Techconn Holding Group CEO Ben Wong signed a memorandum of understanding with Birthright Israel CEO Gidi Mark at a festive ceremony last week in Tel Aviv before going on to announce what the organization says is its first donation from China.
Birthright Israel is a nonprofit educational organization that sponsors free 10-day heritage trips to Israel for Jewish young adults of Jewish heritage, ages 18 to 32. The signing ceremony was held at the Birthright Innovation Center in Tel Aviv.
According to Birthright, the exact amount of the gift has not been made public, but is in the six-figure range.
“It is a great honor to be here in Israel as the first Chinese company to make a connection with Birthright,” Wong said at the ceremony.
The Chinese CEO said he had gained an early appreciation for Jewish and Israeli culture from the story of Ho Feng-Shan, China’s consul-general in Vienna during World War II, who risked his life to save thousands of Jews by issuing them visas, in defiance of his superiors. He and Feng-Shan, he said, had been born in the same village.
“I am proud to be from the same village [Feng-Shan] came from. Feng-Shan’s contribution has made me want to continue to strengthen the relationship with the Jewish people, and we are proud of the cooperation we have made with Birthright.”
Birthright and Techconn Holding were first introduced by TechCode Israel, a Chinese company that has been operating in Israel for five years and links Israeli technologies with companies in the Chinese market.
Birthright CEO Mark noted that “both the Chinese and the Israelis are known for expanding the capabilities and horizons of the world in general and more specifically those of technology. Therefore, our connection is natural. An investment in Birthright is an investment in the Jewish people, and I am thrilled that Ben Wong chose to do so.”
