As 2009/2010 and 5770 conclude, the Israel Affairs Committee (IAC) is pleased to report that Congregation Mishkan Tefila has lived
up to its reputation as “Boston’s Zionist pulpit.” This is due in great measure to the efforts of Sid
and Nancy Lejfer, Margie Tichnor, and their family. The Israeli Innovation Weekend, of which the
synagogue‘s Israel Affairs Committee was honored to be a part, generated the kind of enthusiasm
and respect that Israel deserves.
The IAC will work to uphold this spirit in 2010/2011 and 5771.
The IAC has established, and will continue, some meaningful traditions. First and foremost, is our annual presentation of the
Shomer Yisrael, Guardian of Israel award. The fourth such award will be presented in the fall. We have two incredibly worthy
recipients in mind, one of whom will receive recognition this fall; the other in the fall 2011. I assure you they will follow in the
mold of our previous recipients: Marty Peretz, Andrea Levin, Nadav Tamir, and Rony Yedidia.
IAC will also continue:
An Israel Affairs Weekend with events similar to those held last fall as a three-part lecture series. For one portion of that series,
we cooperated with the Library’s “One Synagogue ~ One Book” program, and held a thought- provoking “Ethics of War” panel.
Collaboration with AIPAC, who have been instrumental in securing local and international guest speakers.
In the spring of 2011, the annual Washington trip either with AIPAC or coordinated by IAC. Over the past four years, IAC
planned two trips on our own, and two as part of the annual AIPAC Policy Conference.
Collaboration with the Combined Israel Education Committee, a group of representatives from area synagogues, who this fall
will feature three lectures focusing on Israel’s security situation.
IAC seeks assistance in organizing other programming we feel is of importance and interest to our community, as well as the greater Jewish community:
In 2007, we held a lecture panel discussion on Campus anti-Zionism; we would like to revisit this topic in 2010-2011.
IAC would also like
to explore the “double-standard issue” that is applied to Israel as compared to most every other country. The focus might be
on the many human rights violations in Arab countries, which we see as inextricably linked to the double standard issue.
As part of the Israeli Innovation Weekend, we heard from Sivan
Borowich Ya’ari, Founder and President of Jewish Heart for Africa.
The work of Jewish Heart is amazing; it provides Israeli solar and
agriculturally technologies to African villages. Evidently, it has
created tremendous excitement in New York among people in the
twenty to forty-year- old age bracket. Jewish Heart has received
contributions from 11,000 people. Given the 40-50,000 Jewish
college students in the Boston area, this is something CMT/IAC
should pursue. Jewish Heart fulfills the twin goals of Tikkun Olam
and Hasbara, healing the world and public diplomacy on behalf of
Israel. IAC will collaborate with Jewish Heart for Africa in the months to come.
IAC concludes its report by recognizing the efforts of Laurie-Jo Kotzen for her unwavering support and diligent efforts on all phases of the IAC committee, and to Murray Gorelick, who consistently brings his indefatigable efforts to new
causes on behalf of Israel -- IAC encourages your support of his latest cause described below.
To learn more about IAC, and/or to become an active advocate for Israel, please email Chair Robert Feinberg at robertifeinberg@aol.com.
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