Advice From A Minister

Alex Belokopitov, a Russian-born Israeli student at Boys Town Jerusalem’s College of Applied Engineering, never dreamed who would be offering him sage advice on his senior solar energy project: none other than the Minister of National Infrastructure Uzi Landau. On a recent visit to Boys Town, the minister, who holds a PhD from MIT, took time to "talk shop" with Alex as he demonstrated his project, an instrument that automatically moves in the direction of light sources it detects. The minister discussed the inner workings of the apparatus with the 19-year-old student, and then personally referred him to an engineer who is developing a similar system in Israel.

Minister Landau was invited by Boys Town to personally view their new “green” rooftop solar energy system, one of the first to be installed in an Israeli school. Responsible for the development of Israel’s energy and natural resources, Landau is a tireless campaigner for advancing renewable energy initiatives. While he was visibly impressed with the Boys Town solar energy system, Minister Landau found yet another source of pride during his visit. A longtime champion of aliyah (immigration to Israel), he was delighted to discover a number of new immigrant students living and studying at the school—including Alex Belokopitov. In speaking before the Boys Town student body, Minister Landau combined his passions for the preservation of Israel’s natural resources and for increased aliyah, saying, "The solar panels on your roof are not just a contribution to energy production. They are helping to preserve our sorely depleted natural resources, essential in our goal to improve the Land of Israel’s environment for every Jew to come here, live and thrive.

“The Bible and our Jewish heritage compel us to respect and preserve the bounty of our earth,” Landau reminded the students, who were spellbound by his capacity to recall and recite Biblical passages verbatim. “The time has come to turn to you, the future generation, to apply your knowledge of technology to solve today’s pressing environmental problems, while using your Jewish heart and mind to meet the social needs of the poor and the underprivileged.”

At the close of his visit, Minister Landau visited Boys Town Jerusalem’s College of Applied Engineering where senior student Alex demonstrated his project. “This is very impressive for your first ‘invention,’” the Minister of National Infrastructure told the Boys Town student. “I’m already looking forward to seeing your next!”

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