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Iran attack would be sovereign right of Israel —U.S. VP Joe Biden
 NEW YORK (WJC)—Israel has the right to attack Iran's nuclear program and the United States will not stand in the way, US Vice-President Joe Biden has said. "Israel can determine for itself – it's a sovereign nation – what's in their interest, and what they decide to do relative to Iran and anyone else," he told the ABC television program ‘This Week’. Biden said Israel could decide to attack Iran whether the United States agrees or not.
"They are entitled to do that. Any sovereign nation is entitled to do that. But there is no pressure from any nation that's going to alter our behavior as to how to proceed," Biden said, adding: "What we believe is in the national interest of the United States, which we, coincidentally, believe is also in the interest of Israel and the whole world."
When pressed by the presenter of the program, Biden said he was "not going to speculate" on whether or not the United States would grant Israel over-flight rights in Iraq to get to Iran.
State Dept. Spokesman Kelly
backs Biden statement on Israel
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)--Following are Middle East-realted excerpts of a press briefing by State Department spokesman Ian Kelly on Monday
QUESTION: Do you have any readout of the Mitchell and Ehud Barak meeting in London?
MR. KELLY: Yeah, that just happened today. I don’t have a very fulsome readout, but I’ll give you what I have if you can just hold on a second. It’s a big world out there.
Yes, they did meet today in London and discussed a wide range of issues. We are engaging in continuing intensive discussion with all parties, and our goal is to create the context for negotiations. We’re pressing all parties to honor their obligations under the Roadmap. You know what that means. It means for the Israelis to stop all settlements; for the Palestinian, it means an end to incitements against Israel and demonstrating an ability to provide security. We believe also that Arab states should take meaningful steps towards normalization with Israel. And we remain committed to bringing this process to a point where we can start negotiations.
QUESTION: When you say a stop to settlements, are you meaning that to be a permanent stop?
MR. KELLY: We mean exactly what it says in the Roadmap, that there should be a stop to all settlement activity, including natural growth.
QUESTION: Right. But it’s been reported that the Israelis would like to propose some sort of three- to six-month freeze, and that was presented last week – at last week’s meeting. Have you taken a position on that now? And can you tell us what – if Mitchell has been able to meet with President Obama on that matter yet?
MR. KELLY: I don’t have any information on that, Kirit. You know that what we say is that we’re not going to negotiate the details of any deal through the media and from this podium, so --
QUESTION: Well, the problem with that, Ian, is that, again, you’re negotiating with the Israelis, but it’s not you who needs to – it’s not you and the Israelis who need to negotiate here. It’s the Israelis and Palestinians.
MR. KELLY: This is true. Yeah. Well, we meet with the Palestinians and we meet with the Arabs, too. We meet with --
QUESTION: No, I know. So aren’t you thinking --
MR. KELLY: -- with the neighbors.
QUESTION: -- you’ve gotten sidetracked on this?
MR. KELLY: Well, I don’t think – well, I mean, we’re – just because Mitchell met with Barak, no, it doesn’t mean we’re not working the other avenues as well.
QUESTION: Has the Mitchell-Netanyahu meeting been rescheduled at all?
MR. KELLY: I’m not aware that it’s been rescheduled.
QUESTION: Do you know if there are any new Mitchell-Barak meetings scheduled?
MR. KELLY: I’m not aware there will be any follow-ups, necessarily, to this one.
QUESTION: Do you think there could be a peace in the Middle East without Iran’s interference? Because since Iranian president has been calling – wipe off Israel from the map and all those things?
MR. KELLY: Well, this Administration’s approach to the Middle East peace process is a comprehensive, regional approach. And yeah, we would expect all players, all partners in the region, to contribute towards that.
QUESTION: Iran is a player?
MR. KELLY: I’m sorry?
QUESTION: Iran is a player in --
MR. KELLY: Iran is – has, of course, not played a very constructive role with its export of terrorism and with the kind of rhetoric that we’ve seen. We’d like to see it do more to contribute towards Middle East peace.
QUESTION: Yesterday, Vice President Biden said it’s up to Israel to determine whether or not it’s going to strike any targets in Iran. Would Israel let the United States know before they were going to make such a strike?
MR. KELLY: You have to ask Israel that. That’s not to say that Israel’s going to make a strike.
QUESTION: Is that the U.S. Government policy, that it’s ultimately up to Israel to make such a determination?
MR. KELLY: Well, first of all, let me just step back a minute and – our goal here is to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. When I say “our,” I don’t mean just the U.S. This is the – it’s the international community. So – and we’re – so our approach right now is to be very engaged with international partners to get Iran to fulfill its obligations and responsibilities and to fully cooperate with the IAEA, as detailed in United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Having said that, Israel is a sovereign country. We’re not going to dictate its actions. We’re also committed to Israel’s security. And we share Israel’s deep concerns about Iran’s nuclear program. But for questions about what they plan to do in response to this, I really have to refer you to the Israeli Government.
QUESTION: What --
QUESTION: Are you concerned at all that by saying Israel is a sovereign country and we’re not going to dictate to them what their actions are, that your words, like the Vice President’s words, may be interpreted as sort of a green light.
MR. KELLY: I certainly would not want to give a green light to any kind of military action. But I mean, what – our policy is that we – that Israel is a sovereign country and we’re not going to dictate its actions.
QUESTION: Well, why do you have to say it? I mean --
MR. KELLY: (Laughter.) Because it is what it is.
QUESTION: Shakespeare or not. (Laughter.) Doth protest too much.
...
QUESTION: Actually, I’m going to go back to the Vice President’s statement regarding Iran and Israel. Does this statement indicate that the Administration is reconsidering its approach or attitude toward Iran?
MR. KELLY: I wouldn’t read into it any more than what you see, than, as I said, that we respect Israel’s sovereignty. We share Israel’s concerns about Iran’s nuclear program. But our focus now is getting Iran through this multilateral process to adhere to its obligations and responsibilities to the international community. That’s the stage we’re at right now.
Obama, Turkey's President Gul conferred by telephone Sunday
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)— President Obama spoke with Turkish President Gul on Sunday. President Gul thanked President Obama for his Cairo speech on America’s relationship with Muslim communities around the world. The two Presidents also discussed the situation in the Caucasus. President Gul updated President Obama on the status of Turkish-Armenian relations. They also discussed the Minsk Group’s ongoing efforts to address Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Both Presidents emphasized that U.S./Turkish relations are strong and that our two countries will continue to partner together to address common challenges to our security and prosperity around the world.
ZOA protests Israel's reported agreement to freeze settlements
NEW YORK (Press Release)--The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) notes with great concern the statement of U.S. Congressman Robert Wexler (Democrat, Florida) claiming that Israel will agree to a unilateral freeze on Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria and eastern Jerusalem. The ZOA vigorously opposes any such step and urges Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu to categorically reject any freeze whatsoever on Jewish construction in Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem.
ZOA National President Morton A. Klein, Chairman of the Board Dr. Michael Goldblatt & Executive Director Gary Ratner have issued the following statement:
“The ZOA believes that there are several major objections to Israel acceding to a freeze on Jewish construction in Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem meaning not allowing any additional Jews to live there.
"First, it would be a moral travesty to accept that people, simply because they are Jews, will not be allowed to move into Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem.
"Second, it would be a strategic error for Israel to make one-sided concession which will not lead to progress towards a real peace.
"Third, to agree to a construction freeze would lend credence to the utterly false notion that Jews living in Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem pose an obstacle to a peace agreement with the Palestinian Arabs. This is nonsense: Palestinian Arab refusal to accept Israel as a Jewish state, to fight and end terrorism and to end the incitement to hatred and murder against her are the reasons peace has not been achieved. We also must recall that there were no Jews in these territories when they were under illegal Jordanian occupation (1948-67), yet there was no peace and no Arab acceptance of Israel. To accede to this proposal for a unilateral freeze harms Jewish life in these territories and assists Palestinian and Arab propaganda efforts to distract focus from the real issue of Palestinian extremism and non-acceptance of Israel which are the root of the conflict.
"Fourth, to accede to a freeze on Jewish construction sends a message on Israel’s part that it accepts the view that Jews have no right to live in these areas, the historic and religious heartland of the Jewish people. It lends credence to the view that Jews should be banned from living there. It lends credence to the false notion that peace can be built by making these territories judenrein.
“Jewish growth in Judea and Samaria and eastern Jerusalem has a fundamental legitimacy and poses no obstacle to a true peace if Palestinians are ready for one, so the Obama Administration’s insistence on a one-sided construction freeze would remain inappropriate even if the prospect of genuine peace negotiations with a truly peaceful Palestinian partner were possible.
“Why cannot 300,000 Jews live among 1.5 million Palestinian Arabs in Judea and Samaria while 1.2 million Arabs live among 6 million Jews in Israel? No peace can be built on the notion that the biblical, historic and religious heartland of the Jewish people, or any territory for that matter, must be judenrein. Remember, Jews come from the historic known as Judea. We Jews are Judeans. ‘Jew’ is a contraction of the term ‘Judean.’ How absurd to suggest Jews cannot live from whence we came. Would anyone dare propose that Arabs cannot live in Arabia?
“Fifth, Israel has made one-sided concession after one-sided concession for nearly 16 years. It is high time for Palestinians to fulfill their commitments. Until the Palestinians fulfill their nearly 16-year old obligations under the Oslo agreements and 2003 Roadmap peace plan to arrest terrorists; dismantle terrorist groups; end the incitement to hatred and murder in the PA-controlled media, mosques, schools and youth camps that feeds terrorism and the conflict; place Israel in their maps and atlases; and rename the schools, sports teams and colleges named in honor of terrorists, there should be no Israeli rewards or concessions to the PA. By definition, such Israeli concessions would be unilateral concessions. It is clear that if Israel accedes to the Obama Administration’s call for a freeze on Jewish construction in Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem, it will be making just such a unilateral concession.
“Such concessions not only fail to bring peace or moderate Palestinian extremism, hatred and demands, but they in fact heighten them. Can anyone point to Palestinian fulfillment of commitments in response to Israel having given up half of Judea and Samaria and all of Gaza to Palestinian control; releasing hundreds of jailed Palestinian terrorists; giving the PA money, assets and even arms; and removing checkpoints and roadblocks? Have any of these concessions induced the PA or Palestinians in general to accept Israel’s existence as a Jewish state, to reject terrorism, or to modify their demands? The answer is clearly no: the PA continues to insist it will not accept Israel as a Jewish state; Fatah, which controls the PA, admits it has never accepted Israel, nor has there been any end to terrorism and incitement. In short, we have seen this movie hundreds of times before."
Formula One racing president
denounced for praising Hitler
BRUSSELS, Belgium (Press Release)—Ronald S. Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), strongly condemned statements made by Formula One president Bernie Ecclestone, who in a newspaper interview had praised Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler for getting things done and expressed a preference for totalitarian regimes over democracies. Lauder declared: "Mr. Ecclestone is driving down the wrong way at full speed. His effusive praise for Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein is frightening and dangerous because it questions the basic principles of modern democracy.” The WJC president called on team leaders and drivers of the Formula One racing series to suspend their cooperation with Ecclestone and call for his resignation.
“A person showing such contempt for democracy should not be allowed to run such an important and universally popular sports series,” Lauder said, adding: It is sad to see the Formula One president express sympathies for the brutal Nazi regime which was responsible for murdering six million Jews and for waging the most brutal war in the history of mankind, and it is quite unbelievable that Mr. Ecclestone should implicitly cast doubt on Hitlers responsibility for the Holocaust.This puts
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him in line with other unrepentant revisionists like Bishop Williamson and David Irving. Such a man is obviously not suited to continue as Formula One boss."
In an interview in 'The Times' of London, Ecclestone, 78, said that he preferred totalitarian regimes to democracies and praised Adolf Hitler: “In a lot of ways, terrible to say this I suppose, but apart from the fact that Hitler got taken away and persuaded to do things that I have no idea whether he wanted to do or not, he was in the way that he could command a lot of people, able to get things done.
“In the end he got lost, so he wasn’t a very good dictator because either he had all these things and knew what was going on and insisted, or he just went along with it . . . so either way he wasn’t a dictator.”
Ecclestone also declared that democracy "hasn't done a lot of good for many countries, including this one," referring to the UK.
The Formula One chief instead endorsed the concept of a government based on tyranny. “Politicians are too worried about elections,” he told ‘The Times’. “We did a terrible thing when we supported the idea of getting rid of Saddam Hussein. He was the only one who could control that country. It was the same [with the Taleban]. We move into countries and we have no idea of the culture…”
Following Ronald Lauder’s criticism, Ecclestone on Monday tried to backtrack. He told the German newspaper ‘Bild’ that everything had been a "big misunderstanding" and said: "I wasn't using Hitler as a positive example, but pointing out that before his dreadful crimes he worked successfully against unemployment and economic problems."
Asked if he felt the need to apologize, Ecclestone said: "It was never my intention to hurt the feelings of any community," Bernie replied. "Many people in my closest circle of friends are Jewish. Anyone who knows me knows that I would never attack a minority."
Jerry Silverman is new president and CEO of United Jewish Communities/ Jewish Federations
 NEW YORK (Press Release)—UJC/Jewish Federations of North America reported on Monday that Jerry Silverman will join the organization as president and CEO. UJC/Jewish Federations represents 157 Jewish Federations and 400 network communities, which raise and distribute more than $3 billion annually for social welfare, social services and educational needs. The Federation movement, collectively among the top 10 charities on the continent, protects and enhances the well-being of Jews worldwide through the values of tikkun olam (repairing the world), tzedakah (charity and social justice) and Torah (Jewish learning).
Silverman is a highly experienced leader in the North American Jewish community and longtime corporate executive. As CEO of the Foundation for Jewish Camp since 2004, Silverman has been extremely successful in building the quality, availability and demand for Jewish summer camps by creating partnerships with key philanthropists and federations, increasing scholarships for campers, and providing leadership development opportunities for camp directors. Silverman came to the Foundation after highly successful careers at the Stride Rite Corp. and Levi Strauss & Co.
Over a span of almost 25 years, Jerry Silverman served in various executive leadership capacities at Levi Strauss and Stride Rite. He worked on many successful consumer brands, including Levi’s, Dockers, Stride Rite Children’s, and Keds. Before becoming the President of the Foundation for Jewish Camp, Jerry’s most recent position was President of the Keds Corporation. He has run both wholesale and retail operations and was noted for his leadership, outstanding work ethic, and ability to build strong teams.
Kathy Manning, who led the CEO Search Committee and is the nominee to chair the UJC Board of Trustees, said she and the committee were excited to have Silverman joining the Federation system.
“We are thrilled to have such an outstanding individual to lead UJC/Jewish Federations of North America,” Manning said.
“Jerry has proven himself to be a visionary and results-oriented leader who in five short years has built a strong team, worked in partnership with his board which in turn has brought the Jewish camp community together and put Jewish camping on the communal map. His personal qualities, his engagement with the Jewish world and his extensive success in the business world, make Jerry someone who is uniquely poised to build on UJC’s accomplishments and partner with Federations to be the best philanthropic forces we can be.”
Current UJC Chair Joe Kanfer welcomed Silverman’s arrival, saying he will drive UJC’s strategic priorities of delivering ever-greater service and value to strengthen Federations.
“We are proud to have Jerry on board,” Kanfer said. “Jerry will build on our momentum and further our change efforts in order to take our Federation system to the next level to better meet the challenges and the opportunities of the 21st century.”
The search for a new CEO began one year ago, when current President and CEO Howard Rieger announced he would be stepping down after completing his five-year term this August. The search committee represented the entire Federation system, with members hailing from leadership positions in all city size Federations across all regions. During the search, the committee gathered broad and extensive input from executives and lay leaders across the system.
The committee unanimously recommended Jerry Silverman for the new President and CEO of UJC/Jewish Federations of North America. The committee selected Silverman in part because of his passion for Jewish future, his commitment to continuous learning and growth, and his focus on customer centricity. These are critical qualities for leading the Federation system effectively, Manning said.
At the Foundation for Jewish Camp, Silverman led the only national organization dedicated to non-profit Jewish resident camps responsible for raising awareness and building support for Jewish summer camps. As head of the Jewish camping umbrella organization, Silverman, together with the Board and staff, developed a new strategic plan with a clear mission and focused strategies that would add significant value to Jewish camps across North America. The plan focused on motivating consumers and funders, including partnership with Federations to provide incentives to campers, such as matching grants that also helped Federations drive new initiatives.
“Jerry once told me that his job is to put Jewish camps front and center as they are on the front lines doing the heavy lifting -- if the camps are doing a great job, and more and more kids are having great Jewish experiences, then his organization will have been successful,” Manning said. “The same kind of approach will help UJC lead the Jewish Federations of North America to become an even more effective philanthropic force in the years to come.”
Silverman says he is committed to the mission of strengthening Federations and our collective system to better meet Jewish needs and grow the Jewish future, just as he was concerned about creating memorable Jewish experiences and Jewish identity through camping.
“I feel humbled and privileged by this opportunity,” Silverman said. “I was blessed to begin my career in the public sector with the Foundation for Jewish Camp and their visionary leadership. During my due diligence period, I had the opportunity to meet and solicit advice from many Federation leaders from across North America. Their wisdom and vision inspired me and gave me insight to what amazing possibilities we have as a Jewish people and as a collaborative and unified system.”
Jerry is married to Erica Silverman and is the father of five children ranging in age from 15-24. Two children attend Gann Academy - The New Jewish High School of Boston, two currently attend the University of Maryland and one is working in NY City. All of them attended Jewish summer camp.
Silverman will officially begin his five-year term at UJC/Jewish Federations of North America on September 30th.
France's National Front loses
mayor's race in Hénin-Beaumont
PARIS (WJC)—France's extreme-right National Front lost a crucial local election and missed its chance to take its first town council in more than a decade. Jean-Marie Le Pen's party list seemed poised to win the northern town of Hénin-Beaumont, after a convincing victory in the first round of voting. However, in the run-off ballot on Sunday, the left-wing candidate Daniel Duquenne won the mayoralty, defeating the National Front's Steeve Briois.
Duquenne took 52 percent of the vote to defeat Briois, on 48 percent. Nicolas Sarkozy's centre-right ruling party UMP had appealed for residents of Hénin-Beaumont to vote for the left in order to defeat the National Front. The Le Pen party later said it would contest the result.
The winning candidate was attacked by a group and sprayed with teargas as he left a party celebrating his victory late Sunday. The National Front has not won control of a town hall in France since local elections in 1995 gave its candidates several councils in the south. The defeat is considered as a setback for Marine Le Pen, the youngest daughter of Jean-Marie Le Pen, who wants to become head of the party next year when her father, now aged 81, steps down.
Olympian Jason Lezak, other U.S. athletes in Israel for Maccabiah
JERUSALEM (Press Release)-- As over 750 Maccabi USA competitors arrived over the weekend to participate in the 18th Maccabiah Games which begin July 13, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat welcomed a delegation of athletes and team executives. The Mayor saluted the athletes' decision to come to Israel for the competition, urging them to “take advantage of their time in Israel and help us build the atmosphere that makes this place so special.” An additional 150 American participants are expected to arrive prior to the beginning of the games.
Attending the welcoming briefing was Jason Lezak, the Olympic Gold-medal winning and world record holding swimmer who chose to participate in the Maccabiah instead of competing in his sport's top annual event, the World Championships of Swimming.
While Lezak said that the decision to forego the World Championships certainly wasn’t an easy one, he welcomed the opportunity to compete alongside other Jewish athletes and remarked that “there is truly no event like the Maccabiah Games.” “I’ve always wanted the chance to participate in the Maccabiah and I’ve now reached a point in my career where that’s possible,” he said.
Fielding 88 different teams to compete in 28 different sports, the Maccabi USA team will be the second largest, behind only the host country of Israel. Ron Carner, General Chairman of Maccabi USA who was also welcomed by the Mayor and earlier in the day spent a private session with Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli cabinet, said that the Maccabiah offers an experience like no other.
“The Games present the chance for athletes to demonstrate their pride in Judaism and the Jewish State through the prism of sports, yet the Maccabiah is far more than just a sporting competition- it’s a remarkable display of Jewish unity,” he said. “
In addition to the intensive competition that defines the Games, the athletes will spend considerable amounts of time touring the country and gaining an appreciation of Israel’s history and culture. The first two days after arrival were spent in Jerusalem, where participants from the US team visited various points of interest. Those sites, including the Old City and Yad Vashem, provided an experience that Lezak described for reporters as “very touching.”
Carner said that the dual program, combining athleticism with events that focus on Judaism and Israel, are part of what make the Maccabiah stand out from any other major sporting event in which these participants might be competing. “Spending this time in Israel and appreciating what this country is all about provides our athletes with something that cannot be felt anywhere else on earth,” he said. “We know they’ll return home not only having been blessed with an unforgettable time exhibiting their talent at the highest levels of competition, but also prouder Jews and lovers of the Jewish State.”
Futurist says robots will someday
do physical therapy, housework
HAIFA, Israel—"Rehabilitation in the home of the patient will be provided by a robot in the not so distant future. Such a robot will provide occupational, physical, behavioral and psychological therapy – as well as doing the cooking, cleaning, dressing and other household chores," predicted Prof. Grigore Burdea at the Virtual Rehabilitation 2009 International Conference last week at the University of Haifa.
The various aspects of therapy must come together, Prof. Burdea explained. There will no longer be a slew of therapists treating each patient, but one therapist regulating the inclusive virtual application that is suited to each particular patient. The technologies that will enable this are likely to be in the form of robotics: a robot that does everything in the home of the patient, including cooking, cleaning, dressing, and therapy that is tailored to the patient's continuously changing needs for rehabilitation. "A patient might often feel more at ease talking to a robot, and in the comfort of the home and not in a hospital or clinic," pointed out Prof. Burdea, a pioneer in the field of virtual rehabilitation and Director of the Rutgers Tele-Rehabilitation Institute.
"Cloud rehabilitation", as coined by Prof. Burdea, will also play a major role in the future of interactive virtual rehabilitation enhancement. Use of cloud computing technology will facilitate real-time processing of data, recording patient rehabilitation processes from the home on remote servers and making the information accessible to remote therapists for analysis and feedback. He emphasizes, however, that technology is to augment and not replace therapists.
The future technology will be able to avoid the risks in using today's virtual reality games for rehabilitation, Prof. Burdea explained at the conference at the University of Haifa. The Wii and Xbox, for example, have been adopted by therapists but are unsuitable for unassisted patient use due to dangers such as elevated blood pressure and loss of balance. The game-based concept will remain, however, as it provides motivation and fun in achieving goals. "The future," Prof. Burdea suggests, "is in low-cost, patient-based devices that will enable the patient to receive continuously tailored therapy from home."
Jewish Agency for Israel begins
Campus Aliyah Fellowship program
JERUSALEM (Press Release)--The Jewish Agency for Israel is seeking candidates for its new Campus Aliyah Fellowship, an initiative that will provide support to students who are contemplating immigrating to Israel and introduce the concept of Aliyah to other Jewish students on campus. Campus Aliyah Fellows will form “pre-Aliyah communities” and lead a social and support network for Jewish students interested in exploring the possibility of moving to Israel. Fellows are being sought on campuses with large Jewish populations, such as the Universities of Maryland, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, Southern California (UCLA), Massachusetts and Yeshiva University.
Each campus pre-aliyah community will hold group meetings to discuss different aspects of Aliyah and host special events to help engage other students on campus. Members of the pre-Aliyah community will plan a subsidized pilot trip to Israel over winter break to learn about and see first hand employment opportunities, higher education institutions, and absorption services in Israel. The Campus Aliyah Fellows will work in conjunction with the campus Hillel, receive guidance and training from Jewish Agency Aliyah professionals in New York and receive a small stipend to subsidize events.
“Many Jewish students on campus are thinking about moving to Israel after college,” said Liran Avisar, head of the Jewish Agency Aliyah Department in North America. “But they have no one with whom to share their hopes and concerns. The pre-Aliyah communities will provide students the information and support they need and the opportunity to meet others who are also considering this significant decision.”
For more information about the Campus Aliyah Fellowship or to apply, visit http://fon.gs/campusaliyahfellowship/ or contact David Steinberg, (212) 339-6981, davidst@jafi.org.
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