At the opening ceremony of Israel's first Drize High-Tech Empowerment Center (DTEC), held Monday in Isfiya, Dr. Miriam Adelson, publisher of Israel Hayom, received the prestigious "Druze Community Honorary Award" for her significant contributions toward Israel's security and the Druze community.
The award was presented during the festive inauguration of the first innovation center for Druze soldiers, named in honor of the community's late spiritual leader, Sheikh Amin Tarif.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who attended the ceremony, addressed the current situation in Syria at the beginning of his remarks, "These days in Syria, our Druze brothers are being slaughtered by the disturbed Islamic extremists of Abu Mohammad al-Julani, who disguises himself as a friendly Westerner. I call on everyone not to stand idly by. This is both the moral course of action and serves the security interests of the State of Israel. To keep these extremist fanatics away from our border, we need to help our brothers by providing assistance and equipment, and taking action from above, below, and wherever necessary."
The first innovation center for Druze soldiers, DTEC, was born through the initiative of Koptan Halabi, who founded the association for promoting the status of Druze soldiers in 2009. Koptan recognized the essential need to empower young people in the community, particularly active-duty soldiers, veterans, and reservists – to help them succeed in all aspects of Israeli society.
The newly established center aims to strengthen collaborations, brand Isfiya and its surroundings as a unique advanced hub for technology and high-tech, and conduct professional training in partnership with the Technion Israel Institute of Technology, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Defense, and other authorities. Additional goals include increasing motivation for higher education among Druze youth, providing guidance for meaningful military service, promoting women by encouraging girls from the community to pursue studies in high-tech and exact sciences, and strengthening ties with industry.
"The Jewish people support us"
Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, the community's supreme spiritual leader, also addressed the troubling situation in Syria, "Due to the ongoing events in Syria and the disturbing images coming from there, where Druze villages around Damascus have been attacked, hundreds murdered, and hundreds of thousands forced to flee their homes, we are reminded of a dark period in history. The international community remains inactive and isn't doing everything possible to provide assistance."
"The Jewish people in Israel and worldwide support and help us, and who better than the Jewish people understands the feeling of helplessness when your people are under attack. The massacre perpetrated against the Druze should serve as a warning – just two hours away from here are terror forces that could pose a serious threat to Israel. After October 7, can the State of Israel afford to allow terrorist organizations to operate on its northern border?"
"I connected with this place"
The opening event was also attended by Dr. Danny Gold, inventor of the Iron Dome; Shlomo Gradman, Chairman of the High-Tech CEOs Forum; Billy Harboiya, CEO of Amazon Israel; and Professor Nava Zisapel, owner of Bynet Communications – all key partners in establishing the new center for fostering entrepreneurship within the Druze community. At the conclusion of his remarks, Bennett invited Dr. Miriam Adelson to the stage to receive the award.
Dr. Miriam Adelson expressed her gratitude for the honor bestowed upon her by Sheikh Tarif and shared with the audience how Koptan's determination led her to contribute to the innovation project.
"I thank Koptan who persisted and didn't give up on me. Gradually, I connected more and more with this place and witnessed something truly wonderful being established here. Thank you for bringing me to such a meaningful place. It's deeply moving to be a partner in this endeavor."
Dr. Adelson expressed appreciation for the recognition granted by Sheikh Tarif for her substantial contribution to Israel's security and to the Druze community. "Your work illuminates our path," the spiritual leader told her.
