AIPAC Policy Conference

These next 2 posts are from the last few months, but I am only getting around to posting about them now.

I had the incredible privilege a few weeks ago to chaperon six High School students to Washington D.C. for the AIPAC Policy conference. I came away so impressed by the professionalism of the conference and so inspired by the unity and support of the State of Israel. The Convention Center was literally packed with over 16,000 delegates, including over 3000 students! The many sessions given by experts of all types (including my brother!) were informative and engaging. And the lineup of keynote speakers was incredible!

Among the many speakers I heard over three days were Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Czech Republic President Milos Zeman, Former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, Former Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird, US Representative to the United Nations Samantha Powers, US National Security Advisor Susan Rice, Senators Joseph Lieberman, Lindsey Graham, Ben Cardin, Robert Menendez, and Mitch McConnell, Congressmen Kevin McCarthy (House Majority Leader) and Steny Hoyer (House Democratic Whip), and many others. We should not take for granted that we live in a country that gives us the freedom to gather in support of Israel and that supports Israel to the extent that it does.

We also got to hear from Israeli entrepreneurs inventing incredible technologies, Americans and Israelis (both Jewish and non-Jewish) with so many inspiring stories, and the son of the leader of Hamas, known as The Green Prince, who became a spy for Israel.

AIPAC was very focused during the conference on the ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Iran about a nuclear deal. They sent us to Capitol Hill on Tuesday with a clear message to ask our elected officials to vote for bills that would allow congress to review any possible deal, and to bring the message that no deal is better than a bad deal (i.e. a deal that would allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon and to continue funding terror).

It is amazing that just a few months after a major war in Gaza there was very little focus on that. It was almost entirely on Iran. We did get to meet a resident of Sderot who takes exploded Katyusha rockets and turns them into Art. And we heard something amazing about the residents of Sderot, that when the Red Alert siren goes off indicating an incoming missile, the 1st thing they do is not to run to the shelter, but to leave their front doors open for anyone else who may need shelter.

Getting back to the lobbying, we had large groups (we are from Texas after all) visiting our local Congressman, John Culberson, and our two Senators, John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. But my students and I arrived a little early and paid a visit as well to another Houston area Congressman, Al Green, who has been to our school and was helpful a few years ago when our basketball team's playoff game was scheduled on Shabbat. It was kind of him to see us, and it was a powerful lesson for my students to be able to sit in a private meeting (just 5 of us) with the Congressman. In fact, it struck me throughout the conference what a pivotal role young people are playing both within the AIPAC organization and standing up for Israel on the front lines of college campuses.

On a personal note, I had the chance to see many old friends from Rabbinical school and from our years in Boca Raton, including many old students of mine who are now either in High School or College and doing great things. It's an underrated joy to see your students a few years later and to see what fine people they are turning into.

So, I return to Houston inspired and full of ideas about how to develop our Israel Advocacy here at Beren. We have already started laying the groundwork for an Israel Ambassadors club, invited Congressman Culberson to come visit us when he is back in town, and made plans to take students next year not only to the National Policy Conference, but also to the Teen Conference as well. When I see how passionate our students are in support of Medinat Yisrael and see the potential leadership experiences they can play, I am very excited.