many American manufacturing concerns would find Israel?s relative labor costs for production workers sufficiently attractive to bankroll setting up factories in Israel, if only they knew how and were likewise made fully aware of the many incentives Israel has to offer to establish manufacturing facilities there.
There are some countries that are far ahead of the U.S.A. in investing in Israel?s manufacturing excellence. One of these countries is Germany. As an American with five uncles who fought the Nazis all the way from Africa to Sicily to Anzio and then to Normandy (and all five, praise the Creator, made it back alive), this fact I find ironic, and just a little bit embarrassing. The list of substantive German manufacturing partners in Israel would fill two pages. While Germany?s geographic proximity and cultural commonality in several areas are key factors cementing this relationship, here is yet another instance where a U.S.A.-Israel opportunity to create mutually profitable expressions of national friendship is slipping by us.
Also, must the solution to creating a new and stronger manufacturing base for Israel be always a top-down proposition, with formal presentation of technical papers at engineering conferences and face-to-face meetings between upper management and diplomatic representatives? No. Experience in industrial sales has taught me that the best and fastest way to create a requirement for a piece of industrial equipment is to get to the production workers and foremen who use the equipment you have to sell. These workers in turn, through presenting the objective positive benefits of the product, can convince their managers to consider purchasing that new equipment, if a need can be demonstrated and the product fits the bill.
Education, as ever, is the key to Jewish survival and growth. Therefore, a simplified program of American Jewish community education should be fostered to equip Jews in industrial fields in the U.S.A. with the information needed to present their employers with beneficial suggestions incorporating Israel?s magnificent engineering, design and manufacturing capabilities. The State of Israel?s high-ranking foreign trade development team already has the top-down promotion covered very well. It is time for the individual Israel-booster in America to be given the tools to aid Israel grow, as it must, as a major international industrial player. Nothing complicated or in-depth is needed. All that is required is for small bridges to be made between commercial representatives and agents in both lands, through the supply of brochures, short informed talks before local chapters of U.S. trade groups, and the provision of useful telephone numbers to qualified, interested parties. Why solicit charity from the usual suspects for such development when you could conceivably supply a perfect stranger with the opportunity of a lifetime, which pays for itself, while making for Israel not only new friends, but living-wage jobs for unemployed Israelis? The State of Israel was created from a tiny spark of imagination shared over a cup of coffee between friends in a Viennese cafe. What miracle can you make flesh? Try.
With time, luck and perseverance, Israel?s ultimate goal of achieving full status as an industrialized nation will be realized. This hope can only be made a reality through the full democratic participation of each and every Jew worldwide in its progression toward that goal.
--------------------------------------------------------
Walter James O?Brien is a powerplant construction project manager and manufacturing cost estimator in Everett, Washington.