The community is invited to participate in the Chapter's energy forum on Monday, Jan. 12 from 10:15 am to 1:30 pm at the Omni Houston Hotel that features Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, right, Mayor Bill White, left, former Shell CEO John Hofmeister, below left, and Time Magazine's most influential person for 2008 Dr. Isaac Berzin, below right.  As an added feature, David Ronn, whose green home has been featured in magazines, will share green building insights.

 

AJC's energy task force is planning the forum and includes: Ronn, Max Blankfeld, Leonard Goldstein, Shrub Kempner, Richard Sherry and Allan Van Fleet.

 

Greenberg Traurig LLP is underwriting the energy forum.  Reservations for the forum, which are $25/person and includes lunch, may be made by calling AJC, 713 439 1202.

 

Madoff Fraud Fallout
AJC has received many queries from members and supporters about the repercussions of the Bernard Madoff scandal, which has caused such pain and hardship for so many. Thankfully, AJC had no direct involvement with Madoff and his firm. In fact, AJC's Investment Committee rejected any investments with him. Meanwhile, an AJC affiliate, Thanks to Scandinavia, which has its own investment policy, was hurt. It had about $1.5 million, or one-quarter, of its assets with Madoff.

AJC Hosts Israel's Ambassador to UN 
Ambassador Gabriela Shalev, Israel's permanent representative to the UN, addressed an off-the-record breakfast at AJC headquarters. The ambassador, who assumed her position three months ago, at the opening of the 2008 UN General Assembly session, spoke about her experiences of working within the UN environment. Ambassador Shalev praised AJC for its "effective work" with the UN and countries around the world.

Project Interchange Brings French Muslim leaders to Israel
French Muslim leaders are visiting Israel on a seminar sponsored by AJC's Project Interchange. Participants include a police commissioner, the president of the French Young Entrepreneurs group, the general director of a French television and radio station, and the diplomatic adviser of the French president for North Africa, the Mediterranean, the Arab world and Israel. Project Interchange has expanded its outreach to Europe in recent years. This is the first seminar for Muslims from France.

Condemning Hezbollah Visit to Belgian Parliament
"Was this an error, or is it really the case that none of the various parties in the Belgian Parliament thought providing a platform for Hezbollah was objectionable?" asked AJC. Abdullah Kassir, head of Hezbollah's Al Manar TV station, which is banned in France, Germany and Spain, and Hussein Al Haj Hassan, a Hezbollah member of the Lebanese parliament, spoke at a meeting sponsored by the so-called "International Union of Parliamentarians for Palestine" (IUPP), a front organization for the Iranian regime. A Belgian MP, Fouad Lahssaini, booked the conference room. READ NEWS RELEASE.

Welcoming Dutch Caution on Durban II
AJC welcomed Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen's public concerns about the preparatory process for the Durban Review Conference. "It will be unacceptable for me if Israel will be singled out by name as the only country in a possible final document," said Verhagen in response to questions from a Dutch Member of Parliament. "When the process has reached a critical point after which I no longer deem an acceptable final document feasible, I will not hesitate to withdraw." AJC applauded "the principled position of the Netherlands."