Newspapers / The Charlotte Jewish News … / April 1, 2014, edition 1 / Page 27
Part of The Charlotte Jewish News (Charlotte, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
The Charlotte Jewish News - April 2014 - Page 27 Israel and Social Justice Debated at JCPA Plenum in Atlanta Jewish Community Professionals from Across the Country Approved New Consensus Policy, Honored Abe Foxman and Other Leaders In his first public appearance since joining the U.S. peace process team, David Makovsky spoke about the need for a two- state solution and the prospects for peace at the JCPA Plenum last week. The Plenum is the annual conference for Jewish community leaders and representatives from 125 Jewish Community Relations councils and 16 national Jewish agencies to gather, learn, debate, and vote on consensus policy. In addition to Makovsky, the Plenum delegates were joined by Presid ing Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori, the head of the Episcopal Church; Abraham Foxman, Na tional Director of the Anti- Defamation League, who gave his first remarks since announcing his retirement; Jewish Federations of North America CEO Jerry Silver- man; and many others. In his update to the Plenum, Makovsky began by laying out the benefits of peace for Israel. Concerns like Iran and reli gious extremism are shared by Arabs and Israelis, and without the Palestinian conflict to divide them, they could begin to cooper ate more. More important is the need to avoid a bi-national state. Support for two states for two peoples has been a bipartisan American goal for many years, Makovsky said, and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has said that negotiating a peace that avoids a binational state is critical to the fu ture of a Jewish state. Netanyahu even visited the grave of Herzl to emphasize the connection between peace and Zi onism. On the Palestinian side, Makovsky noted, Mahmoud Abbas seems to be equally seri ous. He has demonstrated a com mitment to non-violence, kept his word about not turning to the UN while talks are ongoing, and has cooperated with Israeli security forces in going after Hamas such that they are no longer a function ing security threat in the West Bank. Israel has asked for deeds, not words, and these are deeds. The cost of failure for Abbas is there as well, as he understands that Palestinians will never expe rience self-determination without two states for two people. Two states for two peoples will require a sense of shared security, said Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori in an interfaith conversation with JCPA President Rabbi Steve Gutow, who praised her work in focusing on investment with Palestinians, not divestment from Israel. Recently returned from a trip to Jordan, Bishop Schori laid out a vision of peace based on the belief that one’s security depends on the security of all people. The interfaith discussion fo cused, as well, on points of com monality between the two communities and the need to, as Bishop Schori said, keep diverse communities communicating. A mutual understanding of each other’s religious traditions reveals shared commitments to re pairing our immigration system and ending hunger - an issue both agreed was a major civil rights issue of the day - as well as equal ity for gays, lesbians, and trans gender individuals. On LGBT issues. Rabbi Gutow noted that Bishop Schori was an early leader. “I begin with the un derstanding from Genesis that it is not good for the human being to be alone,” she said. But she also emphasized consensus as essential to ensuring a good life for all, say ing “Truth is more frilly known in a diverse community than in an individual.” Rabbi Gutow, as well, emphasized consensus, ref erencing last year’s Plenum dis cussion on gay marriage and the JCPA’s leadership in combating discrimination. Other plenaries focused on the future of the Jewish community. Jane Eisner, editor-in-chief of The Forward, moderated a conversa tion between JFNA CEO Gerrold “Jerry” Silverman, Elana Kahn- Oren, Director of the Milwaukee JCRC and Rabbi Deborah Wax- man, President of the Reconstruc tionist Rabbinical College. Paraphrasing Shimon Peres, Silverman said our greatest strength and weakness is that “we are a people of dissatisfaction,” al ways striving. Kahn-Oren noted that our community’s leaning to ward what can be is a case for community relations. It is impor tant to build community partner ships, not just out of the fear that we were victims once and could be again, but because this work of community building is our destiny as Jews. The Jewish community has so much to teach about our ac tivist sensibility, said Waxman. Our commitment to tikkun olam is one that has carried across gen erations, and that strength should influence our work in reaching out to younger Jews. When we engage millenials with the benefits of Jewish life, we all win, said Silverman. We do our work not just as another social justice organization, but as Jews, said Kahn-Oren. And the CRCs are particularly well suited for connecting young Jews with Jew ish life, said Silverman, citing the success of the Boston CRC in fol lowing up with Birthright alumni. The challenges of the Pew study were discussed by Abe Fox man, National Director of the ADL, who received the Albert D. Chemin Award. After warning of the costs to world Jewry if Amer ica retreated from the world stage, Foxman said that crucial to stem ming the estrangement of today’s Jewish youth from the community is stopping what he calls the igno rance of today’s youth. It is in cumbent on us through programs like Birthright to explain why our concerns matter. Others honored at the JCPA Plenum include Atlanta leaders Leon Goldstein, Melanie Nelkin, and Lois Frank who were each recognized with the Tikkun Olam Award for their lifetime of work making the world a better place. The delegates also voted to ap prove new policies on human traf ficking, the minimum wage, reproductive rights, inclusion and disabilities, international LGBT discrimination, and increasing government support for public higher education. JCPA, the public affairs arm of the organized Jewish community, serves as the national coordinating and advisory body for the 14 na tional and 125 local agencies comprising the field of Jewish community relations. ^ JEWISH COUNCIL LOR PUBLIC ALLAIRS Thank You Legacy Donors The following individuals/families are in the Book of Life Society and have granted us permission to share with you that Levine Jewish Community Center has been included as a beneficiary of their legacy gift. Lev n e Charlotte tefish community PARTNER Anonymous* Wilma and Gerson Asrael Judy and Stan August Michele and Harvey Barer Meredith and Michael Baumstein Brian and Glenda Bernhardt Phil Berman Andrew and Elka Bernstein Suly and Richard Chenkin David Cohen Andrea and George Cronson Gene and Deedee Daumit Jeremy and Andrea Davids Aleen and David Epstein Roni and Glenn Fishkin Bill and Patty Gorelick Anna Gunsher Jodie, Michael, Elyssa and Alex lagnocco Jaime and Elise Kosofsky Alison and Mark Lerner Eric Lerner Harry Lerner Julie Lerner Levine Leon and Sandra Levine Rose and Abe Luski Karen and Gary Maniloff Family Scott and Pamela Menaker Staci and Darren Mond Elsa and Martin Multer Mark and Harriet Perlin Ilya and Chantal Rubin Michael Scharf Larry Schwartz Melvin Segal Eric and Lori Levine Sklut Jonathan and Stephanie Simon Bob and Carol Speizman David and Debra Van Glish * Donors who wish to remain anonymous FCjfc FOUNDATION/ortfce CHARLOTTE JEWISH COMMUNITY 704.973.4544 charlottejewishfoundation.org A supporting organization of Foundation For The Caroiinas LIFEfe^ LEGACy, Assuring JEWISH TOMORROWS HAKOLD OKINSAOON FOUNDATION iLi.
The Charlotte Jewish News (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 1, 2014, edition 1
27
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75