Dan Senor, co-author of The New York Times bestseller “Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle,” addressed the continuing economic success of Israel in the world of high technology during a speech Wednesday night as part of a two-day conference hosted on the UC Berkeley campus.
Senor spoke about collaborations between high-tech companies in Israel and America, the factors of massive immigration to Israel and military service in the success of Israeli startups and the stability of the Israeli economy in the face of war.
“Regardless of your opinions on the day-to-day headlines that make up that part of the world, sometimes you have to check that at the door and look at what else is going on (in Israel),” Senor said. “There are more Israeli countries listed on the NASDAQ than any foreign country outside of China. The world needs innovation, and Israel’s got it.”
Senor also addressed the role of young people in the success of Israel’s economy, suggesting that the implementation of a civilian public service program between high school and college might furnish young people with a “maturation process” similar to the experience many Israeli youth gain through military service.
“Nothing against Berkeley, but they spend four years taking cool classes, drinking and having fun, but not a whole lot of growth happens,” Senor said. “The Israeli military experience emphasizes improvisation. It’s a baptism by fire.”
The Israel Through the High Tech Lens conference — sponsored by the Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israeli Law, Economy and Society — marks the institute’s one-year anniversary. The conference focused on what institute faculty director Kenneth Bamberger called “the trillion-dollar question” — whether or not Israel can remain a high-tech leader in the next generation.
According to Bamberger, one of the goals of the conference is to utilize UC Berkeley’s position as an innovative school to encourage thought about the issues of high-tech Israel.
The conference will continue Thursday at the UC Berkeley School of Law.
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This is the REAL Nuha Masri. I would like to tell everyone below that I
don’t have such views as to what the imposter wrote below, I believe
that everyone should be treated equally and that people should not be
judged according to their race, color, ethnic background, or any other
“differences” a group could be profiled or distinct by. I also believe
that justice and equality are both pivotal in any region for people to
be able to live in peace and harmony.
This is the REAL Nuha Masri. I would like to tell everyone below that I don’t have such views as to what the imposter wrote below, I believe that everyone should be treated equally and that people should not be judged according to their race, color, ethnic background, or any other “differences” a group could be profiled or distinct by. I also believe that justice and equality are both pivotal in any region for people to be able to live in peace and harmony.
A variety of SJP students, Prof Andrew Gutierrez and community members actually protested this conference. Their knee jerk reaction to anything with “Israel” in its name prevented them from noticing the diversity of presenters and the diversity of seminars.
They missed Kheir Abdel Razek, who has been serving as Deputy CEO at “Kav Mashve” (“the Equator”) -an Israeli non-profit organization dedicated to promoting equal employment opportunities for Arab university graduates in the Israeli labor market.
They missed Iranian entrepreneur, philanthropist and venture capitalist Kamran Elahian capitalist, who has co-founded ten companies.
They missed Amir H. Khoury, scholar and author of International Trade and Commerce: A Bridge for the Israeli-Palestinian Peace, Cardozo Journal of International and Comparative Law, Volume 7, Number 1,
To Dr. Gutierrez, and to SJP. Next time, watch which way your knee jerks when you hear the word “Israel”. Some things make you seem mighty foolish.
The concept of ” waif” in Islamic law is akin to ” religious trust”. When Muslims declare, “all of Palestine ” to be an ” Islamic Wakf, it means that as land conquered by Muslim forces, it is as if in ” trust” for all future generations of the Muslim Umma. It’s pointless to attempt to preserve archeology from before the Muslim conquests of Jerusalem, as all of those things were in error or ” shirk.” Similarly, it is Un-thinkable that the are Muslims in the Middle East compelled not only to live subjected to non-Muslim governmental authority, but woqrse, to flawed laws made by imperfect humans, rather than the perfect divine law that we already have. It!s that simple.
Time for ASUC to boycott Israel.
How many times are they allowed to massacre Gaza and Lebanon?
The only “massacres” in Gaza and Lebanon have been committed by your heroes Hamas and Hezbollah. But keep posting your nonsense, as your ignorance is on view for all to see and read…
Palestinians, as Muslim, have the right to a Muslim ruled Palestine. As that land was fully conquered and integrated into the world of Islam, it therefore is part of the Muslim world forever, even if re-conquered by the original non-Muslim possessors and it is the duty of every Muslim to re-gain it. Thus, although the original Muslim conquerors of Palestine have almost no direct relationship to today’s Palestinians, the Palestinians, as Muslims, are the heirs to the Muslim conquests and thus have every right to expel the Jews. It is offensive to permit these people to display their industrial prowess when there are Muslims living under their authority, instead of visa versa.
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So, Mr. Masri, what are you doing in the US? After all, it was once dominated by Native Amerians. Should they have the right to terrorize, send missiles, and blow up your sorry Islamic ass because you live here?
Masri reflects the mindset that has led to true apartheid in the Middle East, as Islam has brutalized Muslim women, led to the murder of homosexuals, and the suppression of anything which doesn’t seem to the likes of the Palestinian leadership to coincide with the teachings of that butcher, Mohammed, who inspired the Koran and it’s barbaric Sharia law.
This is the kind of mindset that led to 9/11 and to the Palestinians dancing in the streets when the Twin Towers toppled.
Finally, I certainly hope Musri is not a student as if he is, he certainly doesn’t know his history–pretty sad for a Cal student. The area he calls Palestine was the home of Jewish civilization long before Islamic barbarians conquered it under the Ottoman Turks…
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BTW, Mr. Masri, what have your Palestinians produced in the last century other than shrapnel-laced bombs and an unjustifiable number of children?
Muslims over the past several hundred years have produced little or nothing to benefit mankind. On the other hand, they have tortured, suppressed and murdered those with whom they disagree. Look in the newspaper today, or any day for that matter and you will see the incessant killing of innocents, butchery done in the name of Allah…
i also know nuha and can attest that she did not write the original comment that this post is responding to. the real masri does not hold views like this. the real masri is an incredible person who cares deeply for humanity. it makes me sad and angry that someone took her name for such disgusting use. i believe that whoever did that is extremely sick and although i am angry, i wish for them peace. healing is really the only word i come back to now. we need healing.
Thank you for watching my back. I would like to know who you are ( you can email me or text me). Thanks! =)
[Palestinians, as Muslim, have the right to a Muslim ruled Palestine. As
that land was fully conquered and integrated into the world of Islam, it
therefore is part of the Muslim world forever, even if re-conquered by
the original non-Muslim possessors and it is the duty of every Muslim to
re-gain it.]
The next time you sit there wondering why many of us consider Islam to be some nutty religious sect, you should re-read the nonsense you spewed above.
uh, that is clearly a zionist attempting to smear nuha masri’s name. i know nuha and she doesn’t hold views like that at all. none of the muslims i’ve met on campus think that way. it’s just bullshit propaganda by islamophobic zionists.
anybody know how many tech startups the palestinians have?
Are you kidding? In Gaza, they spend so much time memorizing the Koran that they can barely add and subtract…
The Gazans have been their own worst enemy in terms of their own economic predicament. At one time, Israel employed many Palestinians inside what is now the security zone (green line), and many Gazans commuted to jobs inside Israel proper. In fact, Palestinian sheepherders would actually truck their flocks to various pastures in Israel and let them graze prior to going to market. I know this for a fact because I used to commute from Asheklon to Kiryat Gat, and would share the highway with numerous trucks, buses, and cars bearing Palestinian license plates. Once little detail that the various left-wing apologists for Israel overlook is the fact that Hamas has deliberately engaged in a tactic of destroying any economic ties between Palestinian workers and Israeli employers as a deliberate way of promoting class/ethnic warfare and impoverishing the same people whom they pretend to represent. People who are employed, able to support a family, and have hopes and dreams for the future, don’t send their children off to become suicide bombers. Poverty and desperation exist in the Palestinian territories NOT because of anything Israel has done, but as a deliberate policy of Hamas and the radical Arab states to advance their own collective agenda, which is the use of the Palestinians as pawns in the ongoing proxy war against the existence of Israel…
They seem to have an active number of small businesses assembling IEDs as well as homemade rockets so they can terrorize their neighbors. Tunnels to smuggle drugs and weapons across the frontier with Egypt seems to be a popular activity as well. As far as activities that actually benefit the local residents and improve their lives, they don’t have a lot of those, but then again the welfare of their own people has never been the priority of the Palestinian leadership, or their Arab sponsors who will gladly write checks for $25K for the families of suicide bombers, but won’t contribute a penny to provide food, shelter, or employment to those who have been stuck in refugee camps (ones they control) for decades…
At the conference there was a workshop on a remarkable Israeli organization that raises venture capital to help Israeli Arab, minority and Palestinian start-ups. So hang tight. Its happening- with Israel’s help
The conference is sponsored by Israel21c which is dedicated to “re-branding” Israel. Their goal is explicitly to please stop discussion about ethnic cleansing, killings of peace protesters, fanatical settlers, routine oppression of Palestinians and the ever expanding Occupation. Please shut that out of your mind and focus on high tech high tech high tech. In some ways it is a shame that UCB is allowing itself to be used in this marketing project. And absolutely Yes …. the comment WHY ARE US TAXPAYERS GIVING $3B to Israel each year is entirely apropos.
So, rick, the fact that Israel isn’t sending daily missiles into Gaza as the Palestinians have isn’t part of your equation? The speaker didn’t emphasize this, nor did he discuss the brutal treatment women, gays, and dissenters suffer at the hands of fellow Palestinians. On the other hand, dissenters are free to say what they wish in Israel and women and gays are among the most liberated on the planet.
Rick would not wish any Israeli speaker to discuss any of the Jewish state’s remarkable achievements, be it in technology, medicine (which could one day save his own sorry ass), agriculture, etc.,from which the entire planet may benefit. He only wants to focus on what are, in reality, the ways in which the Israelis protect themselves from Palestinians and other Muslims (Iran in particular) who advocate wiping Israel off the map (see the charters of Hamas, the PLO, and the statements of Iranian leaders). Indeed, the $3 B is well spent in that it both protects Israel with sophisticated defense mechanisms to counter the overwhelming numbers of those dedicated to Israeli destruction and comes back to the US as the arms must be purchased from US manufacturers.
‘Course, rick, you are not bothered by how the Palestinians treat their women, gays and dissenters are you? Do please let us know. And also, if you are going to spew such rubbish,kindly tell us what you think about Palestinian advocation of Jewish genocide. If you are capable of reading, its right there in the Hamas charter and was articulated by the imam who is the spiritual leader of all the Palestinians. BTW, the imam lives in Jerusalem and was free to call for the killing of all Jews…
[So, rick, the fact that Israel isn't sending daily missiles into Gaza as the Palestinians have isn't part of your equation?]
Idiots like rick choose to ignore little pieces of info that don’t advance their particular agenda.
take a good long and honest look at the facts. It is the Palestinians that are interested in genocide not the Israelis
if israel is doing so darn good and is so innovative why do american taxpayers spend $3,000,000,000 per year helping israel oppress palestinians and support their war crimes?
Good ole Crusty–always the clown for comments that keep you laughing. Of course, Crusty would never acknowledge Palestinian apartheid vs women, gays and dissenters. Like most other Arab societies, Palestinians are a pack of barbarians who oppress those who differ from them and advocate genocide, not just vs Israeli Jews but Jews worldwide. Somehow, none of this ever seems to bother those on the left who say they are such advocates of tolerance and “social justice.”
I dunno. Why do you spend time here demonstrating your stupidity and ignorance? I bet you have never even been to Israel or anywhere else in the middle east, and probably know everything you do on the subject based on conversations with your fellow People’s Park denizens…
Isn’t crusty the name of the clown on The Simpsons? I guess that certainly qualifies him to spew pro-Palestinian rubbish on this site…