Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce will Honor Temple University’s Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry with the
2020 Life Sciences, Bio and Healthcare Innovation Award
Dental Care Innovation Generating Unity and Social Impact
Philadelphia, PA (September 29, 2020)—Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce (PICC), the region’s pre-eminent Israel business non-profit, is pleased to honor Temple University‘s Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry and the Bridge to Peace initiative with its prestigious 2020 Life Sciences, Bio and Healthcare Innovation Award. The Chamber presents this award to regional businesses and academic institutions that exemplify the organization’s goals of broadening business and research ties between Greater Philadelphia and Israeli innovators in life sciences, bio and healthcare.
Amid Ismail, BDS, MPH, MBA, DrPH, Dean, Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry, Temple University
“Under the leadership of Dean Amid Ismail, Temple University’s Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry was instrumental in bringing together investigators from Hebrew University Hadassah School of Dentistry, Al Quds University School of Dentistry and 40 additional research institutes to advance dental care for disabled children and adults as part of the Bridge to Peace program,” said Matthew I. Fingerman, ChFC®, CFP®, PICC President and Vice President, Wealth Manager, BNY Mellon. “Temple’s Kornberg School of Dentistry not only created social impact in Israel and the United States, it has advanced dental care globally, deepened and broadened the academic, commercial and friendship ties between Israeli, Palestinians and Americans, and elevated the Greater Philadelphia profile!”
In 2011, Temple joined 40 other dental schools and organizations in signing a charter to transform Bridge for Peace into an expanded enterprise called the Alliance for Oral Health Across Borders. Founded and headed by Dean Ismail, the alliance is dedicated to promoting peace and building relationships of understanding through oral health. Since 2012, Kornberg School of Dentistry has supported and raised funds to connect students and faculty from Israel, Palestinian Authority and Temple University in support of Bridge for Peace. In 2018, Shalva National Center in Jerusalem joined Kornberg to lead the alliance. Shalva, founded by Malki & Kalman Samuels, provides an all-encompassing range of services for thousands of people with disabilities from infancy to adulthood and their families, regardless of religion, ethnic background, or financial capability.
Due to the pandemic, in lieu of presenting the award to Dean Ismail at the PICC Annual Gala in May, the PICC will host a virtual event series on how to provide safe oral and dental care for all during COVID 19. The September 30 program will bring together Israeli, Palestinian and Greater Philadelphia dental and oral care experts to explore technological gaps in dental and oral care during COVID19, and what is needed to provide safe care for all. On October 21, the program will feature the latest Israeli innovation in COVID19 rapid testing. Dean Ismail will accept the 2020 Life Sciences, Bio and Healthcare Innovation Award on behalf of Kornberg School of Dentistry at this virtual event. Click for information about the September 30 event and the award.
Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce
For more than three decades, the mission of the Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce—unique in this region—has been to develop business and academic ties between Greater Philadelphia, Southern New Jersey and Delaware, and Israel. The PICC is a non-profit, non-denominational, independent organization focused on creating commercial and investment opportunities.
The Philadelphia-Israel Chamber represents the US-Israel Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation (BIRD) in Pennsylvania, Delaware and southern New Jersey. In 2019 alone, the PICC facilitated three BIRD grants (close to $1 million each) promoting US-Israel technology ventures in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
For additional information: Vered Nohi, Executive Director, Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce, picc@phillyisraelchamber.com 215.703.3135.