Made in Israel, bought in Phoenix
LEISAH NAMM
Managing Editor
What does a doormat at Home Depot have in common with an electronic dictionary at Best Buy?
Both are made in Israel.
These products, and several others, are listed in the Valley of the Sun Israeli Product Locator, a service of the Israel Pavilion, a one-woman organization that showcases Israeli products.
Five years ago, Mona Gower, founder of the Israel Pavilion, premiered her passion for promoting Israeli goods at a booth at the Jewish National Fund's first Tu B'Shevat festival.
She's had a similar booth at every JNF festival since, in addition to community Yom Ha'atzmaut festivals run by the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix, a federation annual meeting and the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center Gift Show.
She spends several hours each week visiting Valley stores in search of Israeli products, then compiles them in her product locator, which is divided into categories such as office supplies and cosmetics. She updates the lists at least quarterly and distributes booklets with the lists. "Wherever I go, I hand out the booklet," she says.
During her store visits, she asks the managers to loan or donate some of the Israeli products, which she then displays at her Israeli Pavilion booth at various community events. In between events, she stores the items in her living room.
What motivates Gower to spend so much time promoting Israeli products?
"My heart belongs to Israel," she says. "As a Jew and as a former resident of Israel - and all my grandchildren were born there - I want to do whatever I can to help the country."
Gower lived in Israel from 1966-1967 and then again in 1970-1974.
Her dream is to someday run a mobile museum, where she could travel around the country promoting Israel products and "have (the display) available for the world to see."
Not surprisingly, local Judaica stores such as Scottsdale Kosher Market & Gifts and Segal's are listed on the pages of Gower's booklet as selling Israeli products.
The Israel Connection in Phoenix and the Jewish Quarter in Scottsdale help customers further by labeling Israeli products with an Israeli flag. The Israeli items they carry vary from cosmetics and ritual items to music, books and jewelry, says owner Terry Epcar. The Jewish Quarter also sells Israeli wines and foods.
Stores on the list include Banana Republic, Costco, The Gap, Target, Trader Joe's and Wild Oats.
Gower hopes to eventually expand her listings to Tucson and Northern Arizona, but is seeking assistance. "The more people I can get involved, especially in other cities, the more we can do," she says. Contact Gower at israelpavilion@aol.com.
Contact the writer at leisah_namm@jewishaz.com.
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