LEVERAGING CLEVELANDERS' SKILLS TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC GROWTH

Yael Shaltieli, the new head of the Regional Council of Beit She'an, recently visited Cleveland in her capacity as business manager of her Kibbutz, Neve Or. Here to sell silk crafts at the Jewish Community Center's annual crafts fair, she took few days off to wear her other new "hat" as mayor of the Beit She'an Valley.

She met with Carol Rivchun and John Hexter, two individuals who have been instrumental in developing COSE (Council of Small Business Enterprises), part of the Greater Cleveland Growth Association. Cleveland's chapter, with 16,000 members, is the largest Chamber of Commerce in the country. The purpose of the meeting was to help Beit She'an develop its own Chamber.

The completion of a major industrial park in Beit She'an was on her mind when Ms. Shaltieli met with a leading Cleveland industrial park developer, Kerry Chelm. Mr. Chelm, has agreed to serve as advisor to the industrial park being developed in Beit She'an. Cleveland is funding a portion of the marketing budget for the 400-acre park and views its successful completion and leasing as instrumental to creating jobs and retaining people in the region.

Iyar 5763 - May 2003