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“TRIBUTE TO IDA AND IRWIN HABER” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the Senate section on pages S5129 on July 23, 2018.
The Department includes the Census Bureau, which is used to determine many factors about American life. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department is involved in misguided foreign trade policies and is home to many unneeded programs.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO IDA AND IRWIN HABER
Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, I want to recognize my dear friends Ida and Irwin Haber for receiving the Jewish National Fund's Northern Ohio Tree of Life Award. This award is given in recognition of outstanding community involvement, professional leadership, and dedication to the cause of American-Israeli friendship with the devotion to peace and the security of human life. Ida and Irwin Haber are of the utmost quality and character for this honor. It is fitting that they receive this award jointly, as their personal and professional lives have been a team effort for the past 44 years and have been guided by their strong Jewish identity and heritage from the start.
Ida and Irwin met at a United Synagogue Youth event in high school and have been together ever since. It is their faith and commitment to the Jewish people that helped bring them together, and they remain active members of the Jewish community. Irwin serves as the Ohio chapter Chairman and National Board member of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, on the National Council of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and is a member of the Endowment Fund Committee of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. Additionally, he and Ida serve in leadership roles for the University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center.
Business has been a family venture for the Habers as well. In 1993, Irwin became the chairman and owner and Ida became vice president of the PDI Group. Their leadership and vision for this manufacturer of weapons platform support systems has built an internationally reputable business that provides equipment to U.S. Air Force and Navy and 45 air forces across the world. The PDI Group has been recognized by the U.S. Small Business Association and the Department of Commerce for its accomplishments and excellence.
Ida and Irwin Haber have led lives of faith and have served their customers and their community admirably. Perhaps their greatest achievement is their beautiful family. They have three adult children, Nathan, Ryan, and Rena, who work for the family business; two daughters-in-law, Yana and Shlomit; and three granddaughters, Arianna, Ava, and Noa.
On a personal level, Jane and I are grateful for Ida and Irwin's advice and friendship, for having us to their home for Shabbat dinner, and for numerous other good memories.
On behalf of the U.S. Senate, I congratulate Ida and Irwin Haber for being honored with the Jewish National Fund's Northern Ohio Tree of Life Award.
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