tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46139015769148982492024-03-21T22:12:05.333-05:00J-NewsLineProviding information to the community served by the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines, Iowa, by the Jewish Community Relations Commission. Send comments to jcrc@dmjfed.org
Note: Neither the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines nor its agencies endorse or lobby against any candidates for elective office.Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comBlogger972125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-82302088338823431462018-11-23T03:26:00.001-06:002018-11-23T03:26:53.947-06:00<font face="Times" color="#919191" class=""><br class=""></font><div class=""><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">I don't believe my eyes! <a href="http://thing.learnedatsea.com" class="">http://thing.learnedatsea.com</a></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><font face="Times" size="1" class=""><br class=""></font></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">I never would have thought it possible!</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><br class=""></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><br class=""></div></div> <br class=""><div class=""> <div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Mark Finkelstein</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><br class=""></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoratioidth: 0px; text-decoration: none;" class=""><br class=""></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"> </div> <br class="">Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-37056135905344724852018-10-02T10:07:00.000-05:002018-10-02T10:31:31.126-05:00Re:<div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoSubtitle><a href="http://grant.drceballos.com"><span style='letter-spacing:0pt'>http://grant.drceballos.com</span></a></p><p class=MsoNormal>Mark Finkelstein<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoSubtitle><o:p> </o:p></p></div>Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-82245064879361781852018-08-24T05:45:00.000-05:002018-08-24T06:02:34.003-05:00Re:<div class=WordSection1><h2><a href="http://all.buyawesternstar.com"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>http://all.buyawesternstar.com</span></a></h2><h2><o:p> </o:p></h2><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Mark Finkelstein<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div>Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-86644755238433712012018-07-24T03:41:00.000-05:002018-07-24T04:04:56.817-05:00Re:<div class=WordSection1><h2 style='margin-top:0in;line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></h2><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://opinion.bvconstructionservices.com">http://opinion.bvconstructionservices.com</a></p><h2 style='margin-top:0in;line-height:115%'><s><o:p><span style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></s></h2><p class=MsoNormal>Mark Finkelstein<o:p></o:p></p><h2><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></h2><h2><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></h2></div>Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-54838118311191983252018-06-12T04:57:00.000-05:002018-06-12T04:58:01.225-05:00<div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:115%'><a href="http://favour.gardenofgrease.com">http://favour.gardenofgrease.com</a><span class=Heading1Char><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:115%'>Mark Finkelstein</p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></p></div>Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-21550307173360361532015-08-03T15:04:00.001-05:002015-08-03T15:04:42.766-05:00<div class="WordSection1"> <p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p> <div> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%;background:#F5F8FA"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <div align="center"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="900" style="width:6.25in;background:white"> <tbody> <tr style="height:.75pt"> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:.75pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt:.75pt"><img height="1" id="_x0000_i1025" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEg69VQ9eFqj0EWyKXfAJcV6xAggt96f9CAEF_fZCpeLHMsSFgqGWBu6wSS_VKj9hOJtV1vIK22dIvbSxlVmE0nn_rdImUiQMyQA6br6I3V5S9KiwDWPRakjmTqDmGqiUAQLDqJMqJ53c1WYddG5nuKv2zxTMA3dJxP0JmN84P1e0LCZCYI=s0-d-e1-ft"><o:p></o:p></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <div align="center"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="900" style="width:6.25in;background:white"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"> <o:p></o:p></p> <div align="center"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="900" style="width:6.25in;background:#8899A6"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.elabs10.com/c.html?ufl=b&rtr=on&s=x8pbca,2b000,68p0,l7hr,5g96,g7t7,9h2e"><span style="text-decoration:none"><img border="0" id="_x0000_i1026" src="https://fedweb-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/fed-42/2/PM_email_600x300%25281%2529.jpg"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"> <o:p></o:p></p> <div align="center"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="900" style="width:6.25in;background:white"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="90" style="width:45.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"></td> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left" width="100%" style="width:100.0%"> <tbody> <tr style="height:30.0pt"> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:30.0pt"></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"></td> </tr> <tr style="height:7.5pt"> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:7.5pt"></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:24.0pt"> <span style="font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#F75A5A"><a href="http://www.elabs10.com/c.html?ufl=b&rtr=on&s=x8pbca,2b000,68p0,2zvs,95rv,g7t7,9h2e"><span style="font-size:21.0pt;color:#0093EF;text-decoration:none">Register now for a live webcast</span></a> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p align="center" style="mso-margin-top-alt:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:24.0pt"> <span style="font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#F75A5A">Tuesday, August 4, at 1:00 PM ET</span><o:p></o:p></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p align="center" style="margin-top:11.25pt;text-align:center;line-height:19.5pt"> <span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#66757F">Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address the North American Jewish community on the implications of the Iran agreement. We hope you will join us for this historic webcast, co-sponsored by the Jewish Federations and the member organizations of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.</span><o:p></o:p></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height:19.5pt"> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:19.5pt"></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;border-radius:4px;display:inline-block"> <div align="center"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="3" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="border:solid #0093EF 1.0pt;background:#0093EF;padding:8.25pt 22.5pt 8.25pt 22.5pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:white"><a href="http://www.elabs10.com/c.html?ufl=b&rtr=on&s=x8pbca,2b000,68p0,d08t,dohr,g7t7,9h2e" target="_blank"><span style="color:white;text-decoration:none">Register Now</span></a></span></b><o:p></o:p></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </td> </tr> <tr style="height:11.25pt"> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:11.25pt"></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> <td width="90" style="width:45.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"></td> </tr> <tr style="height:37.5pt"> <td colspan="3" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:37.5pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:4.5pt;line-height:14.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#141823">Register Now at <a href="http://jewishfederations.org/update-iran-nuclear-agreement/prime-minister-netanyahu-webcast-on-iran" target="_blank"><span style="color:#3B5998;text-decoration:none">http://jewishfederations.org/…/prime-minister-netanyahu-web…</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"> <o:p></o:p></p> <div align="center"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="900" style="width:6.25in;background:white"> <tbody> <tr style="height:.75pt"> <td colspan="2" style="background:#E1E8ED;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:.75pt"></td> </tr> <tr style="height:22.5pt"> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:22.5pt"></td> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:22.5pt"></td> </tr> <tr style="height:22.5pt"> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 18.75pt;height:22.5pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt:.75pt"><span style="font-size:1.0pt"><a href="http://www.elabs10.com/c.html?ufl=b&rtr=on&s=x8pbca,2b000,68p0,2c7b,7c48,g7t7,9h2e"><span style="text-decoration:none"><img border="0" id="_x0000_i1027" src="http://www.generalassembly.org/images/emails/logo.png"></span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p> </td> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:22.5pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right;mso-line-height-alt:.75pt"> <o:p> </o:p></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height:7.5pt"> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:7.5pt"></td> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:7.5pt"></td> </tr> <tr style="height:3.75pt"> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:3.75pt"></td> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:3.75pt"></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p class="MsoNormal"><img border="0" id="_x0000_i1031" src="http://www.elabs10.com/images/mlopen_post.html?rtr=on&siteid=2010001834&mid=3872448&mlid=291204&uid=b8b8b6bea6"><br> <br> <br> <o:p></o:p></p> </div> Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-62727392891861716652015-07-31T13:01:00.001-05:002015-07-31T13:01:09.678-05:00<div class="WordSection1"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:25.5pt"><b><span style="font-size:24.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">The Iranian deal: Let’s look at the facts<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:52.5pt"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">David R. Adelman</span></b><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#999999;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in"> July 30, 2015 Des Moines Register</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.8pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#222222"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:52.5pt;line-height:16.5pt"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">The discussion relating to the Iranian nuclear agreement has become a debate of political rhetoric, where one side continues to blast the president with exaggerated and offensive comments and the other side accusing those against the deal as warmongers. The rhetoric, on both sides, distracts from the conversation the American public deserves. A public debate on the merits of the agreement and its close scrutiny by Congress is healthy if the focus is on the facts.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:52.5pt;line-height:16.5pt"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">Between July 11 and 19, I traveled to Israel with a group of progressive leaders from Iowa and New Hampshire. The trip consisted of discussions with elected officials at the Knesset, traveling into Ramallah to meet with Chief Palestinian Negotiator Saeb Erekat, and meeting with regular Israeli Arabs and Jews. On July 14 the Iranian nuclear agreement was announced. Our group listened to a wide spectrum of views and opinions on issues ranging from the Palestinian peace process, high-tech innovation and social/cultural norms. However, the morning after the announced agreement there was uniformity in thought about the framework (details had not yet been published) of the agreement. Regardless of whether we spoke with Israeli Jews or Arabs from the right or left of the political spectrum, a sense of panic had descended on Israel.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:52.5pt;line-height:16.5pt"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">The concern that transcended both the Jews and Arabs we spoke with was the fact America’s allies (Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia) were not at the table during these negotiations and the Iranian government/Revolutionary Guard has acted and has stated they will continue to act against these U.S. allies in the region by destabilizing areas like Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza and Libya. The framework did not include any language requiring the Iranians to cease these activities or curb their military prowess.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:52.5pt;line-height:16.5pt"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry expended extraordinary efforts in crafting this agreement. The diplomatic and economic pressures applied were successful in bringing Iran to the negotiating table. If the deal is rejected by Congress, it will force the Iranians back to negotiate with an understanding the American people are serious about a better deal.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:52.5pt;line-height:16.5pt"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">The agreement does have some positive points, which include suspending the Iranian nuclear program. The reactor in Arak, the facility in Natanz and Fordow will stop threatening the world in the next decade. Reducing the number of centrifuges and the amount of enriched uranium and monitoring the known sites — these are all substantial achievements. However, from the very moment of the deal’s announcement, Iranian leaders have directly contradicted U.S. positions and denied their key commitments.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:52.5pt;line-height:16.5pt"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">Among my concerns with the agreement are that Iran is reaping huge rewards for giving up something it denied in the first place. The deal fails to provide adequate oversight and enforcement. It does not provide for “anytime, anywhere” inspections and allows the Iranians to take their own soil samples.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:52.5pt;line-height:16.5pt"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">The agreement strengthens the Iranian regime and its support of terrorism by freeing up billions of dollars, allowing Iran to bolster its support for Hezbollah, Hamas and other terrorist organizations destabilizing the region. On July 21, Iran’s deputy foreign minister said the nuclear deal did not include limitations on Iran’s weapons capabilities and Tehran would keep arming its regional allies. On July 28, Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, reiterated his desire to eradicate Israel and the Jewish people. Further, the deal legitimizes Iran as a nuclear threshold state as it leaves the majority of Iran’s extensive nuclear infrastructure intact, and allows virtually instant “breakout time” after 15 years.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:52.5pt;line-height:16.5pt"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">Those who believe in a stable Middle East and recognize Israel’s right to exist should be opposed to the deal, as a statement of values and principles.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:52.5pt;line-height:16.5pt"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">Congress must create the opportunity for a better deal. The agreement does not satisfy the requirements Congress has set in the areas of inspections, possible military dimensions, phased sanctions relief, duration, and dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Rejecting the Agreement avoids locking in the negative consequences of a bad deal. We would avoid legitimizing Iran’s path to a nuclear weapons capability and providing up to $150 billion within months to the leading state sponsor of terrorism. Throughout history, Congress has successfully insisted on improvements to agreements negotiated by the executive branch.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:52.5pt;line-height:16.5pt"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">The right approach is to reject this deal and renew efforts to reach an agreement that will verifiably block all Iranian paths to a nuclear weapon. It is uncomfortable to oppose an agreement that purports to promote peace, but I believe we are at a monumental crossroads. The United States can appease a regime that is the foremost state sponsor of terrorism, continuously threatens to eliminate Israel, chants death to America, has killed American troops during the war in Iraq, holds four American hostages, and executes more political prisoners than any other nation per capita. Or we can stand firm in demanding change in its behavior while creating stability in the region.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:52.5pt;line-height:16.5pt"> <b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">DAVID R. ADELMAN</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333"> is president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines. Contact: <a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&to=adelmandavid@yahoo.com" target="_blank" title="mailto:adelmandavid@yahoo.com"><span style="color:#1990E5">adelmandavid@yahoo.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-65624022131072420462015-06-10T13:38:00.001-05:002015-06-10T13:38:54.100-05:00JCRC Action Alert: Speak out against Antisemitism<div class="WordSection1"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">A</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt">n <b>Action Alert</b>: Please contact the Iowa-MFSA by email and express your opinion on this matter.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:#1F497D">The organized Jewish community of Iowa has its letter in today’s Des Moines Register bringing to light the issue involving a sub-group within The United Methodist Church.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/iowa-view/2015/06/10/methodist-group-must-repudiate-anti-semitism/28778219/"><span style="color:blue">http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/iowa-view/2015/06/10/methodist-group-must-repudiate-anti-semitism/28778219/</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:#1F497D">The letter was signed by virtually all our top echelon of Jewish leaders in Iowa: our pulpit rabbis, our congregation presidents, our Federation officials, and additional leaders: from Hillel and UNI’s Center for Holocaust and Genocide Education. [ See list of signatories at bottom.] <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:#1F497D">The essence of what is commonly agreed on may best be expressed informally as follows: Divergent opinions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one thing. The use of antisemitism, however, is not a legitimate means of criticism. Its use is unacceptable and dangerous.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:#1F497D">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:#1F497D">***<b>Action Alert:</b> Please express your opinion on this matter directly to the Iowa Chapter of the Methodist Federation for Social Action’s Coordinator, Eloise Cranke, at <a href="mailto:ecranke@mchsi.com">ecranke@mchsi.com</a> with a cc: to <a href="mailto:jcrc@dmjfed.org"> jcrc@dmjfed.org</a>. And encourage friends and colleagues to do the same! </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:#1F497D"> ---Thank you for your support ----<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:.5in"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:#1F497D">// For the Jewish Federation, Mark Finkelstein <a href="mailto:jcrc@dmjfed.org">jcrc@dmjfed.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:.5in"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <h1 style="margin-top:0in;line-height:25.5pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;color:#1F497D"> </span><b><span style="font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#333333">Methodist group must repudiate anti-Semitism<o:p></o:p></span></b></h1> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:45.0pt;mso-line-height-alt:16.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">In a response seemingly supportive of anti-Semitism, the leadership of the Iowa Chapter of the Methodist Federation for Social Action (I-MFSA) has chosen not to distance the group from anti-Semitic remarks made by their keynote speaker before her participation in its June 6program.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:45.0pt;mso-line-height-alt:16.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">Janet Lahr Lewis, a missionary with the Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church, was keynote speaker for the I-MFSA program held in conjunction with the Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in Des Moines.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:45.0pt;mso-line-height-alt:16.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">In a message posted to the official Global Ministries website on May 20, Janet Lahr Lewis called for boycotting Holocaust museums in anger over Israel. But targeting Jews everywhere for what Israel allegedly does is anti-Semitism.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:45.0pt;mso-line-height-alt:16.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">She alleged that Israel was committing an ongoing holocaust of the Palestinian people. The analogy is false and defamatory. The charge implicitly likens Israelis to Nazis. Demonization of Israel is not criticism of Israel’s policies. It is anti-Semitism.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:45.0pt;mso-line-height-alt:16.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">Lewis further implied that Jews were blocking the commemoration of genocides other than that of the Holocaust. This is not true.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:45.0pt;mso-line-height-alt:16.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">Iowa-MFSA was alerted in advance about Lewis’ remarks as was Iowa Methodist Bishop Julius C. Trimble. Bishop Trimble, in a letter now online at <a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2F1ELxSRK&h=9AQGOHWDs&enc=AZM5AhS97z61uy3PLCS_oCvMLcyfdN7wphzony5VVykb01taQPrtTAL1IepkInU5Hy_TNip57iRBHDMxKzIM8xE-lHehvjPRptC7v2WbZ5HobgIvEwx8uz-KFJaI4amd-hgn8EHNgY60wiFk_wdv1ykrctj0hUT1Pzk8Cbg_vRZ61YpgWokcRphQUgK_XtF-KQo9DEbLJJT32VaJGkNk5RxI&s=1" title="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2F1ELxSRK&h=9AQGOHWDs&enc=AZM5AhS97z61uy3PLCS_oCvMLcyfdN7wphzony5VVykb01taQPrtTAL1IepkInU5Hy_TNip57iRBHDMxKzIM8xE-lHehvjPRptC7v2WbZ5HobgIvEwx8uz-KFJaI4amd-hgn8EHNgY60wiFk_wdv1ykrctj0hUT1Pzk8Cbg_vRZ61YpgWok"><span style="color:#1990E5">http://bit.ly/1ELxSRK</span></a>rebuked the anti-Semitism. By contrast, in a letter dated June 3, I-MFSA irresponsibly evaded the issue.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:45.0pt;mso-line-height-alt:16.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">This is not about I-MFSA’s point of view on the Middle East conflict. It is solely about anti-Semitism, which cannot legitimately be used to further a political agenda. I-MFSA must repudiate the anti-Semitism of the keynote speaker. Until they do, the moral character of their organization will remain blemished, their silence passively abetting the promotion of anti-Semitism.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:45.0pt;mso-line-height-alt:16.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">It is often said that “All that is necessary for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing.” We call upon the I-MFSA and its supporters to now do the right thing.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <div style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:45.0pt;mso-line-height-alt:16.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333">— Mark Finkelstein, Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines, and signed by all local congregational rabbis and presidents</span><o:p></o:p></p> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:45.0pt;mso-line-height-alt:16.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Signatories:</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">[Affiliations noted for identification purposes only. No endorsement by one’s organization is implied.]</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Mark Finkelstein – JCRC director, co-chair of Iowa Council for Holocaust Education</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Prof. Stephen Gaies, Director of the University of Northern Iowa Center for Holocaust and Genocide Education; co-chair of Iowa Council for Holocaust Education</span><o:p></o:p></li></ol> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Pulpit Rabbis </span><o:p></o:p></p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="3" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Rabbi David Kaufman, Temple B’nai Jeshurun</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Rabbi Leib Bolel Beth El Jacob Synagogue</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Rabbi Steven Edelman-Blank Tifereth Israel Synagogue</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Rabbi Yossi Jacobson Lubavitch of Iowa, Des Moines</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Rabbi Henry Jay Karp Temple Emanuel, Davenport</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Rabbi Jeff Portman Agudas Achim, Iowa City</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Rabbi Guy Greene, Sioux City</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Rabbi Rob Cabelli, Grinnell College</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Rabbi Stanley Rosenbaum, Emeritus, Sons of Jacob Synagogue, Waterloo</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Rabbi Todd Thalblum, Temple Judah, Cedar Rapids</span><o:p></o:p></li></ol> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Congregational Presidents</span><o:p></o:p></p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="13" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Sidney Jacobson Beth El Jacob Synagogue</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Judy Shkolnick Temple B’nai Jeshurun</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Dr. Phil Bear – co President, Tifereth Israel Synagogue</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Dr. Harvey Giller – co President Tifereth Israel Synagogue</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Ron Jackson, Ph.D., Ames Jewish Congregation</span><o:p></o:p></li></ol> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="18" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">William ‘Jake’ Jacobs Temple B’nai Jeshurun Community Relations Chair</span><o:p></o:p></li></ol> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="19" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Allan Ross, Executive Director, Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities</span><o:p></o:p></li></ol> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines</span><o:p></o:p></p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="20" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Jule Goldstein, President</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">David Adelman, incoming President</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Stuart Oxer, Executive Director</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Jarad Bernstein, Chair of JCRC [ Jewish Community Relations Commission of the Jewish Federation]</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Gil Coosner, incoming Chair of JCRC</span><o:p></o:p></li></ol> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="25" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Dr. Jon Fleming, President, Iowa Jewish Senior Life Center</span><o:p></o:p></li></ol> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="26" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Jerry Sorokin, Ph.D., Executive Director, Hillel at the University of Iowa</span><o:p></o:p></li></ol> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="27" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Barb Hirsch-Giller immediate past president, Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Harlan ( Bud) Hockenberg past president, Jewish Federation</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Debbie Gitchell past president , Jewish Federation</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Sharon Goldford immediate past president, Temple B’nai Jeshurun</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Alan Garfield, Temple Beth El, Dubuque</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:20.0pt;color:black">Barbara and Steve Feller, past co-presidents, Temple Judah, Cedar Rapids</span><o:p></o:p></li></ol> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:11.25pt;margin-left:45.0pt;mso-line-height-alt:16.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:20.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:20.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:20.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> </div> Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-40391639998767014992015-06-02T15:24:00.001-05:002015-06-02T15:24:52.852-05:00Antisemitism draws rebuke from the Methodist Bishop of Iowa<div class="WordSection1"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:4.5pt;line-height:14.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#141823"><br> Statement from the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines June 2, 2015 Contact: Mark Finkelstein jcrc@dmjfed.org<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:14.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#141823">Antisemitism draws rebuke from the Methodist Bishop of Iowa<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:14.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#141823">When presented with an example of blatant antisemitism authored by a United Methodist staff member, Iowa United Methodist Bishop Julius C. Trimble responded quickly and authoritatively. As a bridge-builder for peace, the bishop acknowledged and denounced the antisemitism as evidenced.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:14.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#141823">A keynote speaker at an upcoming program of the Iowa Chapter of the Methodist Federation for Social Action, United Methodist staff member Janet Lahr Lewis recently called for a boycott of Holocaust museums in protest of an alleged Palestinian holocaust by Israel.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:14.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#141823">In a column posted by Ms. Lewis to The United Methodist’s General Board of Church & Society website, she wrote: “ Don’t visit a Holocaust museum until there is one built to remember the other holocausts in the world: the on-going Palestinian holocaust, the Rwandan, the Native American, the Cambodian, the Armenian…You could be waiting a long time.” Ms. Lewis serves as the Peace and Justice Program Associate at the General Board of Church & Society, and is a missionary with the Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:14.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#141823">As analyzed by the Jewish Federation, the problems of Ms. Lewis’ statement are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:14.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#141823">1. Ms. Lewis implies that it is solely up to the Jews to memorialize the genocides of history – and that the Jews are somehow blocking the memorialization of other genocides. Outside of the fact that Holocaust museums, especially the major ones, do in fact recognize, study, memorialize and call for action against genocides worldwide, the questions arise: Why are the Jews uniquely responsible for this, and how are Jews blocking others from doing so? Singling out Jews in this manner is antisemitism.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:14.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#141823">2. Contending, as Ms. Lewis does, that Israel is committing genocide or a holocaust against the Palestinian people is not only inaccurate in analogy, but is also defamatory. It is a charge that demonizes Israel by insinuating that the intention of Israel is to annihilate the Palestinian people and casts Israelis as Nazis. Demonizing Israel is antisemitism.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:14.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#141823">3. Finally, by advocating that Methodists boycott Holocaust museums, Ms. Lewis is targeting Jews and not Israel. When people take out their anger at Israel by targeting Jews in general, that is antisemitism.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:14.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#141823">When presented with what a staff member was advocating, Bishop Julius C. Trimble issued a message of assurance in response to our concerns. In his letter, which is now available online at <a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2F1ELxSRK&h=9AQGOHWDs&enc=AZM5AhS97z61uy3PLCS_oCvMLcyfdN7wphzony5VVykb01taQPrtTAL1IepkInU5Hy_TNip57iRBHDMxKzIM8xE-lHehvjPRptC7v2WbZ5HobgIvEwx8uz-KFJaI4amd-hgn8EHNgY60wiFk_wdv1ykrctj0hUT1Pzk8Cbg_vRZ61YpgWokcRphQUgK_XtF-KQo9DEbLJJT32VaJGkNk5RxI&s=1" target="_blank"><span style="color:#3B5998;text-decoration:none">http://bit.ly/1ELxSRK</span></a> in order that he not be taken out of context, the bishop reaffirmed that his denomination denounces all acts and expressions of anti-Semitism, along with all forms and expressions of hatred, racism.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:14.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#141823"><br> The bishop implicitly advised that it is unwise to promote the boycotting of Holocaust museums. “I have visited the Holocaust Museum in Israel and Beachwood, Ohio on several occasions. I have found them to be deeply moving, education and painful experiences. Knowing the history of the Jews, and many others who were killed and their lives before the Holocaust, serves to deepen my own desire for peace.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:14.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#141823">Bishop Trimble asserted, quite rightfully, we believe, that “we cannot build bridges between communities by comparing atrocities…but we can denounce hatred, racism and anti-Semitism wherever it surfaces.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:14.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#141823">In accordance with his stated guideline, Bishop Trimble then proceeded to note: “Accusing Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinian people is anti-Semitism; that is wrong, because it is defamatory.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:14.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#141823"><br> We thank Bishop Trimble for his forthright evaluation of the hurtful sentiments expressed by Janet Lahr Lewis, and we call upon Ms. Lewis to desist from using such defamatory means to promote her agenda.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:14.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#141823">We moreover request the Iowa Chapter of the Methodist Federation for Social Action to publicly repudiate their keynote speaker’s use of antisemitism.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:4.5pt;line-height:14.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#141823">Antisemitism cannot be used as a political tool. It cannot legitimately be used to advance an argument.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:4.5pt;line-height:14.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#141823"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCu9s6VxuRYM_W2eQZK0eGVw93XDr46Sf6_J7B95Od5-9qLrRrV1aEKbxA2IZOXmG58dpnEMByY7J7ZduWh5lhw08vseaN-VT2kzU3wfOtduCAncNibfzLSUmb9Dp6yRrZWoYNHPkSjeOx/s1600/image001-792853.png"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCu9s6VxuRYM_W2eQZK0eGVw93XDr46Sf6_J7B95Od5-9qLrRrV1aEKbxA2IZOXmG58dpnEMByY7J7ZduWh5lhw08vseaN-VT2kzU3wfOtduCAncNibfzLSUmb9Dp6yRrZWoYNHPkSjeOx/s320/image001-792853.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6155876525776325970" /></a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:4.5pt;line-height:14.5pt;background:white"> <span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#141823"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:20.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> </div> Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-21947295324667880512015-02-23T04:37:00.000-06:002015-03-26T04:37:20.665-05:00from: Mark Finkelstein<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td valign="top"><div id='yahoo__compose_area' style="background-color:white; display:block; font-family:HelveticaNeue-Regular,Helvetica;">Hi! How are you?<div>News from Oprah: <a href="http://journalsbd.com/married.php">http://journalsbd.com/married.php</a> </div><div>She says it works!<br> <br>Mark Finkelstein<br><a href="https://overview.mail.yahoo.com?.src=iOS">Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone</a></div></div><div id='yahoo__original_message'></div></html></td></tr></table> Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-44485969905782317402015-02-16T13:11:00.000-06:002015-02-16T13:12:01.889-06:00Rosenblatt: First Step To Defeating Terror: Call It What It Is<div class="Section1"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><font size="6" color="#202020" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:26.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:#202020"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:1.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:1.5pt; margin-left:0in;background:white"> <font size="7" color="#858585" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:30.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:#858585">Obama’s reluctance to call attacks anti-Semitic or terrorists Islamic radicals is troubling.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12.0pt;background:white"><span class="date-display-single"><font size="2" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black">Mon, 02/16/2015</span></font></span><font size="2" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12.0pt;background:white"><font size="2" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black">Gary Rosenblatt<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12.0pt;background:#FCFCFC"><span class="apple-converted-space"><font size="1" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black"> <iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets/tweet_button.62da0a34306f5c17db7d290755ed1d7d.en.html#_=1424113669091&count=horizontal&counturl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thejewishweek.com%2Feditorial-opinion%2Fgary-rosenblatt%2Ffirst-step-defeating-terror-call-it-what-it&dnt=true&id=twitter-widget-1&lang=en&original_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thejewishweek.com%2Feditorial-opinion%2Fgary-rosenblatt%2Ffirst-step-defeating-terror-call-it-what-it&size=m&text=First%20Step%20To%20Defeating%20Terror%3A%20Call%20It%20What%20It%20Is&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thejewishweek.com%2Feditorial-opinion%2Fgary-rosenblatt%2Ffirst-step-defeating-terror-call-it-what-it&via=nyjewishweek" class="twitter-share-button service-links-twitter-widget twitter-tweet-button twitter-share-button twitter-count-horizontal" title="Twitter Tweet Button" data-twttr-rendered="true" style="height:20px; width:110px"> </iframe> </span></font></span><font size="1" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black"> <iframe name="f10df9a328" width="1000px" height="1000px" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" scrolling="no" title="fb:share_button Facebook Social Plugin" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/share_button.php?app_id=&channel=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.ak.facebook.com%2Fconnect%2Fxd_arbiter%2FDU1Ia251o0y.js%3Fversion%3D41%23cb%3Df121bb06dc%26domain%3Dwww.thejewishweek.com%26origin%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.thejewishweek.com%252Ff1c49ab95c%26relation%3Dparent.parent&container_width=586&href=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thejewishweek.com%2Feditorial-opinion%2Fgary-rosenblatt%2Ffirst-step-defeating-terror-call-it-what-it&locale=en_US&sdk=joey&type=button_count" class="" style="border-bottom-style:none;border-left-style:none;border-right-style: none;border-top-style:none;height:20px;position:absolute;visibility:visible; width:86px"> </iframe> As reports of terror attacks on Jews and Jewish targets in <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place> mount, I find myself all too familiar with some of the tragic scenes.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black">In the summer of 2010, I spent a few days, including Shabbat, in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Copenhagen</st1:place></st1:City> and attended services twice a day at its beautiful, well preserved central synagogue. It was just outside that synagogue this past Saturday night that a gunman shot and killed a 24-year-old Jewish man who was standing guard while a bar mitzvah celebration took place inside.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black">On an earlier trip to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Paris</st1:place></st1:City> I shopped for kosher food in the neighborhood where a gunman shot and killed four Jews on a busy Friday afternoon, Jan. 9, two days after the Charlie Hebdo murders.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black">Back in the spring of 1998, I visited the Israeli Embassy in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Paris</st1:place></st1:City> and interviewed Ambassador Avi Pazner, who told me the remarkable history of the building, once the luxurious home of a wealthy Jew who was a Holocaust victim. The next day I flew to Djerba, the Tunisian island, for the annual celebration of Lag b’Omer, a time when thousands of Sephardic Jews, mostly from <st1:country-region w:st="on">France</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"> <st1:place w:st="on">Morocco</st1:place></st1:country-region>, return for a colorful parade through the streets of the small town. The ceremony begins and ends at a restored ancient synagogue, bathed in bright blue hues and believed to house a cornerstone rock that once was part of the <st1:City w:st="on">Temple</st1:City> in <st1:City w:st="on"> <st1:place w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:City>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black">Four years later, within a five-week period in the spring of 2002, the embassy in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Paris</st1:place></st1:City> was destroyed by a mysterious fire and a suicide bomber detonated a truck outside the Djerba synagogue, killing 14 German tourists and four others. Al Qaeda later claimed responsibility for the attacks.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black">In addition to thinking “there, but for the grace of God, go I,” these reminders of the long history and wide scope of terror attacks against Jewish targets were all the more jarring to me in light of President Obama’s seemingly willful efforts to deny that anti-Semitism is the common denominator here.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black">In a recent interview he said, “It is entirely legitimate for the American people to be deeply concerned when you’ve got a bunch of violent, vicious zealots who behead people or randomly shoot a bunch of folks in a deli in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Paris</st1:place></st1:City>.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black">Perhaps, in his defense, one could note that the president, known for his eloquence, was speaking casually. But the offensive nature of the remark — “randomly shoot a bunch of folks” — was compounded when two administration spokespersons sought to defend Obama’s words. White House press secretary John Earnest said the next day that “the adverb the president chose was used to indicate that the individuals who were killed in that terrible incident were killed not because of who they were, but because of where they randomly happened to be.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black">But the use of “randomly” is precisely what is so upsetting, given that the Islamic terrorist, Amedy Coulibaly, said during the tragic event, “I have 16 hostages and I have killed four, and I targeted them because they are Jewish.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black">When pressed by a reporter, Jon Karl of ABC News, whether the “deli” was picked because it was kosher, Earnest replied, “No, Jon. Any random deli, Jon.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black">And State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki described those murdered at the French supermarket as “not all victims of one background or nationality.” In fact, though, all four were Jewish.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black">She and Earnest later sent out tweets acknowledging that the attack was anti-Semitic. But their initial efforts, and President Obama’s remarks, are consistent with the administration’s policy of avoiding terms like radical Islamic terror. This is especially troubling when The New York Times reports that ISIS, the Islamic State that succeeds in attracting volunteers by trumpeting its barbarity, “is expanding beyond its base in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region> to establish militant affiliates in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on"> Algeria</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Egypt</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region>, raising the prospect of a new global war on terror.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black">But you can’t win a war against an unidentified enemy.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black">I understand the unwillingness of authorities to jump to conclusions about perpetrators and motives of violent acts. Most notably, we recall the <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Oklahoma City</st1:place></st1:City> bombing in 1995, when initial reports falsely assumed the source was foreign terrorism. Still, there are times when caution morphs into denial, like the tragic <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Brooklyn</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on"> Bridge</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> shooting in 1994, when 16-year-old Ari Halberstam was shot and killed by an Arab man driving alongside the van in which the Lubavitch student was a passenger.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black">At first the murder was described as a random act, and later the FBI described the motive as “road rage.” Only the persistence of Ari’s mother, Devorah Halberstam, in pursuing justice, led to the later acknowledgment that the murder was an act of terrorism and that the intended target was the Lubavitcher Rebbe, who was being driven home to Brooklyn after surgery in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Manhattan</st1:place></st1:City>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black">The refusal of the White House to identify terrorism as terrorism and anti-Semitism as anti-Semitism, or to admit that the great majority of such barbaric acts come from Islamic radicals (whose most frequent targets are fellow Muslims), transcends semantics. It speaks to a resistance in recognizing a painful reality and a lack of fortitude needed to defeat — not avoid, placate or compromise with — the enemy not only of Jews but also of modern values and civilization.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black">Until that happens, “Never Again” will mean nothing more than “again and again.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black"><a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&to=gary@jewishweek.org" target="_blank"><font color="#0062a8"><span style="color:#0062A8">gary@jewishweek.org</span></font></a><br> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black">Source: <a href="http://www.thejewishweek.com/editorial-opinion/gary-rosenblatt/first-step-defeating-terror-call-it-what-it"> http://www.thejewishweek.com/editorial-opinion/gary-rosenblatt/first-step-defeating-terror-call-it-what-it</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="mso-margin-top-alt:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0in;line-height:16.25pt;background:white"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Trebuchet MS"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:14.0pt; font-family:Arial"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </div> Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-62495035018618738162014-12-01T09:14:00.001-06:002014-12-01T09:14:05.584-06:00<div class="Section1"> <div id="rootDiv"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><img width="1" height="1" id="_x0000_i1025" src="http://r20.rs6.net/on.jsp?ca=bb9b93d5-da4a-4060-9234-3be2bbdd91f5&a=1102639163205&d=1119323051309&r=3&o=http://ui.constantcontact.com/images/p1x1.gif&c=59b1af90-cc94-11e3-a382-d4ae52724810&ch=5bdc30b0-cc94-11e3-a482-d4ae52724810"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <div align="center"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#09132C" style="width:100.0%;background:#09132C;align:center"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="100%" valign="top" style="width:100.0%;padding:15.0pt 11.25pt 18.75pt 11.25pt"> <div align="center"> <table 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src="https://files.ctctcdn.com/5476a6ab001/d2d47cd3-8c2f-4fd5-8089-46ad31b5716a.jpg" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.328" border="0"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </span></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" valign="top" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <div align="center"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="100%" valign="top" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;background:white"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </div> </div> Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-85304227972689849532014-10-03T10:25:00.001-05:002014-10-03T10:25:19.498-05:00NYC area signatories of letter protesting Klinghoffer opera as morally objectionable<div class="Section1"> <div align="center"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width="10" style="width:7.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><strong><b><font size="3" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Open Letter to Peter Gelb</span></font></b></strong><font size="1" color="#4d4d4d" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:#4D4D4D"><br> <br> </span></font><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">September 22, 2014</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Mr. Peter Gelb</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">General Manager</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">The Metropolitan Opera</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> </span></font></b><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt; color:black">Lincoln</span></font></b></strong></st1:PlaceName><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt; color:black"> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType></span></font></b></strong></st1:place><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> </span></font></b><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt; color:black">New York</span></font></b></strong></st1:City><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt; color:black">, <st1:State w:st="on">NY</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">10023</st1:PostalCode></span></font></b></strong></st1:place><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Dear Mr. Gelb,</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">We have closely followed the events which have unfolded since the decision to stage “The Death of Klinghoffer” at The Metropolitan Opera.</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">In making the decision to stage this opera in <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State> at this time, it could well have been anticipated that this production, and the sensitivities around its story, would generate divisiveness. The disappointment and negative reaction that is now playing out is therefore not surprising. </span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black; font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">There are many dimensions of this opera that are upsetting. In particular, the opera’s juxtaposition of terrorists and their victims on the same moral plane is gravely inappropriate. Moreover, this production runs the risk of legitimizing acts of terror, which is particularly sensitive now as anti-Jewish attacks and expressions of hatred against Jews have reached frightening levels around the globe, and innocent American journalists have been cruelly beheaded by radical Islamists.</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black; font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">As we would never try to find the humanity in those who perpetrated the barbarism of 9-11, whose 13th anniversary we just commemorated, it is surely morally objectionable to seek the same for Mr. Klinghoffer's executioners.</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Mr. Gelb, while we recognize the steps you have taken to minimize the viewership outside of New York, we remain deeply disturbed that this production will be staged at the Metropolitan Opera.</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Signed,</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Ronald G. Weiner, President, Jewish Community Relations Council of <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State></span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Michael S. Miller, Executive Vice President and CEO, Jewish Community Relations Council of <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State></span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Alisa R. Doctoroff, President, UJA-Federation of <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State></span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Linda Mirels, Chair of the Board, UJA-Federation of <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State></span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Eric S. Goldstein, CEO, UJA-Federation of <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State></span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Rabbi Steve Gutow, President and CEO, Jewish Council for Public Affairs</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Ethan Felson, Vice President and General Counsel, Jewish Council for Public Affairs</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Rabbi David-Seth Kirshner, President, <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State> Board of Rabbis</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, Executive Vice President, <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State> Board of Rabbis</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black; font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Marcie Natan, President, Hadassah</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Ellen Hershkin, Coordinator of the PRAZE Division, Hadassah</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Gail Perl, President, WIZO <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">USA</st1:place></st1:country-region></span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Martin Nachimson, President, Orthodox <st1:place w:st="on">Union</st1:place></span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Allen Fagin, Executive Vice President, Orthodox <st1:place w:st="on">Union</st1:place></span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Richard Skolnik, President, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Rabbi Steven Wernick, CEO, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Farley Weiss, President, National Council of Young <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region></span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Robert Levi, Chairman, National Council of Young <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region></span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Rabbi Yosef Blau, President, Religious Zionists of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region></span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Martin Oliner, Chairman, Religious Zionists of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region></span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Feliks Frenkel, Chairman of the Board, Council of Jewish Emigre Community Organizations</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Roman Shmulenson, Executive Director, Council of Jewish Emigre Community Organizations </span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Jack Grunspan, Executive Vice President, Bnai Zion Foundation</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Alicia Post, Director, Northeast Region, Bnai Zion Foundation</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Michael Feinman, Greater New York Executive Director, Jewish National Fund</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">David Newman, Executive Director, JCRC-LI</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Paul B. Warhit, President, <st1:place w:st="on">Westchester</st1:place> Jewish Council</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">William H. Schrag, Executive Committee Member, <st1:place w:st="on">Westchester</st1:place> Jewish Council</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Gale S. Bindelglass, Chair, JCRC of the Jewish Federation of <st1:place w:st="on">Northern NJ</st1:place></span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Joy Kurland, Director, JCRC of the Jewish Federation of <st1:place w:st="on">Northern NJ</st1:place></span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Rabbi Steven Moss, President, <st1:City w:st="on">Suffolk</st1:City> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Board</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> of Rabbis</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Rabbi Michael Stanger, President, <st1:place w:st="on">Long Island</st1:place> Board of Rabbis</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Cynthia Zalisky, Executive Director, Queens Jewish Community Council</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Stephen Reiner, President, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Kings</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on"> Bay</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> YM-YWHA</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Leonard Petlakh, Executive Director, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Kings</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on"> Bay</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> YM-YWHA</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Maya Gurevich, President, <st1:State w:st="on">New York</st1:State> Association of Jews from the Former <st1:place w:st="on"> Soviet Union</st1:place></span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Inna Arolovich, Vice President, <st1:State w:st="on">New York</st1:State> Association of Jews from the Former <st1:place w:st="on"> Soviet Union</st1:place></span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Zaki Tamir, Chairman, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Crown</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on"> Heights</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> Jewish Community Council</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Rabbi Eli Cohen, Executive Director, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Crown</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on"> Heights</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> Jewish Community Council</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Avrohom Hecht, Executive Director, JCC of Canarsie</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black; font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Michael Rosenbaum, President, Board of Directors, Sid Jacobson JCC</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">David Black, Executive Director, Sid Jacobson JCC</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black; font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Steven Markowitz, Chairman, Holocaust Memorial and <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Tolerance</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Nassau</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on"> County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place></span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> </span></font></b><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt; color:black">Avi Posnick</span></font></b></strong></st1:City><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt; color:black">, <st1:State w:st="on">New York</st1:State></span></font></b></strong></st1:place><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt; color:black"> Regional Coordinator, StandWithUs</span></font></b></strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <br> <br> </span></font></b><strong><b><font size="1" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">*Full list in formation</span></font></b></strong><font size="1" color="#4d4d4d" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:#4D4D4D"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:14.0pt; font-family:Arial"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </div> Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-50023596910699887822014-08-22T10:23:00.001-05:002014-08-22T10:23:43.389-05:00Action Alert: Online Petition to Prevent Hamas from Rearming!<div class="Section1"> <div id="rootDiv"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><img width="1" height="1" id="_x0000_i1025" src="http://r20.rs6.net/on.jsp?ca=7dec76c1-66b2-4f83-afb2-505f92761742&a=1102639163205&d=1118288104986&r=3&o=http://ui.constantcontact.com/images/p1x1.gif&c=59b1af90-cc94-11e3-a382-d4ae52724810&ch=5bdc30b0-cc94-11e3-a482-d4ae52724810"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <div align="center"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" bgcolor="white" style="width:100.0%;background:white" id="content_LETTER.BLOCK1"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <div align="center"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" style="width:6.25in"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="100%" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="padding:3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt"> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><strong><b><font size="3" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black">Advocating for A Ceasefire that Prevents Hamas from Rearming</span></font></b></strong><font color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="3" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="3" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black">Here is an online petition you can sign and pass along to others to</span></font><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black"> </span></font><font color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:black">show your support for having the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> craft a long term ceasefire that would prevent another major conflict sparked by Hamas in the near future!</span></font><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><strong><b><font size="4" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black">Here is the location online of the petition:</span></font></b></strong><font size="4" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family: Verdana;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><strong><b><font size="4" color="#0067ce" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family: Verdana;color:#0067CE"> <a href="http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/a-ceasefire-that-prevents-hamas-from-rearming" shape="rect"><span style="font-weight:normal">http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/a-ceasefire-that-prevents-hamas-from-rearming</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></strong></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="5" color="blue" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="4" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> The content of the petition is based on "Toward an Enduring Ceasefire: Preventing the Rocket Rearmament of Gaza Terrorist Groups," a study prepared by the Washington Institute for Near East Studies. <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001X-4K5ij__nj-SHosttQg5zKOUowFInPamo63Qw4M8YMYxHq_vuzAy3U4fBGFDoGssstotKYfXRg6kSNB9SsQtMNRpFDk8BmrV8IWIpRCIGT5hz2k4Hqq0QKoiA3pSWxW2mGjHdezgL3cZPBw_g-a7TdIxI72Hdg7J_qH39H_-vwc-rg5JYkbVstuRFgUIEFl7EzNI0A743kjxVaJyrxpbAgzReFTIWBozUJ2hpMpfjtn-Iz2p_a7P1LaJWO6jIvZ3K8FAWrOMBObu5N9Av4EHa5h98AibCQuaJmBBsWYvblDMJSBpTKcnd3K5wd1zApr&c=bNmbDZ-Xz8S1ymYEgbMOejfndgxkH8kczLIaDDo7b-fhJ2MG5tXRpw==&ch=aOjiILTxZ6wBonPiqM4kysKhaTsKLXo_vngmPTFyGCn7sLkFcKl6tg==" target="_blank" shape="rect"> http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/toward-an-enduring-ceasefire-preventing-the-rocket-rearmament-of-gaza-terro</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black">Here is the text of the petition: <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><strong><b><u><font size="4" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black">A Ceasefire that Prevents Hamas from Rearming</span></font></u></b></strong><font size="4" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family: Verdana;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="4" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="4" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black">WE urge the U.S. Administration to work with allies to promote a long term ceasefire in which <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gaza</st1:place></st1:City> terrorist groups are prevented from rearming and rebuilding their military capabilities. These requirements would serve as a first step toward the disarmament and eventual demilitarization of <st1:City w:st="on">Gaza</st1:City>, conditions necessary to protect the work of reconstruction in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gaza</st1:place></st1:City> and to prevent a recurrence of hostilities sparked by Hamas and other militant factions in the region.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black">Thank you in advance for your endorsement!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black">Shalom,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black">JCRC<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black">Comments to jcrc@dmjfed.org<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr height="15" style="height:11.25pt"> <td height="15" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:11.25pt"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr height="10" style="height:7.5pt"> <td width="100%" height="10" valign="top" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in; height:7.5pt"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%"> <tbody> <tr height="15" style="height:11.25pt"> <td height="15" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:11.25pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </div> </div> Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-585928156713827652014-08-21T19:19:00.001-05:002014-08-21T19:19:19.390-05:00Op Ed: Why Israel mattersWhy Israel matters
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<br>By Matt Strawn 8:42 p.m. CDT August 20, 2014 Des Moines Register
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<br>Imagine living in West Des Moines under the threat, that at any moment, a terrorist rocket could be launched toward your community from a nearby site.
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<br>Would you send your children to school? Would you go to work? Would you even go to the grocery store? Would major cultural and sporting events be canceled? Would life as you and your family know it grind to a halt?
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<br>As I stood in both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem earlier this month during the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, that is exactly the scenario I began to contemplate as the threat of terrorist-launched rockets from Gaza - a scant 40-plus miles away - provided us approximately 90 seconds to seek shelter. That is roughly the distance between Newton and West Des Moines.
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<br>Despite that omnipresent threat, the beaches of Tel Aviv and cafes of Jerusalem were packed, entrepreneurs were pitching me about their start-up companies, children were playing outside and Israelis were living their lives.
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<br>Why does this matter to Iowans, who are thousands of miles away from the images of war appearing inside our newspapers and within our social media feeds?
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<br>Sure, in recent months, a number of Iowa's business leaders and government officials have been taking steps to expand investment and trade between our state and Israel. But there is simply more than commerce at stake in the Middle East. It is the preservation of a set of shared values, democratic ideals and human dignity.
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<br>While in Jerusalem, I had the humbling opportunity to speak with a woman whose family and community lives along the Gaza border. Her raw emotion, exhaustion and bravery was palpable as she described how families in her village (or kibbutz) have 15 seconds to seek shelter during rocket attacks, how an attack hit their community that very morning, and the psychological trauma to children brought on by these constant threats.
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<br>I examined the shrapnel in my hands from a prior rocket attack upon her community as she demonstrated a "Monopoly-style" board game that had been created by therapists to help children cope with growing up within the shadows of terror. I heard the stories of children who go to bed fully clothed and literally sleep with one foot on the floor so as to not lose a precious second if the rocket sirens wail.
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<br>The heartbreaking stories exist on both sides of the Israel-Gaza border. I spoke with an exasperated Palestinian human rights activist about the hundreds of millions of dollars in humanitarian aid confiscated by Hamas to build a vast infrastructure of terror. I visited with a young Israeli special forces solider who saw with his own eyes the restraints used by Hamas on its own civilians to create human shields when launching rockets from residential neighborhoods.
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<br>As one senior member of the Israeli parliament told me, "The fight is over a culture that values life, versus a culture that values death." Or, perhaps it was said more succinctly by one Israeli when I commented on the resolute nature of the nation's citizens: "It is easy to find moral clarity when rockets are falling on your kindergartens."
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<br>Iowans, like most Americans, are weary from a decade-plus of war that has depleted billions from our treasury and exacted an even greater cost in American blood. I am equally confident Iowans join me in hoping and praying that it does not take similar attacks on our kindergartens for Americans to have the resolve to stand with those who share our values, even if they are thousands of miles from home.
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<br>MATT STRAWN, an Ankeny businessman and former chairman of the Iowa Republican Party, is a founding board member of Iowans Supporting Israel, a nonpartisan group of statewide business, civic and faith leaders who are encouraging stronger ties between Iowa and Israel. Contact: <a href="mailto:mnstrawn@strawnco.com">mnstrawn@strawnco.com</a>.
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<br>Source: <a href="http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/2014/08/20/israel-matters/14369337/">http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/2014/08/20/israel-matters/14369337/</a>Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-18846429211309283162014-08-08T11:02:00.001-05:002014-08-08T11:02:43.317-05:00Sunday: Israel Event - A Conversation with Shmuel Rosner<div class="Section1"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TempleBnaiJeshurun"><font color="#3b5998" face="Helvetica"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;color:#3B5998; background:white;text-decoration:none">Temple B'nai Jeshurun</span></font></a></span></font><span class="apple-converted-space"><font size="2" color="#141823" face="Helvetica"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:#141823;background:white"> is proud to host a conversation with well-known Israeli writer and frequent contributor to the New York Times, </span></font></span><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/shmuel.rosner" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=601518681" style="cursor:pointer"><font color="#3b5998" face="Helvetica"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;color:#3B5998; background:white;text-decoration:none">Shmuel Rosner</span></font></a></span></font><font size="2" color="#141823" face="Helvetica"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family: Helvetica;color:#141823;background:white">, Senior Political Editor of The Jewish Journal, who will be Skyping with us from Tel Aviv as we discuss the state of the ongoing conflict between Hamas and <st1:country-region w:st="on"> <st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<u1:p></u1:p></span></font><font size="2" color="blue" face="Helvetica"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family: Helvetica;color:blue;background:white"> </span></font><font size="2" color="black" face="Helvetica"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black; background:white">Co-sponsored by JCRC</span></font><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="5" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black;background:white">Sunday, August 10, at 11 am</span></font><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="2" color="#141823" face="Helvetica"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Helvetica; color:#141823;background:white"><u1:p> </u1:p></span></font><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcYEPlIoi8nYt3dZq_IRu2BDpnn66LUMbZExEQjyfPaD_WjelPAC3_SHR3SjbF41bhsGTV9IaVyG-R1uVMFmOH0pJZZbDG-YOuksnTlMfXpp4f95YJBJV7-E1O_gisfcsEI788AboGRrO/s1600/image001-763318.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcYEPlIoi8nYt3dZq_IRu2BDpnn66LUMbZExEQjyfPaD_WjelPAC3_SHR3SjbF41bhsGTV9IaVyG-R1uVMFmOH0pJZZbDG-YOuksnTlMfXpp4f95YJBJV7-E1O_gisfcsEI788AboGRrO/s320/image001-763318.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6045225587198137810" /></a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="5" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">Shmuel Rosner</span></font><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="5" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">Sunday, August 10, at 11 am <u1:p></u1:p></span></font><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on"><font size="5" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Arial;color:black">Temple</span></font></st1:PlaceType><font size="5" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">B'nai</st1:PlaceName></span></font></st1:place><font size="5" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> Jeshurun<u1:p></u1:p></span></font><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on"><font size="3" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial;color:black">5101 Grand Ave</span></font></st1:address></st1:Street><font color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:black"> in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Des Moines</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on"> IA<u1:p></u1:p></st1:State></st1:place></span></font><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">For more information, please call 515-274-4679<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <u1:p></u1:p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="black" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </div> Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-28324855861504347482014-07-29T11:24:00.000-05:002014-07-29T11:25:20.942-05:00A Visitor's Introduction to the Iowa Holocaust Memorial<div class="Section1"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="5" color="blue" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue">Here’s a link to the booklet:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="5" color="blue" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue"><a href="http://www.docstoc.com/docs/document-preview.aspx?doc_id=171986867">http://www.docstoc.com/docs/document-preview.aspx?doc_id=171986867</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="5" color="blue" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:14.0pt; font-family:Arial"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:14.0pt; font-family:Arial"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhf9q4-STuDQPY2HKiLQ_HG3lN9chTxadAJ-eEkRApZo80IV799UeuRtzCpZiixU-xQqP1EoVCvBESiX5_515a7S7cXmowfRFJngvocaYraiOVwILeW4gulzu24DEvRIKIfxnk3efOiTjY/s1600/image001-720942.gif"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhf9q4-STuDQPY2HKiLQ_HG3lN9chTxadAJ-eEkRApZo80IV799UeuRtzCpZiixU-xQqP1EoVCvBESiX5_515a7S7cXmowfRFJngvocaYraiOVwILeW4gulzu24DEvRIKIfxnk3efOiTjY/s320/image001-720942.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6041520563058836946" /></a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-35969513628097060642014-07-21T11:58:00.001-05:002014-07-21T11:58:29.023-05:00Revised: Statement in Support of Israel from Iowans Supporting Israel, Christians United For Israel, and Jewish Federation , July 21, 2014<div class="Section1"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE <b><span style="font-weight: bold">Revised</span></b>: July 21, 2014 <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">Contact: Mark S. Finkelstein, <a href="mailto:jcrc@dmjfed.org">jcrc@dmjfed.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt">Joint statement from: <b><span style="font-weight:bold"> <i><span style="font-style:italic">Iowans Supporting <st1:country-region w:st="on"><u1:country-region u2:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region></span></u1:country-region></i>, Christians United For <st1:country-region w:st="on"><u1:country-region u2:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region></u1:country-region>, and the Jewish Federation of Greater <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><u1:place u2:st="on"><u1:City u2:st="on">Des Moines</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p></span></u1:City></u1:place></b></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold">In support of <u1:country-region u2:st="on"><u1:place u2:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</u1:place></u1:country-region></st1:place></st1:country-region> as it battles terrorism</span></font></b><font size="5"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">Hamas, which has been declared a terrorist organization by the American government, the E.U., and others, has significantly increased its assault on Israeli citizens by launching over 1000 rockets over the last several weeks. The situation is intolerable. Civilians living closest to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><u1:place u2:st="on"><u1:City u2:st="on">Gaza</st1:place></st1:City></u1:City></u1:place> have only 15 seconds to find safety when warning sirens are engaged. Rockets have rained down on the holy city of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><u1:place u2:st="on"><u1:City u2:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:City></u1:City></u1:place>, the economic center of Tel Aviv, and all the way to Eilat, the country’s southern tip. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><u1:country-region u2:st="on"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">Israel</span></u1:country-region></font></st1:country-region> must and currently is protecting its citizens by seeking and destroying rocket arsenals, command centers, and tunnels through which killers have recently infiltrated from <st1:City w:st="on"><u1:City u2:st="on">Gaza</st1:City></u1:City> into <st1:country-region w:st="on"> <st1:place w:st="on"><u1:country-region u2:st="on"><u1:place u2:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region></u1:place></u1:country-region>. Unfortunately, and insidiously, Hamas has often located these targets in or near residential neighborhoods, hospitals, schools, and mosques. To make matters worse, Hamas is encouraging and celebrating civilians who serve as shields, a practice forbidden by international law. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">Make no mistake. We, the undersigned, profoundly mourn the loss of innocent life on both sides of this painful conflict and pray that peace can be restored soon. But peace requires that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><u1:country-region u2:st="on"><u1:place u2:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region></u1:place></u1:country-region> be joined by a partner. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><u1:country-region u2:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region></u1:country-region> agreed to the ceasefire proposal put forth by <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><u1:country-region u2:st="on"><u1:place u2:st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region></u1:place></u1:country-region>. To date, Hamas has not. In fact, Hamas responded to ceasefire efforts observed by <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><u1:country-region u2:st="on"><u1:place u2:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region></u1:place></u1:country-region> by firing more rockets.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">In this trying time, it is comforting that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><u1:place u2:st="on"><u1:country-region u2:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region></u1:country-region></u1:place> has the support of the American people, as affirmed by a recent poll, as well as President Obama and Congress.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">President Obama has stated: “I will say very clearly, no country can accept rocket fired indiscriminately at citizens. And so, we’ve been very clear that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><u1:place u2:st="on"><u1:country-region u2:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region></u1:country-region></u1:place> has the right to defend itself against what I consider to be inexcusable attacks from Hamas.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">Bipartisan resolutions have been passed unanimously by both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives reflecting “<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><u1:place u2:st="on"><u1:country-region u2:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region></u1:country-region></u1:place> support for the State of Israel as it defends itself against unprovoked rocket attacks from the Hamas terrorist organization.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-weight:bold">We, the bipartisan leadership of Iowans Supporting Israel, the nonpartisan grassroots organization Christians United For Israel, and the nonpartisan Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines, are thankful for these stated positions and urge all people of good will to stand with Israel as it battles terrorism.<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold">[Signatories, below.]<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold">Michael Schreurs<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold">Matt Strawn<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold">Ed Skinner<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold">Bud Hockenberg<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic">Iowans Supporting Israel </span></font></i></b><a href="http://iowanssupportingisrael.com/">http://iowanssupportingisrael.com/</a><b><i><font size="5"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic"><o:p></o:p></span></font></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-style:italic">Contact: Michael Schreurs, (515)453-2002 <o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:black;font-weight:bold"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:black;font-weight:bold">Thomas W. McGovern<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><b><font size="5" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><u1:place u2:st="on"><u1:PlaceName u2:st="on"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:black;font-weight:bold">Iowa</span></u1:PlaceName></font></b></st1:PlaceName><b><font size="5" color="black"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:black;font-weight:bold"> <u1:PlaceType u2:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</u1:PlaceType></st1:PlaceType></span></u1:place></font></b></st1:place><b><font size="5" color="black"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:black;font-weight:bold"> Director<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:black;font-weight:bold">Christians United For <u1:place u2:st="on"><u1:country-region u2:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</u1:country-region></u1:place></st1:place></st1:country-region> </span></font></b> <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"> Contact: <a href="mailto:IowaCUFI@cleavelandinsurance.com">IowaCUFI@cleavelandinsurance.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><b><font size="5" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><u1:PersonName u2:st="on"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; color:black;font-weight:bold">Stuart Oxer</span></u1:PersonName></font></b></st1:PersonName><b><font size="5" color="black"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:black;font-weight:bold"><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:black;font-weight:bold">Executive Director<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:black;font-weight:bold">Jewish Federation of Greater <u1:place u2:st="on"><u1:City u2:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Des Moines</u1:City></u1:place></st1:place></st1:City></span></font></b> Contact: <a href="mailto:jcrc@dmjfed.org">jcrc@dmjfed.org</a><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"> - - end --<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p> </div> Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-7907552530707645422014-07-19T09:51:00.001-05:002014-07-19T09:51:39.411-05:00Omission<div class="Section1"> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" color="blue" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;color:blue;font-weight:bold">The following was unintentionally omitted from the joint statement issued on July 18 <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="5" color="blue" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="5" color="blue" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue">“</span></font><font size="5"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">In attempting to eliminate Hamas’ launchers and its supply of missiles provided by <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Iran</st1:country-region></st1:place>, and while targeting its military command centers, regrettably innocent Gazans have been killed. Not to minimize the tragic death of innocents, we hold Hamas entirely responsible – as does international law -- for those who died when it fired rockets from amid civilians or used civilians as human shields. “<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:14.0pt; font-family:Arial"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </div> Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-11660099631350531472014-07-18T17:47:00.000-05:002014-07-18T18:52:18.095-05:00In support of Israel: Joint Statement 7/18/2014 from Iowans Supporting Israel and the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines<div class="Section1"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 18, 2014<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt">Joint statement from: <b><span style="font-weight:bold"> <i><span style="font-style:italic">Iowans Supporting <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region></st1:place></span></i> <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold">and the Jewish Federation of Greater <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Des Moines</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold">In support of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region></st1:place> as it battles terrorism</span></font></b><font size="5"><span style="font-size:18.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">Hamas, which has been declared a terrorist organization by the American government, the E.U., and others, has significantly increased its assault on Israeli citizens by launching over 1000 rockets over the last several weeks. The situation is intolerable. Civilians living closest to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gaza</st1:City></st1:place> have only 15 seconds to find safety when warning sirens are engaged. Rockets have rained down on the holy city of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:City></st1:place>, the economic center of Tel Aviv, and all the way to Eilat, the country’s southern tip. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Israel</span></font></st1:country-region></st1:place> must and currently is protecting its citizens by seeking and destroying rocket arsenals and command centers. Unfortunately, and insidiously, Hamas has often located these targets in or near residential neighborhoods, hospitals, schools, and mosques. To make matters worse, Hamas is encouraging and celebrating civilians who serve as shields, a practice forbidden by international law. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">Hamas responded to two ceasefire efforts—which <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region></st1:place> agreed to—by firing more rockets.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">In this trying time, it is comforting that <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region></st1:place> has the support of the American people, as affirmed by a recent poll, as well as President Obama and Congress.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">President Obama has stated: “I will say very clearly, no country can accept rocket fired indiscriminately at citizens. And so, we’ve been very clear that <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region></st1:place> has the right to defend itself against what I consider to be inexcusable attacks from Hamas.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt">Bipartisan resolutions have been passed unanimously by both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives reflecting “<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region></st1:place> support for the State of Israel as it defends itself against unprovoked rocket attacks from the Hamas terrorist organization.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-weight:bold">We, the bipartisan leadership of Iowans Supporting Israel and the nonpartisan Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines, are thankful for these stated positions and urge all people of good will to stand with Israel as it battles terrorism.<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold">Michael Schreurs <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Stuart Oxer</st1:PersonName>, Executive Director<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold">Matt Strawn Jewish Federation of Greater <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Des Moines</st1:City></st1:place><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold">Ed Skinner </span></font></b>Contact: (515) 987-0899 ext. 231<font size="5"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span></font> <a href="mailto:jcrc@dmjfed.org">jcrc@dmjfed.org</a><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold">Bud Hockenberg<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic">Iowans Supporting <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region></st1:place> <o:p></o:p></span></font></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-style:italic">Contact: Michael Schreurs, (515)453-2002 <o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><a href="http://iowanssupportingisrael.com/">http://iowanssupportingisrael.com/</a> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:14.0pt; font-family:Arial"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </div> Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-6764738963690429822014-07-17T18:46:00.001-05:002014-07-17T18:46:48.519-05:00<div class="Section1"> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-weight:bold">Statement from the Jewish Community Relations Commission on the IDF’s Movement of Troops into <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Gaza</st1:place></st1:City></span></font></b><font size="4"><span style="font-size:14.0pt"> July 17, 2014<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt">The JCRC would like to update the community with the following news. Following another day of heavy rocket attacks by Hamas and the infiltration of guerillas into <st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on"> Israel</st1:country-region>’s government authorized Israeli troops to enter <st1:City w:st="on"> Gaza</st1:City>, this evening, to defend <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s citizens.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt">We are thankful that President Obama has spoken unequivocally in support of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s obligation to defend itself: </span></font><font size="4" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black;background:white">“I will say very clearly, no country can accept rocket fired indiscriminately at citizens. And so, we’ve been very clear that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> has the right to defend itself against what I consider to be inexcusable attacks from Hamas…” Similar sentiments have been expressed on a bi-partisan fashion by many members of the United States Congress.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt">The ground incursion comes after Hamas launched more than 1350 rockets from <st1:City w:st="on">Gaza</st1:City> since July 8<sup>th</sup>, targeting 75% of <st1:country-region w:st="on"> Israel</st1:country-region>’s population and Hamas’ rejection of <st1:country-region w:st="on"> <st1:place w:st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s recent ceasefire proposal. During the ceasefire observed by <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>, Hamas had launched 50 rockets.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt">In attempting to eliminate Hamas’ launchers and its supply of missiles provided by <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iran</st1:place></st1:country-region>, and while targeting its military command centers, regrettably innocent Gazans have been killed. Not to minimize the tragic death of innocents, we hold Hamas entirely responsible – as does international law -- for those who died when it fired rockets from amid civilians or used civilians as human shields. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black;background:white">As reported today, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Egypt</st1:country-region> placed the responsibility squarely on Hamas for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s ground operation. “Had Hamas accepted the Egyptian proposal,” stated <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Sameh Shoukri</st1:City>, <st1:country-region w:st="on"> Egypt</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s Foreign Minister, “it could have saved the lives of at least 40 Palestinians.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black;background:white">Although we are disappointed that Hamas’ actions made it necessary for Israel to initiate a ground operation, we hope that the objectives of the incursion can be attained rapidly and that the dangers posed by Hamas to Israelis as well as to Gazans can be controlled if not altogether eliminated. Peace and the establishment of a permanent two states for two peoples resolution of the broader conflict remains the ultimate goal.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><font size="4" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black; background:white">Jarad</span></font></st1:PersonName><font size="4" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black;background:white"> Bernstein, Chair, Jewish Community Relations Commission of the <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black;background:white"> Jewish Federation of Greater <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Des Moines</st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black;background:white">Mark S. Finkelstein, JCRC Director<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black;background:white">Send comments to <a href="mailto:jcrc@dmjfed.org">jcrc@dmjfed.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </div> Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-16864456970338482472014-07-17T16:12:00.001-05:002014-07-17T16:12:40.031-05:00<div class="Section1"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:14.0pt; font-family:Arial"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCrhH-1J6CifdSXQUzW40zbMbna3d8coGjNlx_k5CBGc7WIjxQRnvJ06fSiizllfsb2CWsyTI-RF3Kgy7LY7nLHKDQLatJe2pIjTXbjt7xNGoXdSYbxYta884hxxqHJFT-loIZ6TFZeWWd/s1600/image001-760031.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCrhH-1J6CifdSXQUzW40zbMbna3d8coGjNlx_k5CBGc7WIjxQRnvJ06fSiizllfsb2CWsyTI-RF3Kgy7LY7nLHKDQLatJe2pIjTXbjt7xNGoXdSYbxYta884hxxqHJFT-loIZ6TFZeWWd/s320/image001-760031.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6037141583518728306" /></a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-39662378410877600762014-07-09T17:09:00.001-05:002014-07-09T17:09:10.178-05:00Israel Update, July 9, 2014<div class="Section1"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="5" color="blue" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue">Top insight of the day: “Why is Hamas fighting with <st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region> again, although there are no Israeli troops in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gaza</st1:City></st1:place>? </span></font><font size="4" color="navy" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:navy">Because, for Hamas, hostility to the very fact of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region></st1:place>'s existence still far outweighs any and all other interests. “ <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" color="navy" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:navy"> -- David Horovitz </span></font><font color="navy" face="Verdana"><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:navy">http://www.timesofisrael.com/why-are-we-fighting-with-gaza-again/<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" color="navy" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:navy"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <div id="rootDiv"> <div align="center"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" bgcolor="white" style="width:100.0%;background:white"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <div align="center"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" style="width:6.25in"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="100%" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><img width="1" height="1" id="_x0000_i1025" src="http://r20.rs6.net/on.jsp?ca=ea365197-9367-4fc7-856e-fdfebe0c6d02&a=1102639163205&d=1117885303009&r=3&o=http://ui.constantcontact.com/images/p1x1.gif&c=59b1af90-cc94-11e3-a382-d4ae52724810&ch=5bdc30b0-cc94-11e3-a482-d4ae52724810"><font color="black"><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding:3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in"> <font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr height="15" style="height:11.25pt"> <td height="15" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:11.25pt"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%" id="content_LETTER.BLOCK3"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="padding:3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt"> <div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in"> <font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> </span></font><strong><b><font color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:black">We stand with the Israeli People....</span></font></b></strong><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in"> <strong><b><font size="3" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"> </span></font></b></strong><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in"> <font size="3" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black">"Operation Protective Edge is an absolutely legitimate act of self defense. No person or family should have to live in fear of the next rocket landing on their houses." </span></font><font size="1" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family: Verdana;color:black"><span size="2">-- </span></span></font><strong><b><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family: Verdana;color:black">Jewish Council for Public Affairs</span></font></b></strong><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family: Verdana;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in"> <b><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> <strong><b><font face="Verdana"><span style="font-family:Verdana">"We strongly condemn the continuing rocket fire inside of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region> and the deliberate targeting of civilians and we support <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region></st1:place>'s right to defend itself against these vicious attacks." -- White House Spokesman Josh Earnest.</span></font></b></strong><br> <br> </span></font></b><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black"><br> </span></font><font size="1" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black"><span size="2">Since Monday, July 7, Hamas, which is dedicated to Israel's destruction, fired over 160 rockets and mortars from Gaza into Israeli cities, targeting cities as far north as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. </span></span></font><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family: Verdana;color:black"><br> <br> </span></font><font size="1" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black"><span size="2"> <st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region>'s goals are to protect its citizens and to put an end to the launching of rockets from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gaza</st1:City></st1:place>.</span></span></font><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"><br> <br> </span></font><font size="1" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black"><span size="2">The American supplied Iron Dome anti-missile system has strategically intercepted 23 of the rockets which would have likely done the greatest damage.</span></span></font><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black"><br> <br> </span></font><font size="1" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black"><span size="2">In addition to countering rocket and mortar-fire from <st1:City w:st="on">Gaza</st1:City>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region> is also threatened by cross-border incursions from Hamas, including recently stopping an armed group that sought to infiltrate <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region></st1:place> from the sea.</span></span></font><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family: Verdana;color:black"><br> <br> </span></font><font size="1" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black"><span size="2">At the moment, millions of Israelis are being forced into bomb shelters. Schools are closed in various districts and public activities are being cancelled.</span></span></font><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"><br> <br> </span></font><font size="1" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black"><span size="2">Israeli President Shimon Peres has indicated today that an Israeli ground offensive might begin "quite soon," if required.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> </span></font><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in"> <font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black">Send comments to jcrc@dmjfed.org.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in"> <font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in"> <font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in"> <b><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black;font-weight:bold"><br> </span></font></b><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black"><br> <br> <br> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr height="10" style="height:7.5pt"> <td width="100%" height="10" valign="top" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in; height:7.5pt"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%"> <tbody> <tr height="15" style="height:11.25pt"> <td height="15" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:11.25pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </div> </div> Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4613901576914898249.post-68529186772871355692014-06-30T13:55:00.001-05:002014-06-30T13:55:27.387-05:00<div class="Section1"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="5" color="blue" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:blue"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <div id="rootDiv"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt"><img width="1" height="1" id="_x0000_i1025" src="http://r20.rs6.net/on.jsp?ca=2b35a712-3c1b-4c65-8dc2-a07154bfab3a&a=1102639163205&d=1117799563094&r=3&o=http://ui.constantcontact.com/images/p1x1.gif&c=59b1af90-cc94-11e3-a382-d4ae52724810&ch=5bdc30b0-cc94-11e3-a482-d4ae52724810"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <div align="center"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" bgcolor="white" style="width:100.0%;background:white" id="content_LETTER.BLOCK1"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <div align="center"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600" style="width:6.25in"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="100%" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><img width="363" height="95" id="_x0000_i1026" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs033/1102639163205/img/83.jpg" border="0" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.83"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%" id="content_LETTER.BLOCK2"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="padding:3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:0in"> <font size="5" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black">Jewish Federation of Greater <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Des Moines</st1:place></st1:City></span></font><font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"><br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">June 30, 2014 <br> <br> The Jewish Federation is horrified by the murder, now confirmed, of the three Israeli teens. We stand in support of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> in its time of need. <br> <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=00198BSApcxnd1mv4j0xXGFAeX8wTWT17cPUQ4rkpP1jsCc8F4yyw8iIAW5yZBdceBmlebtpsxx-rcqy9hAeKPvAjvOOpkpcgjSM6uOj37FVoXxBQfSlWdIojLb5xMwGPAfEmUYh3LlCckU4TIrzsswHhRLzxPSVLHJTBpfaQkJAgI05I5S0iMOy4p5B_c0MnCjdynSktYtoTHcE1NwVjUuotXIIbARud50Bs6wtikfsYo=&c=VXFJvIcvMjDiliJbYL7LvYK9wsGVZpqJGK2TBFyfyxrNFSHmTKkRBg==&ch=EAKBe7ca5orrIJyI-Xb2mc91tzBMFdnxqlryJa7akNaQmUILpi7Q4w==" target="_blank" shape="rect">http://www.timesofisrael.com/bodies-of-three-kidnapped-teens-found/</a></span></b><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr height="15" style="height:11.25pt"> <td height="15" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:11.25pt"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="width:100.0%" id="content_LETTER.BLOCK3"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="padding:3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt"> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt"> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="3" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Jewish Federations of North America Express Grief and Outrage Over Deaths of Kidnapped Students in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt"> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="3" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">The Jewish Federations of North America and the worldwide Jewish community joined with the State of Israel today in grief and horror following the announcement of the tragic deaths of Eyal Yifrach, Naftali Fraenkel and Gilad Shaar. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="3" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="3" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Michael Siegal, Chair of the Jewish Federations Board of Trustees, issued the following statement:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><font size="3" color="black" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">"It is simply unimaginable that anyone could commit such a heinous and despicable act such as this. As Jews, as mothers and fathers, as sons and daughters, and simply as people, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of Eyal, Naftali and Gilad at this time. There is no reason - none - why a tragedy like this should have occurred. The Jewish Federations stand alongside our brothers and sisters across the world and in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> in condemnation of this senseless murder, and we pray that those responsible are swiftly brought to justice."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:4.5pt;margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:4.5pt;margin-left:0in"> <font size="2" color="black" face="Verdana"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana; color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr height="10" style="height:7.5pt"> <td width="100%" height="10" valign="top" style="width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in; 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text-decoration:none"><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p> <h1 style="mso-margin-top-alt:2.25pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"> <b><font size="4" color="#003f60" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#003F60; background:white;font-weight:normal"><a href="http://engage.jewishpublicaffairs.org/c/627/p/salsa/web/blog/public/?blog_entry_KEY=7210"><font color="#003f60"><span style="color:#003F60;text-decoration:none">May 05, 2014: JCPA: Public Prayer Decision Erodes Bill of Rights</span></font></a></span></font></b><span class="MsoHyperlink"><font size="4" color="#003f60"><span style="font-size:15.0pt; color:#003F60;background:white;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none"><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></h1> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="2" color="#adafb2" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;color:#ADAFB2;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing: 1.5pt;background:white;font-weight:bold"><span style="orphans: auto;text-align: start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;float:none;word-spacing:0px"><span style="orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-spacing:0px">SUBMITTED BY</span></span></span></font></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><font size="2" color="#adafb2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:#ADAFB2;text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1.5pt;background:white;font-weight:bold"> </span></font></b></span><span class="submitted"><b><font size="2" color="#adafb2"><span style="font-size:9.5pt; color:#ADAFB2;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:1.5pt;background:white; font-weight:bold"><a href="http://engage.jewishpublicaffairs.org/c/627/p/salsa/web/blog/public/?campaign_manager_KEY=13007"><font color="#cc521d" face="Arial"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#CC521D; text-decoration:none">BEN</span></font></a></span></font></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><font size="2" color="#adafb2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:#ADAFB2;text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1.5pt;background:white;font-weight:bold"> </span></font></b></span><span class="submitted"><b><font size="2" color="#adafb2"><span style="font-size:9.5pt; color:#ADAFB2;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:1.5pt;background:white; font-weight:bold">1 DAY AGO</span></font></b></span><o:p></o:p></p> <p align="center" style="text-align:center;background:white"><b><font size="5" color="#3c424c" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:#3C424C;font-weight:bold">Public Prayer Decision Erodes Bill of Rights</span></font></b><font color="#3c424c" face="Arial"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#3C424C"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p style="background:white"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><font size="3" color="#3c424c" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:#3C424C">Washington</span></font></st1:City><font color="#3c424c" face="Arial"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#3C424C">, <st1:State w:st="on">DC</st1:State></span></font></st1:place><font color="#3c424c" face="Arial"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#3C424C"> - Today’s Supreme Court decision allowing sectarian prayer before public meetings was an erosion of the Bill of Rights and its protections, said the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. The case,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i><span style="font-style:italic">Town of Greece v. Susan Galloway and Linda Stephens</span></i>, was narrowly decided by a vote of 5-4 in favor of the town’s right to open public meetings with a prayer. The JCPA joined an amicus brief with the American Jewish Committee in opposition to the Town and in support of existing precedents regarding separation of religion and state.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br> <br> “A guiding principle in our democracy is that no group or individual feels that the government prefers one religion over another. The First Amendment protections are intended to ensure just that. Beginning our public meetings with a sectarian prayer can make some feel excluded. It is not the way to achieve a strong, dynamic, and inclusive union,” said JCPA President Rabbi Steve Gutow. “We believe strongly in the importance of each us being free to worship and practice our own religion as we choose. That freedom contributes to our success as a diverse nation. But one should not have to participate in another’s religious practice in order to take part in civic activities.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br> <br> “We are very disappointed in this decision which diminishes The Bill of Rights and erodes 60 years of understanding of the Establishment Clause,” said JCPA Chair Susan W. Turnbull. “The Court today opened the gates to reconsidering years of legal precedents and court decisions. We are concerned that this could mark a turn towards more religion in the public arena which could discourage the participation of minority groups.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><font size="4" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:14.0pt; font-family:Arial"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </div> <p></p> -- <br> For use by members of JCRC only.<br> --- <br> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JCRC DM" group.<br> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to <a href="mailto:jcrc-dm+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com">jcrc-dm+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com</a>.<br> For more options, visit <a href="https://groups.google.com/d/optout">https://groups.google.com/d/optout</a>.<br> Mark Finkelsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11106624277640005227noreply@blogger.com