Peres Center agrees deal with Chicago’s Jewish mayor to strengthen tech ties

The Peres Center for Peace in Israel has agreed a partnership with the city of Chicago, whose Jewish mayor last month announced a new non-stop El Al route between the city’s O’Hare Airport and Ben-Gurion Airport.

Chemi Peres, the son of late Israeli president Shimon, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to “foster collaboration around technology, innovation and entrepreneurship”.

Emanuel, whose city has 300,000 Jewish residents, said Chemi’s father “believed in the transformative power of technology and innovation as a pathway to peace,” while Chemi said it could be used to “build bridges”.

This is Emanuel’s latest outreach to Israel. In 2017 he signed off on a partnership arrangement with Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai in which the two cities collaborate on economic development, research, education and river rehabilitation projects.

Emanuel has also encouraged the University of Illinois to work with the University of Tel Aviv and Hebrew University in Jerusalem.