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Solidarity Visit to Denmark Expressing friendship and solidarity, an AJC leadership delegation traveled to Copenhagen and met with officials in the Prime Minister’s office, the Foreign Ministry, and the Ministry of Refugees, Immigration and Integration Affairs. The trip was the first visit to Denmark by a non-governmental organization in the wake of a Danish newspaper’s decision to print cartoons deemed offensive by many Muslims. Click to read the news release.
 High-Level Meetings in Washington A senior AJC leadership delegation held a round of meetings in Washington, D.C. Discussions focused on the Hamas electoral victory, the Iranian nuclear threat, and U.S. dependence on Middle Eastern oil. The AJC leaders met with Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Rick Santorum (R-PA). They also held discussions with China’s ambassador to the U.S., and with Elliot Abrams, Deputy National Security Advisor.
Transatlantic Institute Hosts Forum on Hamas The West’s response to the Hamas electoral victory was the subject of a special forum held in Brussels by AJC’s Transatlantic Institute. The program featured Ambassador Marc Otte, European Union Special Envoy on the Middle East; U.S. Congressman Richard Wexler (D-FL), ranking member of the International Relations Subcommittee on Europe; European Parliament member Charles Tannock; Palestinian pollster Khalil Shakiki; and Israeli journalist Sharon Sadeh. EU officials, policy analysts, journalists and diplomats attended the forum, moderated by Jason Isaacson, AJC Director of Government and International Affairs.
Limiting Aid to Palestinian Authority AJC is urging the House of Representatives to pass the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act 2006. The legislation would limit funding to the Palestinian Authority as long as Hamas is part of the government. “Supporting a Palestinian Authority that includes Hamas, or otherwise carrying on business as usual, would violate core U.S. principles, and severely undercut our fight against terrorism,” wrote AJC in a letter to all Representatives.
Egyptian Cadets Dialogue with AJC Thirty diplomatic cadets from Egypt’s Foreign Ministry joined with AJC senior leadership for a full discussion of the current Middle East situation. The private meeting took place in Washington, D.C., with David Harris, Jason Isaacson and Aaron Jacob. Topics discussed included the new Hamas-dominated Palestinian Authority government and Iran.
Interfaith Israel Mission Religious leaders and activists from New York’s Jewish and Presbyterian communities traveled together to Israel to learn first-hand about the complex world of the Middle East. AJC’s New York Chapter and the Auburn Theological Seminary sponsored a week-long mission, which was sparked by the national Church vote to explore divestment from companies doing business in Israel. The group listened to the diverse opinions of leaders such as Dr. Saeb Erekat, chief Palestinian negotiator, Dalia Rabin, daughter of the late Prime Minister, and the head of the Catholic Church in Israel, His Beatitude Michel Sabbah. “Participants came home committed to becoming partners in the quest for peace,” said Diane Steinman, Executive Director of the New York Chapter.
Emergency Funding for Darfur AJC is urging Congress to approve President Bush’s emergency request for funding aimed at stopping the genocide in Darfur. The president has called for $514 million for peacekeeping and humanitarian aid programs in Sudan. “We appreciate the President’s statement favoring more robust international intervention, “said Richard Foltin, AJC legislative director and counsel. ”The genocide in Darfur represents the most pressing human rights catastrophe today.” Two weeks ago AJC sponsored an advocacy day in Washington, D.C., bringing more than 70 religious leaders and activists from around the country to Capital Hill to press for more help in Darfur. Click for news release.
Providing Technical Assistance in Africa The head of Israel’s Foreign Ministry technical assistance division known as MASHAV met in New York with representatives of AJC’s Africa Institute to explore possible joint projects. Haim Devon leads MASHAV, which has an impressive record of bringing Israeli technical expertise to developing countries. “Israel is trying to revive MASHAV as a tool for diplomacy in the developing world,” said Eliseo Neuman, director of AJC’s Africa Institute. Devon and other Israeli officials were discussing ways that AJC could cooperate in assistance programs around the world, especially in Africa. NOTE: The new Africa Institute of AJC will be officially launched at this year’s Centennial Meeting.
New AJC College Program at Cornell  The AJC Cornell Society, launched with a lecture by AJC Executive Director David A. Harris, is designed to introduce selected Jewish students to the advocacy work of AJC. The students will visit AJC headquarters in New York and meet with staff experts. Some will join in a trip to Germany this summer. “AJC has a responsibility to educate and inspire young Jewish leaders of America,” said Harris. A similar pilot program recently began at Princeton University. Read more about the event from the Cornell University Daily Sun. Read more about the Cornell event.
Facing Academic Anti-Semitism The first-ever conference on anti-Semitism in academia took place in Amsterdam, with Kenneth Stern, AJC’s specialist on anti-Semitism and extremism, a featured speaker. Stern spoke on anti-Zionism and anti-Israel related anti-Semitism found among academics and in curricula, and considered the issue of academic freedom. The conference recommended a new field in Hate Studies, a discipline AJC has pioneered in the United States.
German Jewish Women's Network Conference AJC’s Berlin office and the German government brought women together from Austria, Germany, and the United States to share and discuss the challenges and opportunities of Jewish women. Deirdre Berger, Director of the AJC Berlin office, moderated a panel discussion on Jewish education. Diane Steinman, Executive Director of the New York Chapter, and B.J. Bernstein, AJC leader from Atlanta, participated as panelists on the role of women as leaders in American Jewish institutions.
Tajikistan Synagogue Demolition AJC called on Tajikistan to halt the demolition of the only synagogue in Dushanbe. “The country’s remaining Jews, many of whom are poor and elderly, will have no place for prayer and communal gatherings,” said AJC in a statement. “That the synagogue is being demolished in order to make way for the construction of a new presidential residence only adds to the sorrow and anger.” Click for news release.
Crown Heights Murder AJC expressed condolences to the family of Frederick Klein, a 47-year-old Orthodox Jew, murdered in Crown Heights, New York, as he was parking his car. Diane Steinman, director of AJC’s New York Chapter, joined with African American and Jewish leaders at a news conference in Crown Heights, convened to voice outrage and concern about the killing in a neighborhood with a history of tensions between the two communities. “We commend the leaders of Crown Heights for serving as a model to the world about the power of building bridges between communities, and the police department for its efforts to ensure that justice is done in this tragic case,” she said.
Letter of Thanks from Bulgaria The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria offered his gratitude to AJC for trying to help his country earn designation as a conditional member of the Visa Waiver Program. The program would make travel within the United States easier for Bulgarians and other American allies in Central and Eastern Europe. Ivailo Kalfin thanked AJC Executive Director David A. Harris for his efforts in writing to Members of Congress urging support on this issue.
Condolences Sent for Russian Tragedy AJC sent a letter of condolence to Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing sympathy for the collapse of a roof at a Moscow market. At least 50 people died, and many more were injured. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who lost loved ones,” wrote AJC. Read letter.
AJC in South Africa Steven Bayme, AJC Contemporary Jewish Life Director, spent a week in Capetown, South Africa, as guest lecturer for the Nashum Goldman Fellowship of the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture. The foundation trains Jewish leadership in the Diaspora.
Latino/Jewish Cooperation Dina Siegel Vann, director of AJC’s Latino and Latin American Institute, was the keynote speaker at a forum in Dallas, organized by the local AJC chapter, the Consulate of Mexico, and the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Sixty Mexican-American and Jewish leaders participated in discussions on immigration, education, and shared histories.
In the Media
The New York Jewish Week ran a front-page story on the New Orleans Relief Trip organized by ACCESS: AJC’s New Generation Program. The Cleveland Jewish News also ran a feature on the New Orleans trip. Read full story. Both stories quoted Rebecca Neuwirth, AJC director of special projects. The Xavier University website, www.xula.edu, has a photo of AJC’s Brian Siegal presenting a donation of $100,000 in Hurricane Katrina relief to the school’s president on its home page. The New York Jewish Week published a letter to the editor from AJC Executive Director David Harris on support for Denmark. Columnist Benny Avni, writing in the New York Sun, quoted Hillel Neuer, director of U.N. Watch, on Kofi Annan’s dealings with Dubai. Neuer was also quoted in Reuters, Washington Times, Inter Press Service and CNS News on the proposed UN resolution to replace its Human Rights Commission with a new council. L’Agefi, Geneva’s financial newspaper, quoted Neuer on Muslim states trying to amend text to prohibit blasphemy. The New York Jewish Week quoted Richard Foltin, AJC legislative director and counsel on the U.S. Supreme Court decision on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Jewish Week also quoted David Bernstein, director of the AJC Washington, D.C. Chapter, on the recent Palestinian conference at Georgetown. Haaretz quoted Rabbi James Rudin, AJC’s senior interreligous affairs adviser, extensively in an article about his new book The Baptizing of America. Haaretz quoted AJC President Robert Goodkind in an article about the World Jewish Forum hosted by Israeli President Moshe Katsav. The Journal News quoted Laura Lewis, director of AJC’s Westchester Chapter in an article about the appearance of Iran’s ambassador to the UN for a public address at a local college. The paper also printed an open letter to the ambassador from the AJC chapter. The Cornell University Daily Sun ran a front-page story on the launch of the AJC Cornell Society. | |
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