New AJC Film  What happened during the past 100 years at AJC continues to happen every day in the work we do across the U.S. and around the world. One Century, One Day is the newest film telling the AJC story. It premiered at the gala centennial dinner in Washington on May 4, and now is being shown at AJC dinners and other events across the country. Click to view.
AJC Fund Fights Boycotts of Israel AJC is fighting another British teachers association's proposal to take action against Israel. The United Kingdom's National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education (NATFHE), an organization of 67,000 members, will consider later this month a motion to boycott Israeli educational institutions and individuals. A similar initiative was attempted last year by the United Kingdom's Association of University Teachers (AUT). In response AJC launched an anti-boycott fund with an initial contribution of $10,000. The fund was instrumental in helping the University of Haifa fight back. AJC recently added an additional $10,000 to the fund because those who are victimized by such bigoted actions should not have to bear the double indignity of paying the costs to defend their rights. Click to Donate Now.
Senior Israeli Officer Visits AJC AJC met with Israeli Defense Forces Major General Dan Harel during his trip to the U. S. Harel currently serves as the IDF Defense and Armed Forces Attaché. Previously, he served as the Head of the IDF Southern Command, where he was responsible for counter-terrorism operations in that region and oversaw last year's disengagement from Gaza. During the meeting, Harel discussed Israeli security concerns and approaches to the challenges of the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority and the Iranian nuclear weapons program, as well as the roles Europe and the U.S. are currently playing in the Middle East.
AJC Briefs Helsinki Commission on Combating Anti-Semitism Efforts Two AJC officials appeared before the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission) to discuss tools for combating anti-Semitism, police training and Holocaust education. Paul Goldenberg, an AJC consultant who also is special advisor to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), briefed the commission on training police in dealing with anti-Semitism and other hate crimes. Rabbi Andrew Baker, AJC's director of international Jewish affairs, spoke about the need for increased funding law enforcement training, as well as for the work of the ODIHR special expert on anti-Semitism. Read Goldenberg Testimony.
AJC Sends Letter of Concern to Sweden In a letter to Swedish Prime Minister Göran Persson, AJC expressed concern over Sweden's decision to withdraw from a NATO international air exercise because of Israel's participation. "Notwithstanding the explanations offered, we would have hoped and expected that the growing cooperation between NATO and Israel, and the common denominator of shared democratic values, would have resulted in a very different Swedish decision," wrote AJC President E. Robert Goodkind and Executive Director David A. Harris. The letter also expressed concern over news reports that Sweden would issue visas to Hamas leaders. "Reports suggesting that Sweden may become the first European Union nation to grant visas to Hamas officials would clearly call into question the Quartet position, and surely would confer a mantel of legitimacy on an organization that has most assuredly not earned it," AJC wrote.
AJC Reconnecting with African American Christians AJC co-hosted a daylong workshop with the Pan Methodist Commission in Chicago. Participants included bishops, leading scholars and local ministers of the United Methodist Church as well as the Historic African American AME, AMEZ and CME churches, together with AJC leaders and key national rabbis. The agenda was designed to help forge relationships, study text together as a way of furthering understanding and plan for a Project Interchange trip to Israel in June with the African American church leaders.
"Jewish Citizenship" Proposal Among the initiatives AJC President E. Robert Goodkind proposed in his major address to the AJC Annual Meeting is to advocate for the concept of "citizenship in the Jewish people." Goodkind raised the idea in the context of finding ways to embrace the increasing numbers of mixed marriages. "How should the Jewish community relate to the non-Jewish spouse of a Jew in a home where Judaism is the only faith and the children are being educated Jewishly?" was the question Goodkind posed. He recommended establishing Jewish citizenship as a way to embrace the non-Jewish spouses into the larger community. Read the full speech. Goodkind welcomes comments on his ideas.
AJC Briefs Senators on Energy Independence The Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee, chaired by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, invited AJC Executive Director David A. Harris to speak about ways the U.S. can diminish its dependence on imported oil. "The goal of greater energy independence is not a red-state issue or a blue-state issue. Rather, it is a red-white-and-blue issue. And it must be approached with the same determination, commitment of resources, and can-do spirit with which our country successfully launched the Manhattan Project or, later, the Apollo Project," said Harris. Read full speech.
AJC Radio Message: Energy Crisis Threatens Us In his national radio message, David Harris tackles the pressing issue of America's dependence on imported energy. He voices disappointment that, for more than 30 years, no serious effort has been made by any U.S. president to lessen our dependence on imported energy, he shares the consequences of this inaction, and urges listeners to speak out. "Our national security, the environment, and our future competitiveness as a nation all hang in the balance," says Harris. "We need the same can-do spirit for energy independence that took us to the moon. Our elected officials need to hear from us, loud and clear." Click to listen.
President Bush on Immigration Reform AJC has commended President Bush for his endorsement, in a televised address to the nation, of comprehensive immigration reform. "President Bush has it absolutely right in saying that our nation can be a lawful society and a welcoming society at the same time," said AJC. "We praise the President for endorsing the type of comprehensive immigration reform encompassed in the bill now pending in the Senate, in particular his call for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, and for his tacit rejection of the enforcement-only approach reflected in the bill passed by the House earlier this year." Click for AJC statement.
U.S.-India Nuclear Cooperation AJC has urged members of Congress to support a proposed U.S.-India civil nuclear energy agreement, negotiated this year by the Bush administration and awaiting congressional approval. The agreement would permit, for the first time, U.S. cooperation on civil nuclear energy development with India, a democratic, pluralistic, and rigorously non-proliferating state (although a non-signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty). In letters to the House and Senate, AJC called the agreement "a pragmatic and forward-looking response to the strategic requirements of both the U.S. and India," and said it would enhance the "natural alliance" between India and the United States. AJC, with a representative in Mumbai and ongoing exchange programs, political dialogue, and humanitarian projects, has worked for more than a decade to enhance U.S.-India relations, as well as India-Israel ties.
Barring Religious Worship Services at Public Schools AJC filed an amicus brief with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals arguing that public school districts should not be compelled to convert schools into churches on Sundays. The case, Bronx Household of Faith v. Board of Education of the City of New York, is a challenge to the City policy prohibiting religious congregations from holding worship services on public school premises. Pursuant to a court order striking down that policy, at least 23 congregations were able to meet regularly in New York City public schools during the 2004-2005 school year and many continue to do so. AJC argues in its brief that school districts should not be compelled to subsidize the religious activities of houses of worship with taxpayer dollars. Click for news release. Disappointing House Action on Military Chaplains AJC is dismayed by the U.S. House of Representatives measure that would allow military chaplains to invoke the name of Jesus in prayer at public meetings and ceremonies at which attendance may be mandatory for service members of all faiths. The provision, included in the defense authorization bill, appears intended to undermine the guidelines adopted earlier this year by the U.S. Air Force and Navy.
AJC Publication on Cartoons in the Arab Media A new AJC publication examines anti-Israel and anti-Semitic cartoons printed in the Arab media. How Can There Be Peace in the Middle East: A Study of Anti-Israel and Anti-Semitic Cartoons in the Arab Media documents the harrowing use of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel images and rhetoric in Arab world newspapers and magazines. While many of these cartoons are masked as simple political critiques of Israel, the cartoonists' willingness to employ classic anti-Semitic devices reveals a conscious effort to mix anti-Israeli sentiment with classic anti-Semitism. Click to download.
UN Committee Against Torture AJC's Jacob Blaustein Institute Director Felice D. Gaer, was the chief questioner for the first report of Qatar before the authoritative UN Committee Against Torture, a treaty monitoring body on which she serves as the US expert member. Qatar's delegation of more than a dozen senior officials, which was led by Seif Mokadem, Al-Boainain, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, responded publicly to her questions on a wide array of alleged abuses.
Now Available: In the Trenches: Volume 4  In the Trenches: Volume 4, the latest collection of writings by David A. Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee, has just been published. "This is a man of conviction, a tireless defender of liberty and democracy, an advocate for peace and mutual respect," says French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy, one of several prominent individuals whose comments appear on the back jacket of the book. Included are many of Harris's essays on topics of current concern to the Jewish community, published op-ed articles and other opinion pieces, speeches, and the biweekly radio messages heard on the CBS radio network during the Osgood File during the past two years. Click to order.
In the Media
JTA quoted David Harris in a feature on young people from around the world at the AJC Annual Meeting. National Public Radio, BBC, and the Associated Press quoted Deidre Berger on the German government decision to open the Bad Arolsen archives on Holocaust victims. JTA quoted Richard Foltin in an article on immigration reform.  RTL Dutch TV interviewed David Harris extensively on the controversy in Holland over Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the parliamentarian who was honored with AJC's Moral Courage Award.
BBC Radio News "World Tonight" program featured UN Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer in a live debate on the UN Human Rights Council with UN General Assembly President Jan Eliasson and Human Rights Watch Executive Director Kenneth Roth. | 
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