January 24, 2019 — Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors and the American Jewish Committee (AJC) are partnering to further enhance U.S.-Israel ties at the municipal level across the country.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed today by AJC CEO David Harris and U.S. Conference of Mayors leaders, including Mayor Stephen K. Benjamin, President; Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director; and Mayor Nan Whaley, Chair of the International Relations Committee.
The highlight of the MOU is an annual delegation to Israel. Participating mayors will be chosen by the Conference and AJC’s Project Interchange.
“Through our 22 regional offices across the U.S., we’ve worked closely over decades with mayors and other municipal leaders on many issues of shared concern,” said Harris. “Mayors are often on the front lines in seeking pragmatic solutions to a range of challenges. These visits to Israel will be designed for mayors to meet their counterparts in Israel, who are often engaged in the same kind of problem-solving, often with innovative and cost-efficient answers.
The MOU signing took place during the mayors’ annual meeting, in Washington, D.C.
In May 2018 and September 2017, bipartisan delegations of U.S. mayors, organized by AJC Project Interchange, visited Israel. They were the latest mayoral visits to Israel with AJC. The new MOU formalizes and expands this cooperation.
