|
Pols, Diplomats Toast Zeidman
More than 360 from across the community gathered Thursday night at the Hyatt Regency in Houston to salute the commitment and the values of Fred Zeidman, who was presented with AJC's National Institute of Human Relations Award. Ambassadors Arthur Schechter and Sallai Meridor talked of their personal relationships with Fred over the years. Israeli Ambassador Meridor said Fred was an important conduit in diplomacy. Video clips from Senators Joe Lieberman, John Cornyn and John McCain, Rep. Eric Cantor, Josh Bolten, Karl Rove and President George W. Bush gave insight into Fred the person. In his remarks, Fred cited growing up in a small Texas town, Wharton, and paralleled his adventures to those of some of AJC's founders 103 years ago, who created the organization. Small town boys can make a difference on the global stage.
Chapter Annual Meeting on May 21
Susman award, El Salvador featured
Faith Marshall, a long time volunteer in the Houston community, will receive the Houston Chapter's Helene Susman award on Thursday evening, May 21 at Congregation Beth Israel. The evening will also include a governance/nominating committee report and a special program paying official tribute to Colonel Jose Arturo Castellanos, an El Salvadoran diplomat who saved more than 25,000 Jewish lives while serving in Geneva during WWII. El Salvadoran Ambassador Ricardo Moran Ferracuti will present "The Historic Document: Holocaust's Hero" during the annual meeting.
The Susman award is presented to a Jewish woman who devotes her life to family, career and volunteering in the community. This year's committee, chaired by Sandy Block, included past award recipients Julia Mazow, Judge Ruby Sondock, Bobbie Samuels, Karol Musher and Joyce Gilbert.
Iran, Durban, Anti-Semitism discussed with German diplomat
David Schwake, an advisor to the German Ambassador to the United States, visited the Chapter offices this week and discussed future sanctions against Iran, Germany's participation in Durban II and the outbreak of anti-Semitism across the European continent with Chapter leaders. Schwake said Germany is continuing to participate in the Durban II discussions, but will not approve of the current draft. Participating in the discussion with Schwake and German Consul General Rainer Muenzel, were Susan Altschuler, David Barish, Nat Levy, Dena Palermo, Tracy Stein and staff.
Urging U.S. to Press for Overhaul of UN Human Rights Council
AJC, responding guardedly to the announcement that the U.S. will seek a seat on the UN Human Rights Council, is urging Washington to use its diplomatic leverage to reform the discredited body. "The Council is structurally biased and deeply flawed, and must be overhauled," said AJC. "By declaring its candidacy, the United States has taken on a major responsibility, and we count on the Administration to follow through." The Human Rights Council was created in March 2006 to replace the discredited Commission on Human Rights. However, if anything, it has performed worse than its predecessor.
AJC Leaders Meet Obama Administration Officials
An AJC leadership delegation met privately on Monday in Washington with senior National Security Council and State Department officials, including Bill Burns, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, and Dennis Ross, State Department Special Advisor for the Gulf and Southwest Asia. The agenda included, centrally, the American approach to the Iranian nuclear issue, U.S.-Israel ties in a new era, and the upcoming Durban Review Conference, which continues to warrant American disengagement.
AJC Hosts Holocaust Program to Strengthen Latino-Jewish Coalition
Hispanic leaders from across the United States participated in an AJC-sponsored conversation, Building a Latino-Jewish Alliance: Understanding the Holocaust and its Echoes. The two-day event in Washington included a dialogue with Jewish and Latino members of Congress, and a VIP tour of the Holocaust Memorial Museum led by survivors. Co-sponsors of the conference are the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Heinrich Boll Foundation and the Latino-Jewish Working Group. Members of the group traveled with AJC to Israel three years ago, and have met regularly since to work on issues of mutual concern.
AJC Condemns Disbanding of Palestinian Youth Orchestra
The decision of Palestinian political activists to disband a youth orchestra in the West Bank city of Jenin, after it performed a concert for Holocaust survivors in Israel, is the subject of David Harris's national radio commentary. LISTEN "Their despicable act denies first and foremost the young Palestinians in the orchestra the opportunity to rehearse and to perform," said AJC. "They are being punished for using their talents to advance the cause of peace. In effect, they are being told that Palestinians and Israelis must forever be locked in conflict." READ NEWS RELEASE
Deploring Iranian Plan to Take Over Israeli-Funded Hospital in Mauritania
AJC deplored Mauritania's willingness to allow an Iranian takeover of a nearly completed cancer hospital in the North African country's capital city, constructed as an Israeli foreign assistance project and partially funded by AJC. Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki announced Iran's plans during his visit to Mauritania, the first such visit by an Iranian official in 27 years. "It is striking that Iran, which doesn't miss an opportunity to condemn Israel, desires to finish this Israeli-launched humanitarian project," said AJC.READ NEWS RELEASE.
Outrageous UN Council Ban on "Defamation of Religions"
AJC expressed outrage at the UN Human Rights Council's passage of a resolution calling on states to combat the "defamation of religions," especially Islam. The resolution, engineered by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), asserts that Islam, in particular, has been the subject of "deliberate stereotyping" and "targeting," and calls upon states to undertake "legal strategies" to limit this speech. "Respect for all religions has always been one of our guiding principles, but the very notion of the 'defamation of religions' is a sham," said AJC. "This is a thinly veiled attempt to outlaw legitimate criticism and trample on the freedom of speech, a core democratic value." READ NEWS RELEASE
Blasting Oliphant Cartoon's "Disgusting Bigotry"
"By turning the Jewish star into a fanged predator, and an Israeli soldier into a headless Nazi-like storm trooper, this cartoon unapologetically embraces anti-Semitic stereotypes," said AJC, condemning a cartoon about the Gaza conflict by syndicated cartoonist Pat Oliphant. "It turns history on its head by comparing Israel to the Third Reich." AJC criticized those major American newspapers that published the anti-Semitic cartoon. READ NEWS RELEASE
|
