Mideast Briefing: Israel's New Pioneers
AJC's Ed Rettig writes from Israel about the "heartwarming" dynamism among Israeli volunteers working with the country's growing community of migrant workers. READ
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Coming up
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Governance Committee
Thursday, April 1
at 12:30 pm
Apr 22 at 11:45 am.
AJC NATIONAL ANNUAL MEETING
APRIL 28-30
GRAND HYATT
WASHINGTON, DC
Israel Shaping the Future
with
presentations from
BOEING
Better Place
MD ANDERSON
Monday evening, May 17th
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas - Houston Branch
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AJC Radio Message: Palestinian "No" is Obstacle to Peace LISTEN
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Immigration reform assessed
Woo dinner reflects on City, country demographics
Wednesday night's AJC Institute of Human Relations dinner honoring  Don Woo provided an opportunity for those attending to learn more about immigration reform and AJC's advocacy and bridge building role. Woo suggested the unique dinner format as the son of parents and grandparents who immigrated to America from China. The discussion on immigration reform and diversity featured Charles Foster, center, Dr. Steve Murdock of Rice University, and AJC board member Karen Feldman.  Later in the evening, citing Don Woo's extensive engagement in the great Houston community, AJC President Tracy Stein presented the award. Deborah Kaplan, chair of AJC's development commission opened the evening highlighting AJC's advocacy efforts on energy, international and immigration concerns.
Monday, May 17
Mayor Parker to participate
Electric vehicles contribute to energy security
Houston Mayor Annise Parker will attend AJC Houston's Israel Shaping the Future program. The evening will feature three presentations on Israeli technological advances that impact energy, medicine and hi tech, including BETTER PLACE's Michael Granoff.
Granoff has been Head of Oil Independence Policies for Better Place since its 2007 founding. Granoff helps stakeholders calibrate policies consistent with the Better Place approach to ending the corrosive effect of oil dependence on economy, environment and security. Stakeholders Granoff works with include governments on every level, industry and
current and future Better Place partners.
Granoff is founder of Maniv Energy Capital, a New York-based investment group which became the first investor in Better Place. Maniv Energy has several other interests in the alternative energy and clean technology space, and was instrumental in the founding of Israel Cleantech Ventures, the first venture fund in Israel with an exclusive focus on the cleantech space.
In 2004, Granoff became a founding board member of Securing America's Future Energy, a Washington, DC based group which works with corporate and retired military leaders to advocate for policies which contribute to the energy security of the United States.
Other presenters include Dr. Raphael Pollock of MD Anderson and Ilia Rosenberg of Boeing who will participate in Israel: Shaping the Future on Monday evening, May 17 that focuses on Israeli technology affecting medicine, energy and hi tech. Watch for their bios. The program, which includes a short AJC annual meeting and the presentation of the Schechter/Zeidman Jewish Teen Advocacy Award.
The panel discussion will focus on MD Anderson's and Israel's Sheba Hospital recent oncology agreement for research and treatment, Boeing's use of Israeli technology to secure the Texas border and Better Place's initiative on the electric car and charging grids.
The evening program, which will be held at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas - Houston Branch, will also feature a reception with Israeli wines.The program is being co-sponsored by Noble Energy and Greenberg Traurig, LLB. Because of security at the Federal Reserve's, pre-registration is required.
 
AJC Welcomes Petraeus Remarks on Israel
AJC warmly welcomed remarks by CENTCOM Commander General David Petraeus in which he denied that the perceived pro-Israel slant of U.S. foreign policy endangers the lives of American troops serving in his area of responsibility, which includes Iraq and Afghanistan.READ
AJC Meets Panama's President; Signs Association Agreement with Panama Jewish Community
An AJC leadership delegation concluded this evening a three-day visit to Panama. The 14-member delegation met with top Panamanian officials, including President Ricardo Martinelli, Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Juan Varela, and Minister of Commerce Roberto Henriquez. The talks focused on Panama's bilateral ties with the United States and Israel, as well as key regional challenges in the Western Hemisphere.
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OUTREACH
AJC is actively engaged in the domestic and international scene as a GLOBAL JEWISH ADVOCACY organization.
AJC Houston and some members of our Bridging America Project roundtable discussions, (which is funded by the Ford Foundation) participated in a conference call with Senator Charles Schumer's Senior Policy Advisor for Immigration and Chief Counsel to the Senate Immigration Subcommittee, Leon Fresco, to discuss specifics of the planned Senate bill.
AJC Bridging America Project's Houston Immigration Task Force created its Declaration of Principles. Participants included members of Houston's business, faith, ethnic, labor, law enforcement, education leaders.
Whereas, voices of thoughtful, moderate leaders who represent affected businesses, professions, unions, religious communities, and public institutions such as education, healthcare and law enforcement, are often not heard in this debate because rational discussions are frequently drowned out by harsh and misinformed anti-immigrant rhetoric, and
Whereas, contributions to American life, and
Whereas, reforming our immigration system is in the best interests of all Texans, and
Whereas, failing to meet the challenges of immigration reform would compromise our economic, social and moral futures.
Alumni from AJC Houston's Mexican-American Emerging Leaders seminars met this week.
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AJC seeks a secure Jewish future
in a more just world.
We maintain offices across the
United States and around the
world, and partnerships with
Jewish communities abroad.
AJC:
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Builds Bridges
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Advances Security
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Promotes Human Rights
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Supports Israel
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Strengthens Jewish Life
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