Many factors at work in bringing Israeli jobs to California

[Kadie]

Many factors at work in bringing Israeli jobs to California

By MARTHA MENDOZA, AP National Writer
Last Updated 6:46 am PDT Friday, May 7, 2004

Fresh from a two-day visit to Israel, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made a surprise appearance before a crowd of business leaders and brought good news: While away he struck deals with Israeli companies to bring "almost 1,000 jobs," and "millions and millions of dollars" to state revenues.

But officials at those companies said the former actor was ad-libbing off a business script written before he was elected governor last October. They made their deals without help from the governor or his administration, and in some cases either were already based in California or making the arrangements well before he took office.

"We actually began negotiating in August, and as you well know, that predates the governor," said Tom Tamarkin, president and CEO of USCL Corp., a Sacramento-based company that is partnering with an Israeli-based firm to develop a new, user-friendly line of utility meters.

"The timing was probably coincidental," Tamarkin said.

more... http://www.sacbee.com/state_wire/story/9201643p-10126953c.html

[displacedtexan]

1. There is a HUGE retired (Jewish) population in CA.

They have newspapers, bakeries, banks, real estate offices, etc. which cater to retired Jews (like FL). Most of the jobs require multiple European language skills (including Hebrew and/or Yiddish). I'm not surprised that there is a need to import Israeli workers who have such skills and who can relate to an aging Jewish population.