As I hope you already know, the “Jewish leaders” who put together the annual NYC Israel Parade (Sunday, June 3) have invited nominally Jewish anti-Israel BDS organizations to march this year. My belief is that the leftist Jewish quislings who made this decision have consolidated their hold on the Jewish organizational world, making them next to impossible to dislodge. But still, there’s no downside to telling them where real friends of Israel stand. Below is a list of parade officials, name, email address, and phone number with extensions. I suggest you email them now and flood them with phone calls during business hours on Monday.
- Dan Friedman, NYC
Peter Kohlmann, Executive Producer
kohlmannp@jcrcny.org - 212.983.4800 x162
Michael Mittelman, Director, Celebrate Israel
mittelmanm@jcrcny.org – 212.983.4800 x487
Gianna Bergman, Director, Sponsorships
gianna@celebrateisraelny.org – 203.918.6780
Noam Gilboord, Israel & Internat’l, Program Director
gilboordn@jcrcny.org – 212.983.4800 x489
Karen Ostrove, Parade Creative Director
ostrovek@jcrcny.org – 212.983.4800 x482
Akiva Roth, Israel Engagement Initiative
rotha@jcrcny.org – 212.983.4800 x488
_________________________________________
Source: JCCWatch
Israel Day Parade Alert!
Parade Date: June 3, 2012
Pro-IsraelParade@JCCWatch.org
SHAME ON UJA-FEDERATION AND JOHN RUSKAY FOR IGNORING YOUR VOICES!
Dear fellow parade participants,
You have spoken up loud and clear that you do not want groups that support Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel to be included in the Celebrate Israel Parade. You have sent emails, letters and made phone calls to the UJA-Federation and the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), telling them that you do not want to march alongside radical anti-Israel groups like New Israel Fund, B'Tselem and Rabbis for Human Rights.
New Israel Fund and its allies actively promote economic warfare against Israel through Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions, and are funded by the European Union for the express purpose of undermining Israel. Yet, despite all your brave efforts, John Ruskay and UJA-Fed refuse to listen. They insist that New Israel Fund and its allies march in the Celebrate Israel Parade on June 3rd, thereby legitimizing their radical anti-Israel views.
"It is shameful that the UJA Federation and the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) are supporting the New Israel Fund in their efforts to delegitimize and fund Boycotts, Divestment, and Sanctions against Israel," said Richard Allen, active member of the Pro-Israel Parade Committee. "It's time the UJA Federation stop supporting radical groups that work for BDS against Israel."
We need to redouble our efforts in the next few weeks to prevent this travesty. If the BDS supporting groups are allowed to march, we will call for posters and leaflets on the day of the parade.
Let's Not Forget the Facts and Make our Voices Heard Today!
-Last year, the New Israel Fund (NIF) was allowed to march in the parade. Other groups marched with the New Israel Fund, displaying their individual banners, including B'Tselem, Partners for Progressive Israel and Rabbis for Human Rights.
-This year , New Israel Fund is slated to march again, and we expect B'Tselem and the other groups will once again join NIF, displaying their banners.
-New Israel Fund finances numerous Israeli NGOs (non-governmental organizations), some of which promote Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel.
-For instance, five grantees of the New Israel Fund (Machsom Watch, Coalition of Women for Peace, Women Against Violence, Social TV, and Mossawa) signed a letter to the Norwegian Government Pension Fund, urging it to divest from Israel.
-Partners for Progressive Israel (also known as Meretz USA) prominently displays on its website, under the heading "boycott these Settlement products sold in the US, " a list of Israeli products that it wants Jews to boycott. These products include Ahava cosmetics, SodaStream products, and wine from nine Israeli vineyards.
-The chair of B'Tselem's board, Oren Yiftachel, has publically called for "effective sanctions" against Israel. B'Tselem is a major grantee of the New Israel Fund.
-B'Tselem produced the video that was shown at the infamous "Israel Apartheid 2012" events held at Universities and Colleges worldwide.
-Despite the New Israel Fund's stated opposition to Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), their continued funding of these groups shows their actions are not in line with their statements.
To voice your opinion and concern please contact the following:
1) John Ruskay at the UJA-Federation by calling 212-980-1000 212-980-1000 or via email at RuskayJ@UJAFedNY.org
2) The UJA-Federation President Jerry W. Levin at JWLevin@JWLevinPartners.com
3) Rabbi Michael Miller at the JCRC by calling 212-983-4800 212-983-4800 or via email at MillerM@JCRCNY.org
We thank you for your attention to this crucially important issue, and look forward to participating with you in the Celebrate Israel Parade.
B'Shalom,
Committee for a Pro-Israel Parade
H. Fragman Abramson Rabbi Ari Jacobson
National Conference on Jewish Affairs (NCJA) Young Israel of Monsey/Wesley Hills
Rabbi David Algaze Stuart Kaufman
Havurat Yisrael, Forest Hills The United West
Richard Allen Rabbi Eluzer (Eli) Kowalsky
Founder of JCCWatch.org Pro-Israel Activist
Rabbi Steven Axelman Janet Lehr
Whitestone Hebrew Centre Israel lives
Dr. Marvin Belsky Lori Lowenthal Marcus
Human Rights Coalition Against Radical Islam President, Z Street
Ron Carner Shera Nusbaum
President, Maccabi USA/ Sports for Israel National Conference of Jewish Affairs
Helen Freedman Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld
Executive Director, Americans for a Safe Israel Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills
Beth Gilinsky Rabbi Allen Schwartz
Executive Director, National Conference on Jewish Affairs Congregation Ohab Zedek
Eli H. Hertz
Founder "Myths and Facts"
May, 10 2011
Op-Ed: Why are Anti-Israel Groups in the Israel Day Parade?
Published: Tuesday, May 08, 2012 8:07 AM
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/11612
Why are Jewish groups that attempt to inflict economic damage on Israelis through BDS and blacken Israel's image given a place in the Israel Day Parade? They have crossed a line, why are we letting them get away with it?
Richard Allen
The writer is a prominent New York business executive and an outspoken supporter of Israel. He is the founder of JCC Watch, an NGO established to monitor interaction between American Jewish organizations, and groups that support boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel.
The Celebrate Israel Parade on June 3rd is a joyous event for the New York Jewish community, when we demonstrate our love and support of Israel. So why are organizations dedicated to destroying Israel's economy through boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) being given the privilege of marching with us?
One of these groups is openly organizing a boycott against targeted Israeli companies, including Ahava Cosmetics. Others have supported the infamous Goldstone Report, and funded organizations that urged Norway to divest from Israel.
At the center of the controversy is the New Israel Fund (NIF), which was granted permission to march in last year's parade. Other extremist groups marched with NIF, displaying their individual banners, including B'Tselem, Partners for Progressive Israel and Rabbis for Human Rights. This year, New Israel Fund is slated to march again, and we expect B'Tselem and the other groups will once again join NIF, displaying their banners.
New Israel Fund has been exposed as receiving funds from the European Union, which seeks to influence internal Israeli politics through a front organization. NIF, in turn, funds numerous Israeli NGOs (non-governmental organizations), some of which promote boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel.
For instance, five grantees of the New Israel Fund (Machsom Watch, Coalition of Women for Peace, Women Against Violence, Social TV, and Mossawa) signed a letter to the Norwegian Government Pension Fund, urging it to divest from Israel.
Partners for Progressive Israel (also known as Meretz USA) prominently displays on its website, under the heading "boycott these Settlement products sold in the US, "a list of Israeli products that it wants Jews to boycott. These products include Ahava cosmetics, SodaStream products, and wine from nine Israeli vineyards.
And the chair of B'Tselem's board, Oren Yiftachel, has publicly called for "effective sanctions" against Israel. B'Tselem is a major grantee of the New Israel Fund.
As a result of public controversy, the New Israel Fund issued a statement in 2010 opposing BDS. However, despite this stated policy change, NIF continues to fund groups that have a history of working for anti-Israel global BDS campaigns.
We who count ourselves among Israel's true supporters believe that Jewish groups that organize for the economic destruction of other Jews should not be given the honor of marching with our community. Furthermore, we must be mindful of the example we set for our children. Do we teach them that it's acceptable to try to harm other Jews and weaken Israel?
In light of this unacceptable decision on the part of the parade organizers, I formed the Committee for a Pro-Israel Parade, along with several community-minded members. Our goal is to inform the parade organizers that the Jewish community rejects the participation of these groups, and to ask them to withdraw their acceptance.
As word has spread about the participation of the New Israel Fund in the parade, many prominent leaders, rabbis, and organizations have added their name to our cause. We are proud to acknowledge the support of Ron Carner, President of Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel, Rabbi Allen Schwartz of Congregation Ohab Zedek, Rabbi Lisa Malik, PhD of Temple Beth Ahm, Rabbi Jonathan Glass of Civic Center Synagogue, Rabbi David Algaze of Havurat Yisrael, Rabbi Steven Axelman of Whitestone Hebrew Centre, Rabbi Ari Jacobson, Young Israel of Monsey/Wesley Hills, Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld, Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, and many other outstanding community leaders.
When Jewish groups hear that organizations linked to the Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions movement are permitted to march in the parade, they're astounded and puzzled. Why would the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), which officially organizes the parade, permit such anti-Israel organizations to participate?
I believe the answer may lie in the political ideology of John Ruskay, CEO of the UJA-Federation of New York. Dr. Ruskay exerts significant influence on the JCRC through his organization's funding. Published reports show John Ruskay worked with Noam Chomsky in one of the first political bash Israel groups; CONAME (Committee On New Alternatives in The Middle East). John Ruskay also gave over one million dollars of UJA-Federation donations to a radical political group, funded by George Soros, Jewish Funds for Justice.
The issue is clear: Jews who actively work to economically sabotage Israel should not be included in the Celebrate Israel Parade. We ask that you join us in making your views known to the Jewish Community Relations Council and the UJA-Federation New York.
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JEWISH COMMUNITY ALERT
May 4, 2012
JCCWATCH.ORG
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Shocking New Information about the New Israel Fund
