Send Page to a Friend Selling Israel to the public   By Julie Masis Jewish Advocate   Did you know, for instance, that every cell phone in the world has an algorithm that was developed by Israeli scientists? That the first (and only) vaccine against the West Nile Virus is currently being tested in Israel? That satellite television, including Al Jazeera, wouldn't exist if it wasn't, once again, for a chip that was designed in some Israeli university? This is what Larry Weinberg, the Vice President of Israel 21C – a California-based non-profit organization dedicated to informing Americans about Israel beyond the conflict – wants Americans to think when they hear the word "Israel." Last week, Weinberg delivered a Power Point lecture presenting his approach to pro-Israel advocacy at the Israel Professionals Roundtable meeting at the Combined Jewish Philanthropists building in Boston. He said that in order to be most efficient, pro-Israel organizations should focus on positive imagery of the Jewish state – the same way that advertisers put sneakers on a cute girl in order to sell them. "No matter how much we want to, it's impossible to prove that Israel is always right," Weinberg said. Instead pro-Israel organizations should work to make sure the mainstream public understands that there is more to Israel than war, and to do so Weinberg suggested that Jewish organizations should pitch stories to the media that draw attention to Israel's achievements in science and technology. "Every day, the life of every American is made better and healthier by Israeli innovations. We don't talk about that," he said, pointing out that what people know about Israel comes from what they hear in the media. Yet 98 percent of what Americans hear about Israel in the media is directly related to the war, he said. But it does not have to be that way. "Israel and Palestinians don't have to be intertwined. It's not a pretzel," he said. Instead, Weinberg would like to see Israel mentioned in newspaper articles on MRIs and CAT-Scans – machines that he said were developed with Israeli technology. He wants to inform Americans that the largest single manufacturer of prescription drugs is an Israeli company, and that about 50 percent of long-distance telephone calls are rerouted through Israel. "Israel isn't just a place 5,000 miles from here. Israel is much closer than that," Weinberg pointed out. "If Israel is doing all these things, why don't Americans know it? Because we're not telling them." Israel's Consul General for New England Nadav Tamir said the Israeli government has already embraced this new approach. "We believe in this," he said after hearing the presentation. Representatives from various Boston Jewish community organizations, including Combined Jewish Philanthropists, Jewish Community Relations Council, the Israel Action Center, the Anti-Defamation League, Birthright Israel and the Israeli Consul General attended the roundtable. Israel Professionals Roundtables take place once every six weeks.