By COLlive reporter
The gala of Chabad of Westmount in Montreal was billed “An Evening on Philanthropy and Innovation” and guests were treated to hear from a special guest.
Rocket scientist Alexander Friedman, the chief engineer for the moon-mission of the Israeli spacecraft “Beresheet”, took the stage to join a conversation with Mrs. Devorah Shanowitz, program director of Chabad of Westmount.
Friedman is the System Engineering Manager at Spaceil and is the Mission Director of the Beresheet project, Israel’s attempt to be the fourth country in the world to land a spacecraft on the moon.
Though the mission failed to land properly on the moon and fully complete its mission, it was able to inspire Israel’s youth to the importance of science and education and show the world what a small country with big dreams can accomplish.
Friedman grew up as a Lubavitcher Chossid in the former Soviet Union while his father was in prison for spreading Yiddishkeit. Over his 40 year career, he has faced different challenges as a frum Jew working in the Aerospace industry.
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