 | AJC Leads First Solidarity Mission to Israel  An AJC delegation of more than 40, led by David Harris, is visiting Israel this week in the first solidarity mission by an American Jewish organization since the Hezbollah-Israel war began last week. “The courage, steadfastness and determination of the people we met have been extraordinarily inspiring – from the hospital staff that hasn’t missed a beat in delivering emergency medical services to individuals who refuse in their daily lives to yield to fear,” said Harris, who called this morning from Rambam Hospital in Haifa where the AJC group was meeting with victims of rocket attacks. They also visited the Negev town of Sederot, near the Gaza border, the target of frequent rocket attacks from Hamas and other Palestinian groups, as well as Nitzanim, a seaside venue that has been hastily transformed into a refugee camp for those fleeing the North. On every stop, Israelis have expressed deep appreciation for the AJC delegation’s presence.
Donate Now to AJC’s Israel Emergency Assistance Fund More than $100,000 has been contributed to AJC’s Israel Emergency Assistance Fund since AJC President E. Robert Goodkind announced its creation yesterday. Thanks to all who gave so generously and so quickly. The fund will provide vital assistance to institutions and organizations working with victims of the ongoing, deadly rocket attacks from Hezbollah on northern Israel and from Hamas and other Palestinian groups based in Gaza on southern Israel. While in Israel this week AJC leaders have begun to assess how we can be most helpful. Please join your fellow AJC members and make a donation today. Click to Donate.
David Harris Reports Live From Israel Join us Thursday, July 20, for a live report via conference call on the AJC Solidarity Mission to Israel. AJC President E. Robert Goodkind will chair the call, and David Harris, who is leading the mission, will be the featured speaker. To listen, call 1-847-413-3235, passcode 1746445. The call will take place tomorrow, July 20, from 12:00 to 12:30 p.m. Eastern time.
 AJC Joins Rallies for Israel Across U.S.
Dozens of AJC staff and lay leaders participated in the rally (see photo) in New York near the UN. AJC Chapters joined in community rallies in a number of major cities, including Boston, Chicago and Washington, D.C., and more planned for the days ahead.
G-8 Statement on Middle East Crisis AJC welcomed the statement by the Group of 8 leaders regarding the ongoing hostilities in Lebanon. “Putting the blame squarely where it belongs, at Hezbollah’s doorstep, the G8 leaders have made clear their opposition to the terrorist organization’s tactics and aims,” said AJC. In their statement, the G8 leaders said that “the immediate crisis results from efforts by extremist forces to destabilize the region and to frustrate the aspirations of the Palestinian, Israeli and Lebanese people for democracy and peace.” The leaders also called for the return of kidnapped Israeli soldiers held in Gaza and Lebanon, and an end to the shelling of Israeli territory. Read news release.
Mideast Briefing: How Nasrallah Misread Israel “Men make mistakes. Yet rarely have the consequences of a grave mistake been as costly as they are now to those Islamist totalitarians who challenged Israel to the present battle raging in the Galilee and in Lebanon.,” writes Eran Lerman, director of AJC’s Jerusalem Office, in his weekly analysis. Lerman reviews the international outcry, including by several Arab governments, against the Hezbollah missile and rocket assault on Israelis, how Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah completely miscalculated the Israeli and international response, and also offers his thoughts on how the current crisis may be resolved. Read briefing.
Indians Honored on AJC Co-Sponsored Visit to Israel An Indian leadership delegation, including parliamentarians, journalists and businesspeople, returned two days ago from a trip to Israel co-sponsored by AJC’s Project Interchange and the Australia Israel Jewish Affairs Council’s Rambam Fellowship program. The trip was designed to highlight current areas of cooperation between Israel and India, and the delegation met with prominent figures in Israeli politics, including First Lady Aliza Olmert. Though participants were offered an opportunity to head home early as the violence in Israel escalated this past week, all opted to remain until the official end of the trip, and were each awarded a certificate of appreciation by Israeli Minister of Tourism Isaac Herzog.
New Publication on Hezbollah Hezbollah: The Face of Global Terror is the latest AJC publication on the terrorist organization that for more than two decades has targeted Israelis, Americans and, indeed, Jews worldwide. From the bombing of the AMIA headquarters in Buenos Aires 12 years ago to the ongoing, deadly missile and rocket barrage launched against Israel, the Iranian-sponsored Hezbollah continues to be one of the major terrorist organizations seeking Israel’s destruction. The user-friendly, short booklet provides an overview of Hezbollah’s history, mission, and supporters. It is available online at www.ajc.org, or printed copies can be ordered from Dan Larson at larsond@ajc.org.
AJC Co-sponsors Washington Conference on AMIA Bombing E. Robert Goodkind, president of AJC, addressed a conference to commemorate the 12th anniversary of the terrorist bombing of AMIA, the headquarters of the central Jewish organization in Argentina. The conference, “Twelve Years and Counting: The Impact of the 1994 AMIA Bombing on the International Community,” was organized by AJC’s Latino and Latin American Institute. In addition to Goodkind, featured speakers included Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States Albert Ramdin, and AMIA representative and survivor Ana Weinstein. Reps. Tom Lantos and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who hosted the event, also spoke. AMIA is one of AJC’s international partners. Read Goodkind’s speech.
AJC Convenes Interfaith Leaders for Immigration Reform Advocacy AJC played a leading role assembling nearly 200 national interfaith leaders to affirm support for comprehensive immigration reform. The “Faith and Migration” conference, which took place on Capitol Hill, featured Jewish clergy and activists from across the country alongside bishops and evangelicals. Senators John McCain, Edward Kennedy and Sam Brownback, and Representative Howard Berman, shared their motivations for supporting comprehensive immigration reform. AJC representatives met with key Democratic and Republican House and Senate offices. Kendra Shore, assistant director of AJC’s Colorado Chapter, facilitated a brainstorming session on advocacy tactics for local communities.
Take Action Now - AJC Advocacy Center Visit www.ajc.org/advocacy and let your government officials know where you stand. Current action items include Promote Energy Independence; Protect Voting Rights; Stop Iran’s Nuclear Arms Drive; Stand Against Hatred. The Advocacy Center provides background materials on each issue and makes it simple to send letters to government officials.
In the Media The New York Sun quoted AJC President E. Robert Goodkind on the pro-Israel rally outside the United Nations.
Associated Press quoted Eran Lerman on the Hezbollah-Israel war.
Agence France Presse quoted David Harris and Kenneth Bandler on the war Israel is waging in southern Lebanon and Gaza.
The Philadelphia Inquirer quoted Ilana Wilensik, director of AJC’s Philadelphia Chapter, in an article on American Jews visiting Israel during the war. Wilensik is participating in the AJC Solidarity Mission.
The San Francisco Chronicle published a letter by Ernest Weiner, director of AJC’ s San Francisco Chapter, on the alliance of Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas and their joint desire to destroy Israel.
Yehudit Barsky, AJC’s director of AJC’s Division on Middle East and International Terrorism, was interviewed about Hezbollah on KTAR-AM radio in Phoenix.
JTA ran a news brief on AJC’s hybrid car program, offering bonuses to employees who purchase hybrid cars.
Juan Dircie, assistant director of AJC’s Miami Chapter, was interviewed on Telemundo 51, the local Spanish-language TV station, about the anniversary of the AMIA bombing.
The Associated Press quoted Rabbi David Rosen, AJC’s international director of interreligious affairs, on the challenges of establishing Christian-Jewish relations with churches in the developing world.
JTA quoted AJC Assistant Legislative Director Brooke Menschel on legalizing immigrants.
The New York Jewish Week published a letter on Presbyterian-Jewish dialogue by Diane Steinman, director of AJC’s New York Chapter, and Rev. Dr. Katharine Henderson, executive vice president of the Auburn Theological Seminary. | |
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