Via: www.jewishjournal.com

by Ryan Torok

Los Angeles City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield wasn’t joking when he declared his love of Israel at Los Angeles City Hall on May 23.

“Am Yisra’el Chai,” the elected official said, joined by Israel Consul General in Los Angeles David Siegel, Israeli American Council (IAC) chairman Shawn Evenhaim, IAC board member Naty Saidoff and others during two presentations that underscored the robust partnership between Israel and Los Angeles.

During the first presentation, which took place on Friday morning, L.A. City Council considered a motion to create a cooperative task force between Los Angeles and Eilat. Its purpose would be to encourage mutually beneficial development between the two cities.

“The Los Angeles/Eilat Innovation and Cooperation Task Force builds on the 55-year-old sister-city relationship with Eilat and is designed to promote collaboration and advancement in technology investment, business development and research opportunities in clean technology, water resources, solar energy and environmental technologies throughout Los Angeles and the State of Israel,” according to a city council press release.

According to press material, the partnership would build on a two-way trade agreement that California and Israel signed on to together back in March. Blumenfield successfully “secured City Council support” for the task force’s creation, the statement states.

During the second presentation, Blumenfield presented an award to the IAC in recognition of the IAC’s May 18 Celebrate Israel festival. The Yom HaAtzmaut event drew a crowd of 15,000 people to Rancho Park and has become an annual tradition in West Los Angeles.

Last week, Evenhaim credited City Council with making the event, which required the participation of multiple city agencies, possible.

“I want to thank you for your support,” the IAC leader said.

Blumenfield was not the only council member to express his affinity for Israel last week. From his desk in the council chambers, L.A. City Councilman Jose Huizar called for a lasting friendship between Israel and Los Angeles.

“I think Los Angeles and Israel have a lot in common, and we have our future bound together as we move forward,” he said.