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Update On Preventing Jewish Genetic Diseases |
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JSPAN is a co-sponsor of the upcoming symposium "Healthy Generations: Mobilizing Our Community to Prevent Jewish Genetic Diseases," to be held on March 31. Please check the flyer below for more details.
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Cool Facts About Israel in Anticipation of its 60th Anniversary |
In 60 short years Israel has accomplished what many nations haven't been able to do in centuries. Click here to view a video which shares some COOL FACTS illustrating this message. You'll also recognize many familiar sites, as well as a lively musical accompaniment. ENJOY!
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The Anti-Israel Factor |
 M.J. Rosenberg, Director of the Israel Policy Forum's Washington Policy Center, speaks his mind very forcefully every week in his opinion column which appears in the IPF Friday newsletter. The February 2 issue is no exception: in "The Anti-Israel Factor", Mr. Rosenberg expresses great anger that "thus far, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has barely been mentioned by any of the candidates. .... Candidates fear to speak with any candor about Israel because they suspect .... that the only people paying attention to what they say will be zealots."
Mr. Rosenberg goes on to describe these zealots as "single-issue voter(s), ... would-be influence peddlers" who are only interested in hearing their candidates "mouth hawkish pieties and never ever .... indicate any sympathy for the Palestinians. Of course, these ritualistic endorsements of the status quo do nothing for either Israel or for the United States. Moreover, there is not a single candidate for President who does not know that the continuation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict grievously damages U.S. interests in the Middle East, including the security of Israel."
Another aspect of the campaign, the use of the Internet for "the delivery of disinformation, lies, and smears", is decried by Mr. Rosenberg. "The idea that these attacks are emanating from the lunatic fringe of the Jewish community - utterly unrepresentative of the community at large which remains as liberal as ever - is as ironic as it is troubling."
M.J. Rosenberg insists that candidates should be forthright in their support for a two-state solution to the conflict in the Middle East and must be willing to say publicly that "'peace between Israel and the Arabs will only be achieved by means of U.S. leadership and I intend to provide it.' ..... Americans need to know what a candidate would do to end a conflict that not only threatens Israel's survival but has harmed American interests throughout the world."
In March of 2007, the JSPAN Board of Directors voted in support of a resolution about the Israeli-Palestinian peace process which enunciates a two-state solution, with leadership toward this goal coming from the United States government. These are the same underlying principles that Mr. Rosenberg demands that the candidates express. Click here to read the JSPAN statement.
- To read M.J. Rosenberg's article in its entirety, click here.
- Members of the JSPAN Board were invited to express their views on this essay. Click here to access some of the Board comments.
- Do you want to add your thoughts? Click here.
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A Forum on Health Reform |
 The issue of health care reform is one of the most significant and complex in the upcoming election. Here is an opportunity to learn specifically about The Healthy Americans Act (S.334), a bill in the United States Congress that aims to fix the health care system by providing affordable guaranteed private health coverage and eliminating health care inefficiencies. This legislation requires each adult individual to have the opportunity to purchase a Healthy American Private Insurance Plan (HAPI).
On February 11, St Joseph's University is presenting a Forum on Health Reform. The two sponsors of The Healthy Americans Act in the Senate - Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Robert Bennett (R-UT) - will be part of a panel discussing the legislation, along with local, state and federal representatives. The forum will take place in the Teletorium on the university's campus at 5600 City Avenue in Philadelphia. There is no charge for this program. Following the discussion, panel members will speak with the local and national press about the health care industry and the challenges facing Pennsylvania and the nation.
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Hard Questions, Tough Answers |
 On January 30, the Winograd commission, whose mission it was to investigate the role that Israel's political and military leaders played during the 2006 Lebanon war with Hezbollah, released its report. The final report found "grave failings" among the leadership, but was not as harsh as had been expected in its specific evaluation of Prime Minister Olmert throughout the crisis.
Yossi Alpher, the former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University and co-founder and co-editor of the Israeli-Palestinian internet dialogue bitterlemons.org, has assessed the Winograd report for Americans for Peace Now and describes it as "balanced and fair and .... a classic model of national self-criticism." In conclusion, however, he raises the "one key question" which the report did not attempt to address: "why did Israel go to war on July 12 ,2006? Indeed, what are the criteria for deciding when to go to war? On this issue, as on many others involving the Olmert government's judgment during the war, the Winograd commission gave Olmert the benefit of the doubt."
To read Yossi Alpfer's analysis in its entirety, click here.
To read The New York Times article of January 31 about the report's release, click here.
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Mark Your Calendars: March 24/JSPAN |
 The Rev. Bill Gray, former member of the House of Representatives from Pennsylvania, and former Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Sandra Schultz Newman will be the guests of JSPAN for a stimulating discussion about "The Role of Religion in Political Campaigning," 7:30 P.M. on March 24 (location to be announced). Attorney Barry Ungar, a former JSPAN Board member, will moderate the program. Be sure to HOLD
THE DATE!
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Anti-Violence Initiative in Philadelphia |
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JSPAN applauds the work of St. Joseph's University's Institute for Violence Research and Prevention in addressing the root causes of the escalating violence in the city of Philadelphia, and urges our readers to attend the lecture described below.
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CeaseFirePA Needs Your Help |
 CeaseFirePA, the largest organization working to reduce gun violence injury and death in Pennsylvania, will begin conducting phone banks during the month of February. The purpose is to generate calls to members of the Pennsylvania House urging support of HB 29, the lost-stolen reporting requirement legislation. This bill requires the owner of a firearm to report its theft or loss within 24 hours of when the owner knew or should have known of the loss/theft. It also authorizes the state police to maintain a record of all guns reported lost or stolen.
The phone bank is taking place in Philadelphia. Volunteers to make these calls are urgently needed and greatly appreciated. If you can help, please contact Joe Grace at (215)923-3151.
JSPAN is a member of CeaseFirePa and urges everyone to join in this very important effort. To read more about HB 29, click here.
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Support JSPAN |
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 Please remember that JSPAN welcomes your donations to help us continue our important and effective work in Tikkun Olam. You may send gifts via PayPal on www.jspan.org. or to JSPAN, 1735 Market Street, Suite #A417, Philadelphia, PA 19103
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Want to Join?
To become a voting JSPAN member, please go to www.JSPAN.org. On the right side of your screen you will be able to start a secure transaction and become a voting member.
Make all checks payable to:
JSPAN
1735 Market Street, Suite #A417
Philadelphia, PA 19103
JSPAN Officers
Jeffrey Pasek
President
Kenneth Fox
Vice President
Kenneth Myers
Vice President
Joel Beaver
Treasurer
Stewart Weintraub
Secretary & General Counsel
Directors:
Susan Myers, Chair
Irwin Aronson
Deanne Comer
Hon. Ruth Damsker
Marshall Dayan
William Epstein
Helen Fox
Brian Gralnick
Rosalie Greenfield
Matzkin
Jerome Kaplan
Lazar Kleit
Judah Labovitz
Ruth Laibson
Rabbi Robert Layman
Spencer Lempert
Herb Levine
Theodore Mann
Norm Newberg
Ruth Perry
Adena Potok
Randy Schultz
Ruth Schulz
Daniel Segal
Burt Siegel
Jared Solomon
Rabbi David Straus
Alex Urevick-
Ackelsberg
Rabbi Avi Winokur
Executive Director:
Mort Levine
Editor:
Ruth Laibson
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