Protecting Jewish Sites in Egypt
Rabbi Andrew Baker, AJC's director of International Jewish Affairs, visited Cairo to discuss the long-term preservation of Jewish heritage sites and objects in Egypt. Baker, together with leaders of the Nebi Daniel Association, an umbrella organization representing Egyptian Jews around the world, and Carmen Weinstein, president of the Cairo Jewish Community, met with several senior government officials, including presidential advisor Osama El Baz and Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Geiht. In response to AJC's proposal to create a cooperative partnership to address preservation efforts, officials of the Supreme Council of Antiquities informed Baker of Egyptian plans for a Jewish museum and welcomed AJC's offer to assist in the development of the project.
AJC/Brandeis Summer Institute on Israel - APPLY NOW!
Join with other AJC leaders for a four-day intensive seminar, August 2 to 5, on modern Israel. Ilan Troen, chair of Israel Studies at Brandeis University, and Steven Bayme, director of AJC's Koppelman Institute for American Jewish-Israeli Relations, will lead the second AJC/Brandeis Summer Institute at the Cranwell Resort in Lenox, MA. Focusing on Israeli history, politics, culture and religion, participants will enhance their knowledge on the major issues that will confront Israel and her Diaspora supporters in the years ahead. Contact Steven Bayme at baymes@ajc.org or 212-891-6711 for more information. Deadline is March 15, 2007.
Advocating for Israel Studies on Campus
In Search of Israel Studies, a new publication of the Israel on Campus Coalition, of which AJC is a steering committee member, focuses on opportunities for studying Israel on campuses across the U.S. The booklet, launched at the ICC's recent national meeting, held at AJC, recommends an increase in courses on Israel at major U.S. universities. AJC's Rebecca Neuwirth co-chaired the task force that produced the publication and co-signed the book's preface.
Take Action Now: Free Shoaib Choudhury
Visit AJC's online Advocacy Center at www.ajc.org/advocacy and join the campaign urging members of Congress to support a resolution to obtain freedom for Bangladeshi journalist Shoaib Choudhury. He faces trial for his work as an outspoken critic of radical Islamic forces and call for friendly relations with Christians, Jews, and Israel. In May 2006, Choudhury received AJC's Moral Courage Award, in absentia.
Commentary under New Ownership
As of January 2007, Commentary, which was founded by AJC in 1945 as a journal engaged in the world of ideas, and which quickly rose to prominence in American and international life, has a new owner. View Commentary's message regarding the new arrangement at: http://www.ajc.org/atf/cf/%7B42D75369-D582-4380-8395-D25925B85EAF%7D/COMMENT ARYLETTER.PDF
Celebrating Indian-Israel-U.S. Relations
AJC's ongoing efforts to foster relations between India, Israel and the U.S. reached another milestone with a campus event attended by 250 students and faculty at Columbia University. Prominent Indian speakers, including Ambassador Raminder Singh Jassal, India's charge de affairs to the U.S., joined in discussion about further engagement between the Indian-American and American Jewish communities to advance relations in the U.S. and to jointly support the alliance between India and Israel. Ambassador Jassal praised AJC for being the very first Jewish group to engage seriously with India more than two decades ago. Nissim Reuben, AJC's program officer on Indian-Jewish American Relations, played a key role in organizing the event and spoke with Rebecca Neuwirth on AJC's behalf.
Ari M. Gordon Assistant Director Department of Interreligious Affairs American Jewish Committee 165 E56th St. New York, NY 10022 (212) 891-6768 (212) 751-4000 x266 www.ajc.org www.engagingamerica.org