FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Erica Herzbach, UJC Media Relations
212.284.6593 erica.herzbach@ujc.org

BLUE KNOT: THE JEWISH TECH INITIATIVE LAUNCHES AT COMDEX FALL 2002

Yahoo! Chief Operating Officer Dan Rosensweig Addresses 150 Jewish High-Tech Professionals at Launch Event

New York – December 4, 2002 – Blue Knot: The Jewish Tech Initiative, a new national project of United Jewish Communities (UJC) and the Jewish Federations of North America, officially launched during COMDEX Fall 2002 in Las Vegas, the premier technology event of the year.   

Blue Knot will address the specific needs and interests of North American Jewish professionals in the high-tech industry by providing opportunities for them to exchange ideas and experiences and enhance their industry knowledge and connections.  Participants will benefit from learning about best practices and emerging trends from key individuals involved in the high-tech field, and have the opportunity to further their awareness of Israel's tech industry.

The launch event at COMDEX Fall 2002 featured Yahoo! chief operating officer Dan Rosensweig, who addressed 150 Jewish high-tech professionals and spoke about the integral role of technology in professional and personal life.

Rosensweig, citing the fact that more people are utilizing technology than ever before, said it is essential for technology to keep up with applications and become easier to use.  Describing Yahoo! as a successful example of how technology can  "create critical mass, draw people and meet needs," he drew a parallel to the cultural connection between people sharing similar backgrounds, values and ethics. 

This view was echoed by Stephen D. Solender, UJC president emeritus, who cited the continuing need to extend services to the Jewish community and ensure the continuity of Jewish life.

"UJC invited Mr. Rosensweig here tonight and is sponsoring Blue Knot as a way of demonstrating how important leadership and communication are, especially during this particularly terrible period of heightened terrorist attacks in Israel," he said. "This new national initiative from UJC and the Jewish Federations of North America provides an avenue for a better understanding of what is happening in the Jewish community -- while heightening professional interaction among Jewish technology specialists -- and for financial support so that we can continue to be our brother and sisters' keeper in Israel, in our home communities, and wherever Jews may reside in this world."
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Wendy Berger Shapiro of The Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago,  a member of UJC's National Young Leadership Cabinet, a director at Orbitz and one of the originators of the Blue Knot concept, said she was pleased to be affiliated with the introduction of a program that will provide a dynamic nationwide outlet for Jewish high-tech professionals.

"The name Blue Knot represents connections -- a series of links to meaningful content and a community of individuals who share the same interests," she said. "Blue Knot will focus on speaking engagements featuring industry leaders, networking, access to key decision makers, panels on industry trends, and business development/venture capital forums.

"Blue Knot is aimed at addressing the specific needs of North American Jewish professionals in the high-tech industry. Further, its charter is to strengthen networking and resource opportunities while fostering a greater commitment to philanthropy."

Evan Indianer of The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, chief executive officer of Unicentric, said: "Through Blue Knot, we are providing a forum to show the strength of the Jewish network.  Local Jewish federations will be empowered to create relationships that otherwise would be unattainable in such a competitive landscape."

The event followed two days of Blue Knot activities at COMDEX Fall 2002. 

At the Blue Knot theater in the Las Vegas Convention Center, industry leaders discussed the critical issues affecting both the technology and Jewish communities. Speakers included:  Mark Lieberman, a Blue Knot committee member and chairman and chief executive officer of Interactive Video Technologies; Dan Rubin, a Blue Knot committee member and a partner with Alloy Ventures; and Ellia Kassoff, founder, president and chief executive officer of Strategic Software Resources, Inc. 

Over 500 COMDEX Fall 2002 attendees visited the Blue Knot booth to learn about the initiative.

Interested parties can learn more about Blue Knot by providing their name, name of business/company, business address and phone number, cell phone number and e-mail address to blueknot@ujc.org, or by visiting www.ujc.org/blueknot.

United Jewish Communities (UJC) represents 156 Jewish Federations and 400 independent communities across North America. Through the UJA Federation Campaign, UJC provides life-saving and life-enhancing humanitarian assistance to those in need, and translates Jewish values into social action on behalf of millions of Jews in hundreds of communities in North America, in towns and villages throughout Israel, in the former Soviet Union, and 60 countries around the world. Through the Israel Emergency Campaign, UJC and the Jewish Federations of North America are providing economic, social, human welfare and other types of support to Israelis and victims of terror as they strive to lead normal lives during a period of extreme difficulty.