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Centennial Annual Meeting Never before did AJC welcome so many members and friends to an Annual Meeting, or have we had such an impressive roster of world and American leaders address and participate in the week-long conference. With more than 1,600 registered, the Annual Meeting was sold out more than a week before it opened. At the gala centennial dinner on May 4, more than 2,100 dinner guests, and another 100 representatives of the media, were in attendance to hear President Bush, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in person, and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Polish President Lech Kaczynski, and Australian Prime Minister John Howard via video hook-up. Audio of many sessions during the week are online at our website, and more are being added daily. In this issue of the UPDATE, we offer coverage of some of the main sessions, and will continue coverage next week.
 President Bush Salutes AJC at Centennial Gala  Addressing a capacity audience of over 2,100 at the National Building Museum, President Bush delivered a hearty “Mazel Tov” to AJC for reaching our 100th birthday. “You have had a profound impact on American political life because you have worked tirelessly for noble goals. The AJC has fought for tolerance and respect for the Jewish people, and all people,” said Bush. “America is more compassionate and our world is more just because of the principled leadership of the American Jewish Committee.” Watch President Bush’s address on video. Or read the full text.
Chancellor Merkel Lauds AJC-German Relationship  In her address at the gala dinner, Chancellor Angela Merkel said, “AJC was the first Jewish organization to seek contact with Germany after the Shoah, and today, the AJC is an important partner for Germany in the dialogue with American Jewry and in transatlantic relations.” Given AJC’s roots and the history of German-Jewish relations during the past century, AJC was particularly honored that the Chancellor joined in our celebration and addressed the dinner. Click to watch or read the Merkel speech.
Secretary General Kofi Annan Praises AJC  “The United Nations is, I hope and believe, what it always should be – a place where Jews can feel at home,” declared UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in his address at the gala centennial dinner. While reviewing progress made at the UN regarding the global fight against anti-Semitism, and honoring those who perished in the Holocaust, Annan also was candid about the ongoing challenges to ending discrimination against Israel within the world body. He praised the “tireless work of the AJC” in helping to shape American society. “It is a wonderful example to all other countries where communities of different faith or tradition live side by side. I hope all countries can learn from, and be inspired by, your experience,” he said. Watch Annan speak. Or click for full speech.
AJC Centennial Tribute Book Dozens of world leaders who were unable to join us in Washington sent congratulatory letters. The U.S. Congress adopted resolutions praising AJC on its centennial. The book of tributes, handed out at the gala dinner, is available. For copies, please contact Adam Janvey at janveya@ajc.org.
Centennial Campaign Exceeds Goal AJC successfully completed its Centennial Campaign: A Fund for the Future. The campaign, launched five years ago, raised $105 million. “I am delighted by the generosity of our leaders, members, friends and supporters, and by their desire to ensure the vital work of the American Jewish Committee for a second century,” said Harold Tanner, chair of the Centennial Campaign, and honorary president of AJC. “We now can continue making a difference for the next 100 years.” Tanner, joined by fellow Centennial Campaign co-chairs Julie Baskes of Chicago and Bruce M. Ramer of Los Angeles, made the announcement at the Annual Meeting opening session.
Hundreds Join in Save Darfur Rally  Nearly 400 AJC members from across the country gathered on the Washington Mall for the national rally to stop genocide in Darfur. The rally was sponsored by the Save Darfur Coalition, of which AJC is a member. David Harris, joined by staff colleagues, spoke at a special pre-rally briefing for AJC members at the Sixth and I Historic Synagogue. Afterwards, the many representatives of AJC’s 32 U.S. chapters marched to the rally with signs declaring AJC’s opposition to the genocide underway in Darfur. The rally took place a day before the opening of AJC’s Annual Meeting.
Symposium on Jewish Future Before the official opening of the Annual Meeting, hundreds gathered at the Library of Congress to hear a panel discussion on “The Prospects for Judaism and the Jews” in the twenty-first century. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, A.B. Yehoshua, Leon Wieseltier and Cynthia Ozick engaged in a dialogue moderated by Ted Koppel, and introduced by AJC Honorary President Alfred Moses, who conceived the entire program. The conversation about issues that shape modern Jewish identity and the Jewish future continued the following day with three other equally impressive panels comprised of Judaism’s best contemporary thinkers. Click to watch the sessions.
AJC Archives Website – 100 Years a Click Away AJC has launched a new interactive website, www.ajcarchives.org, which enables anyone with a computer to access the treasure chest of materials in print, on film, and on tape that are located in AJC’s archives. Harnessing the latest technologies to tell the AJC story online, more than 75,000 pages of material, as well as 40 films and 16 historical radio broadcasts, have been digitized, and presented in a user-friendly, colorful format that is fully searchable. Click for news release. Click to view short film on archives website.
Africa Institute Launches AJC’s latest international diplomatic initiative, the Africa Institute, was launched at the Annual Meeting. “Our vision is to bridge the gulf of understanding between Americans and the peoples and nations of Africa,” said Stanley Bergman, a member of AJC’s national board and founding chair of the Africa Institute. Institute research and activities will focus on engaging political, business and religious leaders to deepen understanding and to identify collaborative projects.
AJC Awards During the week-long conferences in Washington, AJC presented awards to several deserving individuals. The Moral Courage Award was presented to two Muslim heroes in the battle against Islamic radicalism – Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the Somali-born Dutch legislator who lives under constant death threats by Islamic radicals, and, in absentia, to Salah Choudhury, editor of the largest English-language weekly in Bangladesh, for his courage to speak out against Islamic extremism and his efforts to promote dialogue between Bangladesh and Israel. The Mass Media Award went to British journalist Melanie Philips for her strong columns in support of Israel and against Muslim fundamentalists in Europe. The Public Service Award was given to Houston Mayor Bill White for his leadership in responding to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The Akiba Award went to Jewish Theological Seminary Chancellor Ismar Schorsch. The Ramer Award for Diplomatic Excellence was presented to former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer. Congressional Leadership Awards were presented to Sens. George Voinovich and Barbara Mikulski, and Congressman Jim Kolbe.
Honoring David Harris AJC honored David Harris with our Centennial Distinguished Leadership Award in recognition of his stellar contributions to the agency as executive director since 1990. Joining in the celebration were two former foreign ministers, Joschka Fischer of Germany, and Ana Palacio of Spain, as well as David’s congresswoman, Nita Lowey. Each spoke glowingly about AJC and about David, sharing their personal experiences of working with him and how they collaborated to fight anti-Semitism and strengthen transatlantic relations. The evening’s surprise guest speaker was David’s wife.
Newest International Partner: Latin American Jewish Students AJC and the Federación Universitaria Sionista Latinoamericana (FUSLA) have signed an association agreement. The agreement with the Latin American Jewish student organization is AJC's nineteenth such partnership with international Jewish communities, and the seventh in Latin America. The agreement was signed at AJC's centennial Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C, during a plenary session featuring young international leaders. Click for news release.
ACCESS Track at the Annual Meeting More than 200 young people from around the world participated in AJC’s Annual Meeting, adding tremendous energy to the sessions and the informal discussions surrounding them. The ACCESS new generation program featured special programming designed by and for people in their 20s and 30s. Some of the highlights included: a session on Charting the Future: a new generation’s battle against extremism with a panel of outstanding individuals who have made a difference in their diverse communities; Facing New Orleans with a slide show on AJC’s trip to the region and presentations by top experts on rebuilding; Muslim-Jewish Relations with original voices in the international interreligious scene; and Crisis in Darfur, cosponsored with The New Republic , which ran an issue the same week that focused on the genocide. Young people also shared perspectives from around the world and participated in an exciting and creative open session meeting.
AJC Radio Message: Celebrating 100 Years As world leaders joined with the American Jewish Committee in celebrating its one hundredth anniversary in the nation's capital this week, AJC Executive Director David A. Harris, in his national radio message, reflected on AJC's accomplishments. Click to listen.
French Foreign Minister On Tuesday, a small AJC delegation met with French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy. The delegation had a thorough discussion with the Foreign Minister on Hamas and Iran. The environment was friendly and the foreign minister was joined by the French Ambassador to the U.S. Jean-David Levitte, and the Consul General of France to New York, François Delattre.
OBITUARY: Sister Rose Thering AJC is deeply saddened by the passing of Sister Rose Thering, a cherished friend of the Jewish people. Her pioneering efforts in the mid-twentieth century contributed in large measure to changing the course of Catholic-Jewish relations. AJC honored Sister Rose in 2004 with our Jan Karski Moral Courage Award for her lifelong commitment to Christian-Jewish relations, her unwavering and inexhaustible support for Israel, and her relentless opposition to anti-Semitism. We will deeply miss this courageous, principled and compassionate individual. Click for news release.
Take Action Now - AJC Advocacy Center Visit www.ajc.org/advocacy and let your government officials know where you stand. Current action items include Stop Iran’s Nuclear Arms Drive; Fix Our Broken Immigration System; Prevent U.S. Aid to Hamas; Stand Against Hatred. The Advocacy Center provides background materials on each issue and makes its simple to send letters to government officials.
In the Media
Extensive coverage of the gala dinner with Bush, Merkel and Annan in, among others, the Washington Post, Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France Presse and significant German media outlets. The Baltimore Jewish Times ran a major feature on AJC at 100. The Miami Herald also ran an articled on AJC’s birthday. The AJC award to Houston Mayor Bill White was reported in the Houston Chronicle. The New York Jewish Week editorial saluted AJC on its 100th birthday. Financial Times and International Herald Tribune each mentioned AJC’s 100th anniversary in editorials on the visit to Washington of German Chancellor Merkel and her meeting with President Bush. The pre-annual meeting symposium on the future of Jewish community received extensive coverage in the Israeli media, with articles in Haarertz, Jerusalem Post, Y-Net and radio reports on Kol Israel. David Harris was interviewed on the nationally syndicated Greg Corombos Show and on Metronetworks about AJC. He also was interviewed on UN Radio about the appearance of Kofi Annan at the gala dinner. And, he was interviewed on BBC World Service radio about Darfur. Dina Siegel Vann was interviewed in Spanish on CNN Espanol and on WUSA in Miami about AJC. Chapter Directors appeared on local radio stations direct from the Annual Meeting to talk about AJC. Participating directors included Barbara Glueck of Cincinnati, John Hexter of Cleveland, Larry Lowenthal of Boston, Sharona Shapiro of Detroit, Gary Greenebaum of Los Angeles, Lisa Steindel of Pittsburg, Edda Post of West Coast Florida, Emily Soloff of Chicago, Ilana Wilensik of Philadelphia, Gale Kahn of Denver, Darrel Strelitz of Dallas, and Harriet McKinney of Milwaukee. The New York Jewish Week published a letter by Steven Bayme on the recently released AJC study on conversion to Judaism among non-Jewish spouses in mixed marriages. | 
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