Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ

In 1988, under Governor Thomas H. Kean, a Sister State Agreement was signed between the State of Israel and the Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ.

The Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ-Israel Commission was established in 1989 to implement the goals of this agreement - to promote the development of trade, culture and educational exchanges; encourage the development of capital investment and joint business ventures; and foster a spirit of cooperation between the citizens of the State of Israel and the Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ.

The Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ-Israel Commission was placed under the purview of the Department of State in July, 2007. Prior to this, the Commission came under the Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ Commerce, Economic Development & Tourism Commission (which is now the Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ Commerce Commission).

Original summary of the Commission

2022-2023 Annual report of the Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ-Israel Commission

2021-2022 Annual report of the Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ-Israel Commission

The Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ – Israel Commission’s mission is to foster economic, scientific, educational and cultural ties with the State of Israel, one of Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ’s most important trading partners. The Governor appoints the public members of the Commission, which has five committees that focus on key areas of interest to achieve its objectives.

Business and Trade

Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ and Israel share a critical economic and business relationship. The Commission identifies opportunities for increased economic development between Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ and Israel, including joint business ventures, business attraction, and capital investment.

Education

The Commission facilitates supports and encourages bilateral higher educational relations, collaborative research opportunities, and building strong partnerships between leading academic institutions in Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ and Israel from student engagement to commercialization of technologies.

Culture and Community Engagement

The promotion of cultural programs and people to people interactions between Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ and Israel is a priority of the Commission. This includes building awareness and promoting diversity between communities in both states.

Technology, Innovation, and Science

Connecting Ó£»¨ÊÓƵ and Israel’s high tech and scientific communities is of high priority. The Commission is focused on encouraging partnerships, programs, and economic opportunities that strengthen this essential bridge.

Executive

The Commission maintains a steering committee with a special focus on participation for official Commission business.