03/13/2010 - 9:00am
The 2010 Israel Symposium
March 13-20, 2010
Presented by Meretz USA and the World Union of Meretz

The Israel Symposium is an intense one-week trip to Israel that allows participants to meet, learn from and build bridges with progressive Israelis, Jewish and Arab.

01/21/2010 - 12:00pm

Join us by conference call on Thursday, January 21 at 12 noon Eastern time (9 am Pacific) as "Women of the Wall" (WOW) Chairwoman Anat Hoffman discusses the Israeli authorities' recent clampdown on her group's prayer activities at the Western Wall.

Following the detention of WOW member Nofrat Frenkel on November 18, and her own interrogation by the Israel Police on January 5, Hoffman will explain her group's cause, offer her impressions as to why the police have chosen to step up the pressure on WOW, and discuss what Jews around the world can do to help.

(Ms. Hoffman suggests that, if possible, participants view a 5 minute clip from the documentary "Praying In Her Own Voice", directed by Yael Katzir. Click here to watch.)

12/04/2009 - 8:00am

Please join us for a breakfast program:

Promoting Peace Between Israel and Palestine

with special guest:

Ambassador Philip Wilcox

Distinguished U.S. Diplomat (ret.) & President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace

Friday, December 4, 2009, 8:00 a.m.

Factor's Deli - Private Back Room
9420 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles 90035

Bagel Breakfast - $10 (pay at door)

RSVP to apnwest@peacenow.org or 323-934-3480

Ambassador Wilcox served 31 distinguished years as a U.S. diplomat, many of then related to Israel, Palestine, and the Middle East. Ambassador Wilcox was head of the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem, Director for Israeli and Arab-Israeli Affairs and as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Middle Eastern Affairs, and Ambassador at Large and Coordinator for Counter Terrorism.

11/16/2009 - 8:30am

Join us for a Breakfast and Discussion with

Dan Fleshler: Transforming

America's Israel Lobby

Monday, November 16, 8:30 a.m.
Jerry's Famous Deli
10925 Weyburn Ave., 2nd Floor Meeting Rm.
Westwood Village

RSVP to apnwest@peacenow.org or 323-934-3480

Cost - $15 (includes breakfast buffet)

 

 

Dan Fleshler is a media and public affairs strategist based in New York whose recent book, Transforming America's Israel Lobby: The Limits of Its Power and the Potential for Change, offers insight into the shifts taking place in the pro-Israel American Jewish community, including growing dissent against what he calls the "conventional Israel lobby." He is on the Advisory Council of the new lobbying group, J Street, and a Board Member of Americans for Peace Now and Ameinu.

Former Ambassador to Israel Samuel Lewis has written that Fleshler's book "dispels many myths while facing squarely some perennial dilemmas faced by peace-seeking American Jews, and outlines a pro-peace, pro-Israeli, pro Palestinian and pro-American road forward for them to take." A leading analyst and adviser on the pro-Israel left, Mr. Fleshler will share his thoughts about the prospects for peace and the role of the American Jewish community in bringing it about.

Sponsors: Ameinu, Americans for Peace Now, J Street, Meretz USA, New Israel Fund, Workmen's Circle (Arbeter Ring)

11/15/2009 - 5:00pm

11/03/2009 - 7:30pmJoin us for a program with a very special guest from Israel

Yariv Oppenheimer
General Director of Shalom Achshav (Peace Now, Israel)

 

Yariv Oppenheimer speaking at a rally in Tel Aviv - 1/10/09

Fourteen Years After:
Working to Fulfill the Peace Legacy of Yitzhak Rabin

Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 7:30 P.M.

Westside Jewish Community Center
5870 W. Olympic Blvd., L.A.
(A few blocks east of Fairfax Ave; park on street or in back lot accessible via little San Vicente Blvd.)

RSVP to meretzusa.la@gmail.com

$10 Suggested Donation At The Door
(No one will be turned away)

Sponsored by Americans for Peace Now
Co- Sponsored by Meretz USA, J Street, Ameinu, New Israel Fund, and 
Workmen's Circle

________________________________________________
On November 4th, 1995, Yariv Oppenheimer stood among hundreds of thousands at a peace rally coordinated by Peace Now in what was then called Kings of Israel Square in Tel Aviv. Eighteen years old and recently inducted in the Israeli Army, Yariv watched as Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin climbed the stairs and gave a stirring speech for peace. Without ever imagining what would happen next, Yariv left for an event with his army unit and in the car heard the shocking news that Yitzhak Rabin had been killed at gunpoint by someone bent on preventing his efforts for peace to succeed.

Yariv says "that night made me more committed and eager to continue my activity and to fight for peace." Fourteen years later, he leads the Peace Now movement, coordinator of that fateful 1995 rally.

Yariv Oppenheimer, born in Tel Aviv in 1976, is the General Director and Spokesperson of Shalom Achshav (Peace Now, Israel), the largest grassroots movement in Israeli history. He is a leading political figure and activist who is regularly cited in the Israeli and world press, and is a frequent interviewee on radio and television broadcasts. Oppenheimer was Commander of New Recruits in the Israeli Defense Forces (1995-98), Youth Department Director of the Israeli Labour Party (1998-2002), and has a Law & Public Policy Degree from the College of Interdisciplinary Center of Learning in Herzliya, Israel.

 

 

 

 

10/29/2009 - 8:00amJoin the New Israel Fund and Susan Lebow on Thursday, October 29, 2009 to meet Shira Ben-Sasson Furstenberg, Religious Pluralism Coordinator at Shatil (NIF's action arm), and learn about what is happening today to create a more pluralistic and tolerant Israel

 

Loosening the Grip: How are Israelis combating the ultra-Orthodox hold on Israel?

Despite their minority status, Israel's ultra-Orthodox wield immense control over what it means to be Jewish in Israel:

• Gender-segregated public bus lines, in which women are forced to sit at the back of the bus
• De-facto segregation of Ethiopian and Mizrachi students in some government-funded Orthodox schools
• Denial of marriage, burial and other personal rights to those who can't prove their Jewish status

WHAT: Breakfast and Discussion with Shira
Ben-Sasson Furstenberg

WHEN: Thursday, October 29, 2009 at
8:00 am

WHERE: The home of Susan Lebow
12837 Highwood St
Los Angeles, CA 90049

RSVP: meretzusa.la@gmail.com

Shira Ben-Sasson Furstenberg's work as NIF's Religious Pluralism Coordinator focuses on promoting Jewish Pluralism in Israel, struggling for 'freedom of' and 'freedom from' Religion. Born and raised in a liberal Orthodox family in Jerusalem, Shira was an officer in the IDF and received her BA and MA in cultural anthropology from the Hebrew University. Prior to joining Shatil, she worked for five years in the Knesset Research and Information Center, focusing on education and culture. She is married to Yair, currently a Tikva fellow at Princeton University, working on his PHD in Talmud and classics; they have two sons and a daughter.

Co-Sponsored by Meretz USA and Americans for Peace Now

 

10/25/2009 - 9:00am

Join Meretz USA at JStreet's first National Conference

10/24/2009 - 12:45pm

Event with Akiva Eldar

Saturday, October 24 at 12:45pm

at Congregation Beth Elohim
Eighth Avenue & Garfield Place,
Park Slope, Brooklyn

*Light lunch will be served

This event is sponsored by the New Israel Fund

and Co-sponsored by: Congregation Beth Elohim, Meretz USA, APN, Brit Tzdek, and J-Street

 

Biography
_____________________________________
Akiva Eldar is currently a chief political columnist and editorial writer for the prestigious Israeli national daily Ha'aretz. His columns also appear regularly in the Ha'aretz-Herald Tribune edition. In May 2006 The Financial Times selected him among the most prominent and influential commentators in the world," whose comments inspire callers from across the political spectrum".

Mr. Eldar was previously (1993-1996) the Ha'aretz US Bureau Chief and Washington correspondent, covering the Peace Process, US-Israel relations, American issues and Israel-Diaspora relations. Prior to this post, Mr. Eldar was for ten years (1983-1993) the diplomatic correspondent for Ha'aretz and its municipal correspondent covering Jerusalem (1978-1983). Before joining Ha'aretz he was a reporter and an editor at the Israeli Public Radio (1974-1978) and served as spokesperson for former Mayor of Jerusalem, Teddy Kollek (1972-1974).

Mr. Eldar's book "The ambush on Jerusalem", on US-Israel-Jewish community relations, was Published (November 2002) by "The Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies". His last book ( with Prof. Idith Zertal) ,"lords of the land", on the Jewish settlements in the West bank was in 2005 on the best sellers list in Israel and was published in 2007 in English
(Nation Books) and German (DVA). In 2007 he received the annual "Search for Common Ground" award for Middle East journalism.

Mr. Eldar was a special consultant to Abba Eban's PBS television documentaries on the history of Israel and the Oslo peace initiative. He is regularly interviewed by major television and radio networks in the US, Canada, Australia, Europe and Israel. He appeared many times on news programs such as Nightline, The Lehrer Show, Charlie Roze Show, CNN News and CBS Morning News, current affair programs on Israeli television, as well as NPR talk shows.

Mr. Eldar contributes to the op-ed pages of The New York Times, LA Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The International Herald Tribune and The New York Jewish Week. During his stay in the US Mr. Eldar lectured extensively for the Jewish community and on campuses throughout the US, Canada and Australia. He participated in various Israeli-Arab-European seminars.

Mr. Eldar is the chairman of Ramat-Gan College as well as the Amos Ganor Fund, which promotes Israeli-Palestinian Relations and the friendship between Israel and Japan.

Mr. Eldar was born in Haifa, Israel in 1945. He graduated from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he majored in Economics, Political Science and Psychology.

10/21/2009 - 7:00pm

RSVPs should be made to meretzusa.la@gmail.com

Co-sponsored by:
Ameinu http://ameinu.net/, Americans for Peace Now www.peacenow.org, Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring www.circlesocal.org/, J Street www.jstreet.org

BIOGRAPHY
---------------------------------------------------

Gershon Baskin, born and raised in the US, is now a veteran Israeli peacemaker.  He is the Israeli CEO of the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI), a joint Israeli-Palestinian public policy research think-tank working on issues in conflict between the sides, which he founded in 1988.

Previously he founded and directed the Institute for Education for Jewish-Arab Coexistence, which was affiliated with the Israeli Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Education.  He served for 20 years (reserves) in the IDF College for the Education of Officers where he lectured on Israeli and Palestinian society and politics. 

Gershon is an expert on almost all aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and peace process.  He also writes a regular column in the Jerusalem Post, called "Encountering Peace".  All of his columns can be read on the IPCRI website at http://www.ipcri.org/files/whatsnew.html

 

Read Gershon's full CV:
http://www.ipcri.org/files/gbcv.html

09/14/2009 - 7:00pm

Pro-active Humanist Zionism Now!

Challenging American and Israeli Jews to make a better Israel

featuring special guest:
Leah Shakdiel

During the Gaza War of last winter, Leah Shakdiel, a modern orthodox woman, peace activst and feminist was arrested with others during a vigil protesting the violence and killing on both sides. The Israeli government put her under house arrest and through these actions threatened her political freedoms of speech, assembly, and organizing.

Through teaching and continued activist work with Israeli Human Rights NGOs like Machsom Watch, Mirkam Azori, Darom4Peace, and Rabbis for Human Rights, Leah works tirelessly to bring the values of peace, equality, human rights, and social justice to the next generation of Israelis.

09/11/2009 - 8:30am Meretz USA is very pleased to join with other groups in Co-Sponsoring a program featuring special guests from Washington, D.C. and Israel.
 
 
Friday, September 11, 2009, 8:30 a.m.
(note the time is 1/2 hour later than our usual start)
 
Institute of Jewish Education - Library
8339 W. 3rd Street, Los Angeles
(at the corner of N. Flores St., several blocks east of La Cienega / Use parking lot or street parking)
 
$10 - Includes Bagel Breakfast (pay at the door)
 
RSVP to meretzusa.la@gmail.com or 310/600-7232
 
 
------------------------------
 
SPEAKER BIOS
 
Ambassador Colette Avital was born in Rumania and immigrated to Israel at the age of 10.  After her army service she joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, while still completing her BA in Political Science and English Literature at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.  She subsequently held a variety of key Foreign Ministry posts and led the Ministry's efforts to upgrade the status of women in Diplomatic Service.  Ambassador Avital's distinguished record of foreign postings includes Montreal (as Chancelor) Brussels (Press and Cultural Attache) Paris (as Minister-Counselor) Boston (Consul) and Lisbon (as Ambassador). 
 
In 1992 Ambassador Avital was appointed Consul General of Israel in New-York, the highest position attained by a woman in the Foreign Service.
 
Ambassador Avital turned to politics and was elected to the Israeli Knesset from the Labor Party in 1999, serving as Chairperson on several committees and as Deputy Speaker in the 17th Knesset. 
 
She has been awarded the Palmes Academiques and subsequently La Legion d"honneur by the French Government; the Cavaliere del'ordine della
Republica by the Italian Government and the National Order for Merit with the rank of High Officer by the Rumanian Government.
 
Currently Ambassador Avital serves as Director General of the Berl Katznelson Foundation's Ideological and EducationalCenter; as International Secretary of the Israel Labour Party, and as Senior Advisor to JStreet.
 
Jeremy Ben-Ami is Executive Director of J Street and JStreetPAC, the political voice of the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement.  He has nearly twenty-five years of experience in government, politics and communications, in the United States and internationally, including numerous political campaigns.  In 2003-4, he was Policy Director for Howard Dean's presidential campaign; in 2001, he was one of the managers of Mark Green's Mayoral campaign in New York City; and, from 1992 through 1996, he worked for former President Bill Clinton, serving for two years as the President's Deputy Domestic Policy Advisor.
 
Ben-Ami has also been actively involved in Israeli politics and communications. In 1998, he started a consulting firm in Israel which worked with Israeli non-profit organizations and politicians.  He also has served as Director of Communications and Regional Director in New York for the New Israel Fund, a foundation supporting civil rights, social justice and religious pluralism in Israel and is on the Board of Americans for Peace Now.
   
Ben-Ami was most recently Senior Vice President of Fenton Communications, a public interest communications firm, and he spent eight years early in his career in New York City government and politics for Mayors Dinkins and Koch, primarily in the field of homeless housing. Ben-Ami received a law degree from New York University and is a graduate of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Relations at Princeton University.
 
J Street is the political arm of the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement and seeks to change the direction of American policy in the Middle East and to broaden the public and policy debate in the U.S. about the Middle East. J Street supports strong American Leadership to end the Arab-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli conflicts peacefully and diplomatically

08/18/2009 - 8:00am

Meretz USA and Americans for Peace Now are very pleased to invite you to a Breakfast & Briefing in Los Angeles:

From the Mouths of Presidents,
Prime Ministers, and Kings...

Challenges and Opportunities Facing President Obama, the Israelis, Palestinians, and Arab States

featuring special guest:

Professor Mark Rosenblum

 

Queens College Historian - Director of the Center for Jewish Studies, Michael Harrington Center for Democratic Values and Social Change, and the Center for Ethical and Racial Understanding Centers; founder of Americans for Peace Now

RSVPs should be made to:

meretzusa.la@gmail.com or 310/600-7232.

As part of his years of work for Israel and Middle East peace, Professor Rosenblum has met with the past six Presidents of the United States, and last month traveled to Israel, Syria, the West Bank and Gaza, and Jordan, where he met Prime Minister Netanyahu, King Abdullah II, President Mahmoud Abbas, and Syrian cabinet members and Foreign Ministry officials.We hope you will attend the Breakfast & Briefing to take advantage of this special opportunity.

 

For more about Professor Mark Rosenblum - click here

06/15/2009 - 7:30pm

Theodore Bikel: The First 85 Years
85th Birthday Celebration with Friends and Colleagues

Together with colleagues and friends, the Juvenile Law Center is celebrating Theo Bikel's 85th birthday at Carnegie Hall on June 15.  100% of proceeds go to the Juvenile Law Center.

Click here for more information.

Here is a statement from Meretz USA chair, Theo Bikel, in support of the event:

"Throughout my life I have cared as deeply about the songs of all peoples as I have about the rights of all peoples. I have always striven to raise the voice of hope for a world where hate gives way to respect and oppression to liberation. I know only too well that we live in a world of guns, bombs and terror. To conquer hate seems a nigh-impossible task. But I prefer to make common cause with those whose weapons are guitars, banjos, fiddles and words."

 

 

06/09/2009 - 6:30pm

 

Obama, Cairo and the Middle East:
A Discussion with Amb. Philip Wilcox, President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace

Join us on Tuesday, June 9th at 6:30 PM, as Ambassador (ret.) Philip Wilcox, President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, discusses the Israel-Arab conflict in the wake of Barack Obama's June 4 Cairo address.