2011
May 12

Focus: Business
Private Equity Investing in the West Bank with keynote speaker, Bashar Masri, Chairman of the Board of Massar International and Founder of Siraj Fund Management Company, the world’s first dedicated Palestinian private equity fund, the Siraj Palestine Fund I, a private equity fund comprised of direct equity investments in viable start-up, distressed, SME and relatively large enterprises across various economic sectors. Mr. Basri discussed Rawabi, the first Palestinian planned community, which will eventually be home to more than 40,000 Palestinians. This program was hosted in cooperation with America-Israel Chamber of Commerce Chicago, The Arab-American Business and Professional Association, Government of Israel Economic Mission to the Midwest, and Israel-America Chamber of Commerce (Tel Aviv).

2010
February 18

Focus: Culture
"Brothers" screening was held at the Chicago Cultural Center

February 26

Focus: Business and Culture
Women in Israel: the myths, the reality and the gender view of the Israeli economy

April 27

Focus: Culture
The Petach Tikva committee welcomed to Chicago two of Israeli literature's luminaries, Dalya Bilu and Eshkol Nevo, to discuss the explosion in Israel fiction writing.

April 30

Focus: Business
Breakfast program with 10 Young Women Entrepreneurs from Jordan and Israel and Charles E. Tucker, Jr., B.A., J.D., Executive Director International Human Rights Law Institute.  This Young Entrepreneurs Program focused on entrepreneurs from Israel and Jordan who traveled to the United States for a training program that includes workshops, site visits, job shadowing, cultural activities and networking. 

October 21

Focus: Culture
Opening Night Screening of “A Matter of Size” & Reception in the Chicago Cultural Center.

2009
March 29

Silk Road Theatre Project and the Petach Tikva Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International presented Petach Tikva Night at the Pangs of the Messiah followed by a special discussion with playwright Motti Lerner.

April 24

Focus: Government
The Honorable Dani Swisa, General Manager of Petack Tikva

May 4 & 5

The Petach Tikva Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International co sponsored an environmental symposium that was hosted by American Associates, Ben Gurion University of Negev.

May 6

Focus: Culture
In collaboration with the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest and Universe of Poetry, the Petach Tikva Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International presented "This Year in Jerusalem: Celebrating Israel through Poetry & Song." This celebration of Israel Independence Day featured narrations of the lyrical and heroic story of Israel through poetry readings.

May 12

The Petach Tikva Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International and the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest presented a kick off for the 2009 Chicago Festival of Israel Cinema in an encore screening of "Desperado Square," winner of five Israeli Academy Awards.

June 30

Focus: International Cooperation
The Petach Tikva Committee in conjunction with Chicago Sister Cities International and in collaboration with the Amman Committee sent pianist Mark Daisch off on a musical tour of the Middle East. Included on his tour were the Sister Cities of Amman, Jordan and Petach Tikva, Israel. This event helped encourage international cooperation and communication between Israel and the Middle East.

August 26

Focus: Business
The American Israel Chamber of Commerce Chicago, American Israel Economic Forum, and the Petach Tikva Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International held a Networking and Discussion forum for Business and International Media in Israel. This featured Director of the newsroom at the Israeli National Radio.

October 1-4

Focus: Medical
Dr. Hain Gutman from Rabin Medical Center, Israel participated in the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium: Sister Cities Medical Initiative.

October 26

Focus: Culture
The Petach Tikva Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International in collaboration with the Jerusalem Chamber Music Festival sponsored the Northern American debut of Israeli composer Avner Dorman's Chamber Orchestra piece with the Chicago Chamber Musicians. The piece, entitled, Jerusalem Mix, featured a melange of Christian, Jewish and Muslim musical traditions.

November 4

Committee Activity:
"Israel: Sing It!" concert honoring Yitzhak Rabin’s legacy of peace tolerance that featured 3 former Israeli “American Idol” contestants.

2008
January 18

Focus: Education
In partnership with the Consulate General of Israel in Chicago and the Petach Tikva Committee, Arts Midwest brought an Israeli musical group Esta for a workshop and performance at Blaine Academy. Esta is a multi-ethnic Israeli ensemble whose fusion of world, rock, and jazz music draws on the diverse cultures of Israel, combining Mediterranean, Balkan, African, Asian, Celtic and Western influences.

May 12

Focus: Music
In partnership with the Consulate General of Israel in Chicago and the Petach Tilva Committee, Arts Midwest will bring Israel musical group Esta for a workshop and performance at Blaine Academy, participating sister school. Following the school workshop, Esta joins Chicago Cultural Center's free series Music without Borders.

June 30

Focus: Arts
The Amman and Petach Tikva committees of CSCIP co-hosted a reception and concert performed by pianist Mark Damisch.  The event was a send-off to Mr. Damisch's Middle East tour, which included visits to Amman and Petach Tikva.

August 5

Focus: Social

The Petach Tikva Committee hosted a networking event and discussion featuring Daniel Vaknin, Mayor of Beit Shemesh in Israel, as well as other dignitaries.

August 26

Focus: Business/Social

The American Israel Chamber of Commerce Chicago, American Israel Economic Forum and the Petach Tikva Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International invited guests to join for a networking and discussion of business and international media in Israel featuring Director of the Newsroom at the Israel national radio.

October 26

Focus: Arts

The Committee co-sponsored a presentation of Jerusalem Mix, a chamber orchestra piece by Israeli Composer Avner Dorman, with the Chicago Chamber Musicians.

November 26

The Petack Tikva committee and the Israeli Consulate to the Midwest remembered Yitzhak Rabin at the Chicago Cultural Center. Asher Susser was the guest lecturer and honored Rabin as he explored Israel’s place in the new Middle East.

2007
June 12

Focus: Culture
The Consul General of Israel to the Midwest presented Jenner Academy of the Arts with trees and greenery as goodwill project that connects the city of Chicago with the State of Israel in honor of Israeli Independence Day. This project representing both Chicago and Israel and would be maintained as a permanent “gift” to the city of Chicago. Consul General of Israel Barukh Binah, Deputy Consul General Andy David, and Chicago Alderman, Walter Burnett (27th ward) were in attendance.

2006
May

Focus: Government
Mayor Daley traveled with a CSCIP delegation to Israel in May. Sister City activities included a tour of Petach Tikva and a visit to the Community Center on Chicago Street, which was built with funds from the Jewish community of Chicago. Highlights of the trip included meetings with national security officials, an Ethiopian youth center and a luncheon in Petach Tikva for 140 top business leaders in Israel.

August 22

Focus: Culture
"Israel in the Spotlight: Media, Commerce & National Identity, From a Journalist’s Perspective”
Dan Bielski, director of the newsroom at the Israeli National Radio, was the speaker for a luncheon and discussion in an exclusive, in-depth look at the current situation in Israel. Bielski will examine how media plays a vital role in Israel’s public perception, and will expose an Israeli perspective Americans haven’t seen.

September 11

Focus: Culture
Actor Sirak M. Sabat, from a featured film from the Israeli Film Festival, will speak to a group of young people who are all studying Theater Arts. The class is a Chicago Public Schools Program called the Advanced Arts Education Program at Gallery 37

November 7

Focus: Culture, Education
Yitzhak Rabin: Analysis of Israel's Military & Political Leader. Yitzhak Rabin: Analysis of Israel's Military & Political Leader. A dynamic and engaging speaker, Yoav Gelber is one of Israel’s foremost authorities on the Israeli Defense Forces and political leadership. Sharing both scholarly insight and personal anecdotes, Professor Gelber illuminated Yitzhak Rabin’s life and how even today, eleven years after Rabin’s tragic assassination, his legacy continues shaping our future. This project was in collaboration with the Consulate General of Israel.

November 13

Focus: Education
Memory, Migration, and Return. A Symposium in Honor of Arno©t Lustig
The symposium marked the 80th birthday of the renowned Czech writer, filmmaker, and Holocaust survivor Arno©t Lustig. The University of Illinois at Chicago and the Chicago Sister Cities International Program celebrated Lustig’s contributions to global culture with a program of films and presentations by scholars from Europe and the United States. This program was presented by The Jewish Studies Program, the Department of Slavic and Baltic Language and Literature at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and The Prague Committee and the Petach Tikva Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International Program.

November 24 & 25

Focus: Culture
Shekatak. Music and dance troupe from Israel (the Israeli version of “Stomp”). The Committee collaborated with Global Rhythms 2.

2005
April 26

Focus: Culture
Working in collaboration with The Chicago Public Library, The Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest, the Vilnius and Petach Tikva Committees hosted the Chicago premiere of Ponar, a documentary film by Racheli Schwartz at Harold Washington Library’s Cindy Pritzker Auditorium. “Ponar” is the amazing, true story of the 1943 song competition held in the Vilna Ghetto (Vilnius, Lithuania), told sixty years later through the eyes of the contest winner and Holocaust survivor.

2004
February 1-7

Focus: Government
The Petach Tikva Committee arranged several meetings for the visit of Yoram Holzman, Chair of the Chicago Committee in Petach Tikva, to Chicago. Mr. Yoram met with leaders of the Jewish Federation and attended a reception with Petach Tikva Committee Members.

2003
July 17

Focus: Culture
Mark Damisch, Mayor of Northbrook, IL performed a piano concert to benefit the Committee and to kick off his summer tour in Israel.

August 1-9

Focus: Culture
Mark Damisch performed throughout Israel, including Petach Tikva, Lev Hasharon, Lod, Bat Yam, Yehud and Kiryat Gat. This tour was a part of Mr. Damisch’s continuing mission to promote harmony and peace through music to countries throughout the world. The Petach Tikva, working in conjunction with the Jewish Federation.

September 13-20

Focus: Education & Religion
The Warsaw and Petach Tikva Committees worked in concert to organize the weeklong visit to Chicago of Reverend Weksler-Waszkinel, a Catholic priest who learned as an adult of his history as a hidden child and Jewish heritage. The Reverend shared his story and his personal cause of improving Jewish-Catholic relations to over 1000 people in the Chicago area. While in Chicago, Reverend Weksler-Waszkinel met with two Jewish-Catholic dialogue groups, high school students, members of the Congregation Ezra-Habonim and with the general public.

2002
April 4

Focus: Education
Visiting Israeli Improv Group performed at Avondale Elementary School, a participant in the Sister Schools Abroad Program.

2001

Focus: Government
Petach Tikva’s Mayor Ohayon traveled to Chicago to get acquainted with the city. He visited with representatives from Streets and Sanitation and other city departments. While he was here, he inaugurated a yearlong project titled Visual Letters—a collaborative art exhibition by patients of Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago and Schneider Children’s Hospital in Petach Tikva. The project will culminate in a 50-piece exhibition to open in approximately one year at the Chicago Children’s Museum child.

2000

Focus: Culture
The Petach Tikva Committee and the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest co-sponsored a performance by Israeli pop star Aviv Geffen, who played to a packed house at the Chicago Cultural Center.

Focus: Culture
The Israeli Film Festival traveled to Chicago for the first time in its sixteen-year history. The festival showcased nearly 40 cinematic works. In support of the festival’s Chicago debut, the Petach Tikva Committee sponsored the screenings of two award-winning films by Israeli filmmakers--Vulcan Junction, directed by Eran Rikilis, and Yana’s Friends, directed by Arik Kaplun.

1999

Focus: Government
Chair Dan Shure and Committee Member Dan Lichenstein met with the Mayor of Petach Tikva to discuss future projects.

Focus: Government
The Petach Tikva Committee welcomed Yoram Holzman, Chair of the Chicago Committee in Petach Tikva.

1995

Focus: Culture
Mayor Lev hosted Cardinal Bernadin and a delegation of members from Chicago's Jewish Federation and the Petach Tikva Committee. Their tour included a visit to the newly dedicated Chicago Square in Petach Tikva.

Focus: Culture
A delegation from the Jewish Federation traveled to Israel and participated in the dedication of Chicago Square in Petach Tikva.

1994
September

Focus: Signing
The Honorable Giora Lev, Mayor of Petach Tikva, Israel and a delegation traveled to Chicago to sign a Sister Cities agreement establishing Petach Tikva as Chicago's 16th Sister City.