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AJC 103rd Annual Meeting – May 6-8, 2009 – Washington, DC
Under Secretary of the Treasury Stuart Levey is coming. Are you?
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AJC Meets Argentine President in Buenos Aires

An AJC leadership delegation, led by AJC President Richard J. Sideman, met with Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. The hour-long conversation addressed Iran's continuing efforts to expand its influence in Latin America, protection of human rights in the region, treatment of Israel at the UN, prospects for Middle East peace, and Argentina’s ongoing efforts to bring to justice those responsible for the 1994 bombing of AMIA. The AJC group also met with Justice Minister Anibal Fernandez; Special Prosecutor Alberto Nisman, who leads the AMIA investigation; the U.S. and Israeli

ambassadors to Argentina; and Argentine Jewish leaders. Dina Siegel Vann, director of AJC's Latino and Latin American Institute, discussed the prevention of terrorism in Latin America in an address, in Spanish, before a prestigious audience of 250 people at the Argentine Senate. READ NEWS RELEASE.

Responding to the Terror Massacre in Mumbai

AJC worked around the clock, during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, to deal with the consequences of the three-day terror outrage in Mumbai. AJC expressed grief and outrage over the Mumbai terror attacks, the murder of nearly 200, including Rabbi Gavriel and Rivkah Holtzberg, who ran the Chabad House. "This is India's 9/11 and should serve as another wake-up call for the world," David Harris. READ STATEMENT. AJC sent a letter of solidarity to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as soon as the first report of the attacks came out. READ LETTER. David Harris devoted his national radio commentary on the CBS radio network to Mumbai, saying “These murderers are kinsmen of those who killed in New York, London, Madrid, Istanbul, Jerusalem and many other places.” LISTEN. AJC’s representative in India, Priya Tandon, provided round-the-clock email and telephone updates, and Jim Busis, director of AJC’s Asia Pacific Institute, gave regular reports. AJC has longstanding relationships with the government and people of India and the Indian-American community, through our office in Mumbai and our network of offices across the U.S. AJC also made a donation to IsrAid, the Israeli humanitarian relief organization that already is on the ground in Mumbai providing assistance..

Hosting Mumbai Memorials

AJC’s Houston Chapter hosted a solidarity briefing with the Indian and Jewish communities. Speakers included the consuls general of India and Israel, and representative of the Chabad House and India House. The Houston event received extensive media coverage, including on NPR. The New York and Washington, D.C. Chapters are planning similar events tomorrow.

AJC Jewish IQ Quiz: Jews and India

The targeting of a Jewish communal center during last week's terror attacks in Mumbai placed Jews in India in an unwelcome spotlight. Learn more in this week's Jewish IQ Quiz on India. TAKE QUIZ. For last week’s answers click HERE. To see all previous quizzes click HERE.

AJC Mideast Briefing: The Meaning of the Mumbai Massacre

READ BRIEFING.

AJC Impact: Project Interchange Construction Mission

A Project Interchange educational seminar for U.S. construction executives three years ago has yielded a major joint U.S.-Israel project in the Negev. The head of the Los Angeles-based firm KUD International was a participant and recently signed a deal with Israeli partner to build a new technology park on the campus of Ben-Gurion University. Robert S. Peckar, vice-chair of Project Interchange, arranged the trip and was interviewed by Israel21c. READ INTERVIEW.

AJC Cautions Croatia on Iran

In a letter to Croatian President Stjepan Mesi_, AJC respectfully urge that Croatia give due consideration to Iran’s irresponsible behavior when a senior official of Iran’s Foreign Ministry visits Zagreb this month. “We believe that the Euro-Atlantic community of nations and values should stand together, sending a clear message to Tehran that its nuclear and missile activities, human rights violations, and anti-Semitic rhetoric prevent ‘business as usual.’” wrote AJC.

AJC Chapters Host America’s Table Events

The annual pre-Thanksgiving gathering of ethnic and faith leaders of diverse communities took place in a number of Chapters, including Arizona, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Houston, Miami and New York. The events are based on America’s Table: A Thanksgiving Reader, the centerpiece of AJC’s national campaign to recognize Thanksgiving as a day for Americans to celebrate their diverse roots – and their shared identity.

NY Governor Praises America’s Table

New York Governor David A. Paterson, in a letter to AJC, praised the latest edition of America’s Table. “It was indeed a privilege to be featured in America’s Table four years ago,” wrote Paterson. “The excellent team at America’s Table has maintained its dedication to encouraging celebration of our Nation’s great diversity, and to promoting mutual respect and understanding within our various communities.”

Seattle Chapter Honors Deborah Rosen

Deborah Rosen, longtime member of AJC’s Board of Governors and former president of the Seattle Chapter, will receive the AJC Distinguished Leadership Award at a gala, sold-out dinner in Seattle tonight. Rabbi David Rosen, AJC’s international director of interreligious affairs, will be the keynote speaker.

In The Media

The Los Angeles Times quoted Eran Lerman, director of AJC’s Israel/Middle East Office, on President-elect Obama’s choice of Sen. Hillary Clinton as secretary of state.

The Economist quoted UN Watch director Hillel Neuer on the Durban Review Conference.

The Houston Chronicle published a letter from AJC Houston Chapter President Tracy Stein on Mumbai.

JTA quoted Jason Isaacson, AJC’s director of government and international affairs, on Mumbai.

Haaretz quoted Rabbi David Rosen, AJC’s international director of interreligious affairs, on the possible visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Israel in May 2009.

The New York Jewish Week extensively quoted Deidre Berger, director of AJC Berlin, in a story on Jewish-Muslim relations in Berlin. The reporter visited Germany on a recent AJC ACCESS trip.

Standpoint Magazine (London) published an article by Emanuele Ottolenghi, director of AJC’s Transatlantic Institute, on President-elect Obama’s Middle East policy. READ.