ISRAEL in INDIA October 2011 - Israeli Missions Around The World

October 2011
Visiting Minister of Tourism:
"Israel is an undiscovered gem to most Indians"
Mr. Stas Misezhnikov, Israel’s Minister of Tourism, visited India during September 2011 to promote
Indian tourism to Israel. This was the first visit ever of an Israeli Minister of Tourism to India.
Minister Misezhnikov met with
his Indian counterpart, Mr.
Subodh Kant Sahai, and with
the Minister of Civil Aviation,
Mr. Vayalar Ravi. Accompanied
by senior officials from his
Ministry and a business
delegation, Mr. Misezhnikov
also conducted meetings and
seminars with business leaders
of the tourism and aviation
sectors in Delhi and Mumbai.
The Ministers agreed on having
follow-up discussions on
aviation and establishing a
steering committee on tourism following the agreement on tourism signed in 1993 by President
Shimon Peres who was then Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The year 2010 saw India emerging as the number 1 source country of tourism from Asia to Israel.
The number of Indian tourists to Israel almost doubled from the previous year’s figure and reached
over 40,000. In addition, Israel was awarded “Most promising destination” in Outbound Travel
Mart Fair in Mumbai in February 2011. Seeing the huge potential of Indian tourists, the Israeli
Ministry of Tourism decided to put India at the forefront of its promotional activity in Asia, and is
cooperating with leading tour companies in India to further promote Indian tourism to the country.

MASHAV Delegation visits India
MASHAV- held a working visit to India. In the course of the visit, discussions were held with the
Mr Yahel Vilan, Deputy Chief of Mission, Guest Speaker at the
Agriculture Leadership Summit held in New Delhi.
National Horticulture Mission Division, Ministry of
Agriculture, and a new joint action plan was
discussed for the next three years between the
two countries. The delegation took part in an
agribusiness seminar (Grow-in) in Chandigarh
and met with officials of the Punjab government.
They also participated in Agritech Mumbai, an
Israeli exhibition and conference presenting
state-of-the-art agricultural technologies, that was
held for the first time in Asia.
WATEC
Tel-Aviv 15-17 November
WATEC 2011, the 6 th International Exhibition and the 3 rd International Conference on Water
Technologies, Renewable Energy and Environmental Control, will be held on November 15-17, 2011
at the Trade Fairs Center in Tel Aviv. WATEC is Israel’s prime event for showcasing its technologies
and achievements in the fields of water,
environment and energy. With water,
environment and energy challenges at the top
of the global agenda, WATEC 2011 features
compelling solutions and proven, practical
applications in areas such as water and energy
efficiency, water quality, desalination, and
water supply. Attracting participants from the
Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia the
exhibition is a unique opportunity to discover
the latest innovations from start-up
businesses, established companies, and researchers that can help drive private and public initiatives
and accelerate results. WATEC 2011 will introduce international successes and promising
advancements for sustainable development, focusing on recent achievements and emerging solutions
for the coming years. Bringing together Israeli and international business executives, political decisionmakers,
and leading researchers, WATEC 2011 will also be a showcase for the most advanced
environmental technologies from around the world. We expect massive participation of Indian private
and governmental sectors. For more details, please go to www.watec-israel.com
ISRAEL in INDIA 2 October 2011

Ambassador Ushpiz visits Kolkata
Ambassador Alon Ushpiz conducted his first official state-level visit to Kolkata, West
Bengal last month, where he emphasized that Israel and West Bengal share deep
sentiments of friendship and that West Bengal is a priority state for cooperation.
Ambassador Ushpiz with Chief Minister Ms.Mamta
Banerjee and Mr. Harsh Vardhan Neotia.
Ambassador Ushpiz addressing a
gathering of businessmen in Kolkata.
Ambassador Ushpiz called upon the Chief Minister, Ms. Mamta Banerjee, and
discussed with her a number of fields for potential cooperation between Israel and the
state of West Bengal, including: agriculture, water technologies, hi-tech, alternative
energy, R&D, Christian pilgrimage to Israel and more. In this context, it was agreed that
a delegation of officials from West Bengal will participate in WATEC, an exhibition of
water technologies which will take place in Israel in November 2011.
Ambassador Ushpiz also met the Governor of West Bengal, Mr. M.K. Narayanan,
Minister of Finance and Excise Mr. Amit Mitra and Director General of Police Mr.
Naparajit Mukherjee.
To further strengthen trade relations between Israel and West Bengal, Ambassador
Ushpiz, was hosted by the Honorary Consul of Israel in West Bengal Mr. Harshavardhan
Neotia, at the inauguration of the Israel - West Bengal Business Promotion Centre in
Kolkata to facilitate connections between companies in the region and their Israeli
counterparts. In addition, he also interacted with the members of the Indian Chambers of
Commerce, media establishments and the Jewish community in the two synagogues
Beth-El and Magen David .
ISRAEL in INDIA 3 October 2011

In the Dark
Chingari Theatre Group performs
a moving Israeli play
Motti Lerner, an acclaimed Israeli
playwright and screenwriter, collaborated
with Chingari theatre group from Jawaharlal
Nehru University (JNU), to perform his play
“In the Dark”, in Delhi.
The play takes its audience through the
journey of an acclaimed Israeli pianist, who
returns to Tel Aviv after 18 years of a
successful career in the US. He seeks
reconciliation with his family with a dream to
perform in his city for his parents, but soon
discovers that they have not forgiven his
betrayal and his success. Set in the 1970s
in Tel Aviv, the play is about avidity in a
material world where human beings lose
their soul.
The play was performed on September 21st and 22nd at Alliance Française de Delhi and was
applauded by the audience and media.
“Delhi has the potential to become a World Heritage City”
Prof. Mike Turner, Vice-Chairman of the
UNESCO World Heritage Committee, former
Chairman of UNESCO Israel World Heritage
Committee and Head of the UNESCO Chair in
Urban Design and Conservation Studies at the
Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in
Jerusalem, was in Delhi to participate in a
workshop on preservation and administration of
historic urban areas in India. He also conducted
an interactive session at the School of Planning &
Architecture (SPA) on "Historic Delhi - Exploring
its Deserving Future".
Prof. Turner, who led many historical sites in
Israel to become recognized by UNESCO as
world heritage sites (such as Masada and Tel Aviv’s white city), is currently working together with
the Delhi authorities on a project to give Delhi the status of a UNESCO World Heritage City.
Considering that both India and Israel were under British control until the late 1940s, Turner is also
actively involved in planning a seminar in Israel on the British legacy in architecture & urban
planning in India and Israel.
ISRAEL in INDIA 4 October 2011

Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish New Year
Rosh Hashanah is commonly known as the Jewish New Year, a time to begin introspection,
looking back at the mistakes of the past year and planning the changes to make in the new year.
One of the most important observances of this holiday is hearing the sounding of the shofar, a
ram's horn which is blown somewhat like a trumpet. A total of 100 notes are sounded throughout
the day. The Bible gives no specific reason for this practice, but one that has been suggested is
that the shofar's sound is a call to repentance.
Another popular observance during this holiday is eating apples dipped in honey, a symbol of our
wish for a sweet new year. A common greeting at this time is Shana Tova ("A good year").
Rosh Hashanah is followed by “Yom Kippur” – Day of Atonement – the holiest day in the Jewish
calendar. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy
day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in
synagogue services.
Shana Tova!
Embassy of Israel
3 Aurangzeb Road, New Delhi -110011
Tel: 011-30414500 Fax: 011-30414555 Email: press@newdelhi.mfa.gov.il
Website: http://delhi.mfa.gov.il
ISRAEL in INDIA 5 October 2011