Join us to ask questions of our illustrious panel and to get your copy of "Ellery's Protest" autographed by Professor Solomon, Ellery Schempp and our own Ted Mann. You might also get to appear on Book TV!

On the occasion of Darfur Alert Coalition's third anniversary we invite you to "get on the bus" going to Washington, D.C., to keep the pressure on Sudan, China, and U.S. government officials to stop the genocide in Darfur.

On the weekend of International Human Rights Day, we will be participating in the final leg of the U.S. Olympic Torch Relay, organized by Dream for Darfur, which started in August on the border of Chad and Darfur. The Torch came through Philadelphia on October 7th and the international relay will conclude in mid-December on China’s border, as activists build pressure on China, the host country of the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Although the media may have moved on to other stories, the genocide in Darfur has not stopped . The government of Sudan, as well as their Chinese patrons, must understand that we have not forgotten the suffering of the people of Darfur. Please join activists from across the nation in rallying in Washington DC, Monday, December 10th, International Human Rights Day to express our deep concern for this ongoing human crisis. Busses will be leaving from Philadelphia at 6AM that Monday from Northeast Philadelphia - the corner of Bustleton & Hellerman.

Cost: $15 per person. We will provide snacks and drinks. Please bring your lunch.

Checks can be made out to the Darfur Alert Coalition and sent to DAC 1214 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107 or you can pay at the bus.

It is essential however that you reserve your seat now! Please notify Lou Ann Merkle at lamerkle@comcast.net to let us know that you will be joining us.

Richard Cohen, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama addressed JSPAN Board members at their meeting on November 20. Mr. Cohen focused his remarks on the increasing proliferation in the United States of hate crimes directed at immigrants.

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) was founded in 1971 as a small civil rights law firm. Today, the SPLC is internationally known for its tolerance education programs, its legal victories against white supremacists and its tracking of hate groups.

In 1981, the SPLC began investigating hate activity in response to a resurgence of groups like the Ku Klux Klan. In recent years, there has been a 40% rise in the number of active hate groups. The Imperial Klan of America, for example, currently has 34 chapters in 17 states.

Reliable statistics on hate crimes are difficult to determine. Such crimes are usually based on a perceived fear or hate of the "other," someone who comes from "some place else" and should not be here, or who is "inferior." Vilification of immigrants, both documented and undocumented, is occurring constantly and on many levels.

Mr. Cohen stated that Lou Dobbs, commentator on CNN, has been very irresponsible in his coverage of immigrant issues. In a recent report, for instance, while talking about diseases carried by immigrants, he stated that there have been 7,000 cases of leprosy in the last three years among immigrants. The correct statistic, however, is 7,000 cases in the last 30 years. Dobbs has, so far, refused to air a correction.

From Mr. Cohen's perspective, the guest worker program is turning out to be another form of indentured servitude. A worker can only work for the person who sponsored him/her. In addition, the worker has no recourse if abused, nor is legal support available. Many workers pay exorbitant fees to get to this country. When they finally get here, they find that they are not paid enough or do not receive what had been promised to them, causing them to look for alternative work - as undocumented workers.

Mr. Cohen estimated that 80% of the agricultural workforce is comprised of undocumented migrants. We are all dependent on this illegal labor force which harvests our crops, provides our household help, takes care of our children and maintains our gardens. The North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is part of the problem. Small Mexican farmers cannot compete with American agri-business, thereby causing wide-spread unemployment in Mexico.

The organization Friends of Farm Workers, located in Philadelphia and serving the entire state, is active in workers' rights. Its efforts are directed toward the improvement of the living and working conditions of indigent farm workers, mushroom workers, food processing workers and workers from immigrant and migrant communities.

Richard Cohen concluded his remarks by noting that there has always been a significant amount of hate activity in Pennsylvania. The SPLC currently tracks 27 different hate groups in the state. The most active are the skin-head groups.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has agreed to consult with JSPAN in the future on issues of concern to both of our organizations. JSPAN views the SPLC as a valuable expert resource, and we appreciate its input on our policy decisions.

To learn more about the work of the Southern Poverty Law Center, click here.

Hard Questions, Tough Answers with Yossi Alpher is a weekly publication of Americans for Peace Now. The following post-Annapolis analysis, dated November 28, 2007, presents a succinct overview of the most critical aspects of the conference, including some of the "unexpected permutations that emerged in the last weeks and days leading up to the conference." Mr. Alpher observes that "on the one hand, no new ground was broken......On the other hand, there were some interesting nuances .... from Israel's standpoint .... that reflect Israeli concessions."

So where does the peace process go from here and what are its chances of success? Yossi Alpher offers some possible future scenarios while stating unequivocably that "at the end of the day, the Annapolis extravaganza launched a very modest and problematic process - but nevertheless, a peace process."

To read the Alpher analysis in its entirety, click here.

To read President Bush's complete speech, click here.

Ehud Olmert said he respects the input of U.S. Jews and they should make their opinions heard on Jerusalem.

Olmert met with Jewish organizational leaders Tuesday evening after relaunching Israeli-Palestinian peace talks at the U.S.-convened conference in Annapolis, Md.

"He said what he has always said. He urged people: 'Don’t let anyone ever tell you that you don’t have a right to speak out about Jerusalem,' Malcolm Hoenlein, the executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, reported after the meeting. "He reiterated the right of people to speak out."

Ms. Chazan suggests that there is a "visible gap between American Jews and many of the organizations that claim to represent them." In addition, Americans have little awareness about "the main domestic issues facing Israel today." Perhaps the most significant reason that many younger Jews have deserted their organizational affiliations and feel detached from the Jewish community is because they are offended by the "prohibition" in some circles "on criticizing Israel."

Ms. Chazan insists that "breaking this taboo is essential for the health of U.S. Jewry and for Israel. .... A real discussion can both invigorate and engage; its absence is stultifying."

To read Naomi Chazan's article in its entirety, click here.

Do you agree with Ms. Chazan's premise? Let us hear from you. Click here to record your opinion!