Forty years in the trade
THE Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce (AICC) has just released a special commemorative publication to celebrate 40 years of promoting business ties between the two countries.
THE Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce (AICC) has just released a special commemorative publication to celebrate 40 years of promoting business ties between the two countries.
The magazine was officially launched at a business lunch last week at which NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell was the special guest.
The chamber was officially registered in 1970, 41 years ago, however AICC NSW chairman Kim Jacobs explained that the publication’s release this year is deliberate.
“We thought if we’re going to bring a magazine out, let’s wait until the 40th year is actually finished and then bring it out, celebrating the past 40 years and looking forward to the next 40 years,” he said.
Jacobs said the choice of releasing a publication was a fitting one to celebrate the milestone.
“We wanted something to celebrate the 40th anniversary and we were thinking, ‘Do we have a major function, do we have a gala event?’ And we thought, ‘Let’s try and get a bit of a celebration of all of the people that have been on our journey, from the beginning to here,’” he said. “I thought let’s put something together that actually pulls together all the facets of it that people can keep on their table, both Jews and non-Jews.”
One of the initiators of that journey is Eli Tal, who helped establish the AICC with founding president Lou Klein and later president Syd Field.
From “humble beginnings” in Klein’s office, he said he is proud of how the organisation has grown.
“We never envisaged that it would become the size that it is,” Tal said. “I don’t know if there is another chamber in Australia that I know of which is as active and has a place in the general community as the AICC.”
Although Klein passed away at the age of 57, his influence can still be felt in the AICC, most notably through Jacobs, his nephew.
“I used to sit with him and listen to all the things he had done,” Jacobs said.
“He lived three lives in one. He was inspiring from the point of view of his devotion to the Jewish community, his devotion to education, reading [and] learning.
“His son was on the AICC and he was the one that got me involved.
“And I got involved, fell in love with it and then now I’ve been with the chamber for 18 years.”
GARETH NARUNSKY
NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell at the AICC business lunch last week
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