(914) 948-5585
Westchester@AJC.org
Scott Richman, Executive Director
Jill Friedman, Associate Director
Valencia Latty Wynter, Office Administrator
Marvin Israelow, Chapter President
Candy Gould, Chapter President-Elect
If you would like information on the Westchester Chapter, please e-mail Associate Director Jill Friedman at FriedmanJ@AJC.org.
SOLD OUT with over 400 attendees!
Third Annual Israel...New Perspectives Gala
 Thank you to the more than 400 people who made the third annual Israel ... New Perspectives Gala honoring AJC National Executive Director David Harris for 25 years a spectacular success. Those attending on Thursday, June 4th heard four leading Israeli ambassadors from the around the world speak about the challenges and opportunities facing Israeli diplomacy today, as follows:
The United Nations Gabriela Shalev
The Federal Republic of Germany Yoram Ben-Zeev
The United Kingdom Ron Prosor
The Republic of India Mark Sofer
New Westchester Director Profiled in Westchester Jewish Life
Scott Richman, The new Director of the Westchester Chapter of the American Jewish Committee was profiled in the latest issue of "Westchester Jewish Life." Click here to view a PDF of the article.
RECENT EVENTS
Chapter Annual Meeting
 Thank you to all those who attended the AJC-Westchester Chapter Annual Meeting, during which we reviewed the many exciting programs of the past year, expressed gratitude to our outgoing Board, welcomed new Board Members and heard an inspiring and informative presentation by Czech Consul General Eliska Zigova. A special thank you to outgoing Chapter President Marvin Israelow and mazal tov to incoming President Candy Gould. Click here to see the full list of 88 Board Members, the largest Board this Chapter has ever had! This event took place on Monday, June 15th at the Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale. Enjoy these photos from the evening.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand Visits Westchester
On Sunday, June 14th, AJC-Westchester co-sponsored United States Senator Gillibrand first visit with the Westchester Jewish community. She was joined by Congressman Elliot Engel, John Hall, and Nita Lowey. She answered questions relating to domestic and international issues.
AJC-Westchester was pleased to co-sponsor this program at the Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale with the Westchester Jewish Conference.
Salute to Israel Parade
Some 250 AJC supporters and staff from around the metropolitan New York area proudly marched in the Salute to Israel Parade on Sunday, May 31st in honor of Israel's 61st Independence Day and Tel Aviv's 100th Anniversary. Click here to see photos of AJC-Westchester participants.
Mazal Tov
Mazal tov to immediate Past Chapter President Harriet Schleifer. On May 13th, the Westchester Jewish Conference bestowed upon her a Julian Y. Bernstein Distinguished Service award for her outstanding leadership of our Chapter. We are also very proud that fellow Board Member Mona Abramson received an award for her volunteer work. Mazal Tov! Click here for a list of all the honorees.
Does our Unity Still Outweigh our Divisions
 AJC-Westchester held a very special Interdenominational Panel Discussion on April 30th featuring local Rabbis from across the denominational spectrum:
1. Reconstructionist - Rabbi Les Bronstein, Bet Am Shalom
2. Reform - Rabbi Richard Jacobs, Westchester Reform Temple (filling in for Rabbi Shira Milgrom, Congregation Kol Ami)
3. Conservative - Rabbi Jeff Segelman, Westchester Jewish Center
4. Orthodox - Rabbi David Israel, Bi-Cultural Day School
Thank you to the nearly one hundred people who filled Congregation Kol Ami for what we hope is the start of a valuable community discussion.
View Photos from this event!
An Evening with Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish
On April 29th, the members of the Diplomatic Outreach and Interfaith Committees met with Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish at the home of Chapter President Marvin Israelow.
Dr. Abuelaish is a 54-year-old Palestinian obstetrician from Gaza who trained in Israel and has a master's degree from Harvard University. He is a moderate Muslim voice who has worked for years building bridges with Israelis. An Israeli medical colleague recently depicted him as a “magical, secret bridge between Israelis and Palestinians.”
Throughout Israel’s operation in Gaza last January, Abuelaish was frequently interviewed on Israeli radio and television stations, putting a human face on the suffering of civilians caught in the crossfire between Israeli soldiers and Hamas guerillas. Unfortunately, during the Gaza conflict in January, three of his daughters were killed, when an Israeli tank shattered their home. He has five remaining children. The drama that followed was broadcast live on Israeli television, bringing home the toll that the Gaza war was taking on Gaza’s civilian population. Israelis heard Abuelaish pleading over the phone with his friend, Channel 10’s Shlomi Eldar, to arrange for ambulances to reach his home. The broken voice of a man of peace who had just lost three daughters is etched in the minds of many in Israel and around the world.
He believes that this happened for a reason and seeks to channel the sympathetic feelings that people are now sending his way in positive and constructive directions towards promoting peace in the region. Abuelaish believes that that “the Hippocratic Oath goes beyond the stethoscope and the syringe. It is a solemn oath to heal the wounds of humanity.”
During a visit to Belgium last month, he was offered honorary citizenship and met several times with the President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering of Germany. Following that, he was nominated for this year’s 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. Click here to hear an interview with him on NPR.
As Dr. Abuelaish was concluding the evening, he remarked that as a doctor, he "does not lose hope until the patient is dead. The prospect for peace between Palestinians and Israelis is not dead, and I have great hope for the future," he remarked. The following morning, he met with Special Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell in an effort to act on that hope.
View pictures from this special evening with a very unique man
Israel Memorial Day/Independence Day Event
AJC and over Jewish 110 organizations partnered to create the 7th Annual Yom Hazikaron Memorial Ceremony/Yom Ha'atzmaut Celebration, the largest event of its kind outside of Israel. This year's communal event will took place aboard the historic Intrepid on Tuesday, April 28th, and more than 3,000 people attended!
Yom Hashoah Commemoration
AJC was honored to co-sponsor this year's Westchester County Holocaust Commemoration, which took place at the Hebrew Institute of White Plains, from 1:30-3:00 pm on Sunday, April 19th. Hon. Noam Bramson, the Mayor of New Rochelle, was the keynote speaker. The inspirational commemoration program included a children's choir, elected officials, guest speakers including Bielski Brigade descendant Alan Bell (from the film Defiance), and a moving ceremony that included Holocaust survivors and their families. Click here for more details.
Westchester Jewish Film Festival
March 12 - April 2, 2009
at the Jacob Burns Film Center
Thank you to all who made the eighth annual Westchester Jewish Film Festival at the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville the best one yet. Nearly 30 films were showcased that reflect the culture and rich diversity of the Jewish experience. Click here to see photos from the Festival, here to read the article about the Festival in "The Scarsdale Inquirer," and here to read the article in "The Jewish Week."
AJC-Westchester was proud to offer very exciting programs in connection with several of the films that highlight important issues in the Jewish world in keeping with our three-part mission to safeguard the Jewish community, promote pluralism and enhance Jewish life through a strong connection to Israel. American Jewish Committee is proud to once again be the major sponsor of this exciting and enriching program for the County, with the support of 24 Jewish communal partners.
Jewish Jesus, Christian Christ
Thank you to the 150 people who packed Spellman Hall at Iona College last Thursday, March 5th for a fascinating discussion of Jesus from the Jewish and Christian Perspectives. As part of the "Shared Roots, Divergent Paths Series" carried out with Iona College, Rabbi David Sandmel and Reverent Peter Pettit offered very interesting insights and engaged the audience in a serious discussion of the topic. Click here to view photos from this event.
AJC-Westchester is proud to say that this year marks the 10th anniversary of this important interfaith series. Click here for a list of all of the events over the 10 years.
Who We Are
Counting over 1,000 member families and supporters, our Chapter's mission, consistent with AJC's national agenda, is to serve as a voice of conscience and activism on behalf of Israel's security and the well-being of Jewish communities at home and abroad through building strong intergroup relations and reinforcing democratic principles. Ensuring that tolerance and pluralism are well-woven into the fabric of our community's life by supporting the civil and human rights of all residents of the county, and combating bigotry in all of its manifestations underpins all our activities. At the core of all our associations and activities within and beyond the Jewish world is a dedication, both visionary and pragmatic, to the welfare of the Jewish people and our traditions of social activism and justice.
In order to act on these commitments, we:
- build partnerships and coalitions across the spectrum of racial, religious, and ethnic groups in the county to serve mutual concerns;
- develop programs to educate and inform our members, the Jewish community, and the general public;
- distribute AJC's materials and research publications to inform and promote our issues; and
- advocate publicly for our positions at local, state, and national levels.
If you care about the welfare of the Jewish community and Israel, become a member of the Westchester Chapter of AJC by contacting our office (see telephone number above.)
Ways to Become Involved in AJC-Westchester
The AJC-Westchapter Chapter prides itself on its many activities through which members can connect to the exciting work being carried out by the American Jewish Committee at the local, national and international level. Below is a sampling of our Committees and the exciting work that they carry out.
DEVELOPMENT
Mission: To raise funds and identify, cultivate and empower lay leadership at the Westchester Chapter level to support AJC activities. Fundraising and leadership development are accomplished through a variety of programming and direct solicitation efforts.
Background: Given the threat of terrorism, the emergence of global powers, the enormous challenges to Israel’s continued existence as a Jewish state, the need to safeguard the wellbeing of Jews through the world as well as protect the rights of all people, AJC’s mission has never been more important. AJC depends solely on the community’s financial support in order to carry out its crucial work. Over 75% of AJC’s income is raised through its annual campaign. Membership dues and other income provide only 22% of our budget.
Recent & Upcoming Activities:
- Direct solicitation by every board member
- Arranging intimate private dinners and parlor meetings that bring together world class influential speakers with potential Westchester AJC leaders.
- Town Hall Meeting on November 13, 2008 featuring national correspondent for The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg speaking on the topic of “Middle East Policy and the new U.S. administration.”
- Community-wide program on November 23, 2008 with former Turkish U.N. Ambassador Mustafa Aksin and Naim Güleryüz, Curator for the Jewish Museum of Turkey.
- Westchester Celebrates Jewish Film 2009 at the Jacob Burns Film Center, March 12-April 2, 2009
- Israel….New Perspectives University for a Night/Gala Dinner, June 4, 2009 at the Rye Town Hilton
DIPLOMATIC OUTREACH - INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS*
Mission: To advocate for Israel’s security and status at the UN, and promote American values of democracy and pluralism in order to safeguard Jews around the world. The Chapter, situated in close proximity to N.Y.C.’s consulates and U.N. missions, extends its diplomatic hand to a number of countries to improve our relationship and build understanding on issues of concern to the Jewish community. The chapter is responsible for diplomatic outreach to the following countries: Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Qatar, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and Ukraine.
Recent & Upcoming Events:
- Private meetings with New York diplomats to discuss their country’s Jewish population and bilateral and multilateral relationships with Israel at their offices, AJC’s national office and at leaders’ homes.
- Annual Diplomatic Seder and Diplomatic Tour of Jewish New York
*We ask that Diplomatic Outreach Committee members also participate in one other chapter committee.
DOMESTIC POLICY
Mission: To advocate for and promote public policies that help strengthen American democracy and pluralism, such as immigration reform, the separation of Church and State, public education and eradicating hate crimes. The committee also responds to requests from the agency’s national board of governors for input on AJC policy statements and joins with our ethnic and faith partners to advocate on issues of common interest.
Recent & Upcoming Activities:
- Advocating for reform of the broken State Division of Human Rights with members of AJC’s New York State Advocacy Task Force and our faith-based and ethnic partners
- Recommendations to the Board of Governors on proposed AJC policy statements (such as immigration reform, due process and the filibuster)
ENERGY TASK FORCE
Mission: To advocate and lobby local, state, and federal legislators to promote energy independence from foreign oil and investment in renewable, alternative fuel sources. Encourage and promote public awareness of the issues involved
Recent & Upcoming Activities:
• Meetings with Westchester County Executive and key legislators to discuss ways to make Westchester less dependent on foreign energy sources, and ways to encourage the purchase of fuel-efficient vehicles
• Educating the community about the need for energy independence, and offering concrete steps to lessen our dependence on oil
• Participation in national Energy Freedom Summit in Chicago, October 24-25, 2008.
• Mini-Energy Summit at December 10, 2008 AJC Westchester chapter board meeting.
INTERETHNIC OUTREACH
Mission: To engage in active dialogue with representatives of various ethnic communities as a way of eradicating anti-Semitism, building trust through developing meaningful relationships, and identifying issues of common concern based on AJC’s domestic policy agenda
Recent & Upcoming Activities:
- Formation of the Latino & Jewish Alliance
- Participation in the Hispanic Heritage Festival
INTERRELIGIOUS OUTREACH
Mission: To build mutual understanding through dialogue among lay leaders and clergy from the Jewish community and other religious groups by identifying different viewpoints derived from religious beliefs and education and addressing those differences with respect and thoughtfulness; to seek out shared values and goals with the hope of reducing the tendency to resort to violence as a means to promote particular religious and cultural norms and encouraging a recognition of the importance of keeping religious observance separate from government power and politics; and ultimately to build a bulwark against outbreaks of anti-Semitism and religious hatred of any kind.
Recent & Upcoming Activities:
- Catholic-Jewish lecture series, Shared Roots, Divergent Paths at Iona College
- Facilitate meetings and programs of the Westchester Interreligious Clergy Network, comprised of local religious leaders of different faiths and identify areas of mutual interest and concern
- Organize educational sessions for Jews to learn about other faiths and practices from Christian ministers and leaders of other faiths, as well as offering similar Jewish education for congregants of those other faiths.
- Develop an interreligious event/celebration by bringing together clergy and lay leaders and congregants from various faith communities in order to
- discuss the unique journeys described in the texts and the history of each denomination;
- find themes of common inspiration in the stories of those journeys, such as oppression, freedom and redemption;
- design a new text including and commenting on those unique stories and universal values; and
- Invite our respective communities to join in shared reading of the text with music and food to be chosen by the group.
- The process will focus on building relationships of mutual support and confidence between Jews and members of other faiths so that participants are able to express differences and accept commonalities with openness and honesty.
FILM FESTIVAL
Mission: To educate County residents about the American Jewish Committee’s work and advocacy initiatives on behalf of Israel and the Jewish communities around the world through sponsorship and programming of the annual Westchester Celebrates Jewish Film Festival at the Jacob Burns Film Center (March 12-April 2, 2009). Use film festival as outreach for audience members to become active in AJC.
Recent & Upcoming Activities:
- Assist in identifying potential films for Westchester Celebrates Jewish Film. The festival is curated by the Jacob Burns Film Center.
- Attend film festivals in other cities to view films that would appeal to our audience and well as to promote the AJC message.
- Develop appropriate AJC programs, private dinners and receptions to accompany film screenings.
- Work with local synagogues to increase awareness of AJC and the festival.
Assist in raising funds required for AJC’s sponsorship of the festival.
ISRAEL NEW…PERSPECTIVES COMMITTEE
Mission: This is a five-year program designed to engage the Jewish and secular communities in multiple events and programs that emphasize Israel’s remarkable creativity, particularly in the high tech, artistic and health care fields. Israel…New Perspectives was launched in May 2007 with a spectacular, community-wide event, highlighting speakers on Israeli business, Israeli innovations in solar energy research and production, and Israeli culture and society. In the coming years, this committee will be developing new programs celebrating Israel’s creative accomplishments.
Recent and upcoming events:
- Our second annual "University for a night" dinner, in March 2008, followed the same, highly successful format as the first, focusing on the Negev Desert. Our speakers covered the topics of water research, archaeology and a center for pluralistic study.
- Our third annual event, scheduled for June 4, 2009 at the Rye Town Hilton, is in the early stages. The event will honor David Harris, AJC National Executive Director, and will include presentations by four high-ranking Israeli diplomats.
- Israel Votes: Challenges Ahead - A discussion with Dr. Boaz Shapira, Political Commentator for Israel Channel One on January 22nd, 2009.
- Etgar Keret - The acclaimed Israeli writer and filmmaker will speak as part of the Jewish Film Festival.
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