Two Area Companies Receive BIRD Funding
Two local energy company projects were among eight chosen by the federal Department of Energy and Israel’s Ministry of Energy, along with the Israel Innovation Authority, to receive financial assistance through the Binational Industrial Research and Development, or BIRD, energy program, calcalistech.com reported.
W7energy LLC of Wilmington, Delaware, is teaming with POCellTech Ltd. of Caesarea, Israel, to make an affordable fuel cell system based on hydrogen exchange membranes.
And Hit Nano Inc. of Bordentown, New Jersey, is working with Tadiran Batteries Ltd. of Kiryat Ekron, Israel, to develop nickel-rich cathode, silicon anode and high-energy AA lithium-ion batteries to apply to the internet of things, or IoT.
In all, $7.15 million was invested into the eight projects. BIRD is represented in Pennsylvania, Delaware and Southern New Jersey by the Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce.
Einstein Appoints Interim President and CEO
Einstein Healthcare Network announced on Jan. 4 the appointment of Ken Levitan as its interim president and CEO.
Levitan, who was born at Einstein, succeeds Barry R. Freedman, who served in those positions for 18 years before retiring Dec. 31.
Levitan has worked for Einstein for more than 13 years, most recently as executive vice president and chief administrative officer, leading the organization’s Incident Command Center during the pandemic. In those positions, he worked with senior leaders and the board of trustees to explore initiatives to help Einstein expand its geographic reach, improve accessibility of care and develop strategic partnerships and alliances.
Prior to serving as chief administrative officer, Levitan was chief information officer, leading the transformation of Einstein’s use of information technology. That included developing and implementing a network-wide electronic medical record system. He also saw the deployment of more than $25 million of IT equipment and software to Einstein Medical Center Montgomery’s opening in East Norriton.
Levitan’s father, Mark, served as Einstein CEO in the 1980s.
James Beard Award Winner to Cook Virtually for Congregation Rodeph Shalom
Michael W. Twitty, a culinary historian and Jewish educator who has won a James Beard Award, will conduct a virtual cooking demonstration at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 10 as part of Congregation Rodeph Shalom’s debut Cook & Connect event.
Twitty will explore the intersections of his identity as an African American and as an American Jew. His cookbook/memoir, “The Cooking Gene,” explores race as it relates to Southern cuisine and food culture and traces his ancestry — both Black and white — through food, from Africa to the United States and slavery to freedom.
Future events in the series include Sababa Cooking with Adeena Sussman on Feb. 21 and Fireside Chat and Demonstration with Julia Turshen on March 7.
Register at bit.ly/rscookandconnect. For information, contact Dina Horowitz at dhorowitz@rodephshalom.org or 267-930-7289.
