WEBSITE

Steven Slater, Federation/ Ron Halber, Jewish Community Council: The Federation website has become the place where we would like the community to look for current material pertaining to Intafada 2000. Current news items which have gone through an approval process are posted on the website. The site also links to the website of the Jewish Community Council of Greater Washington so that our constituents may become Rapid Responders. In addition, it links to the Embassy of Israel's website. In the very near future, a web camera which is located in the Binyamin Children's Library will also be tied into the website. Federation notified the community of this service through a well-distributed e-mail.

RAPID RESPONDERS

Ron Halber, Jewish Community Council: The Rapid Responder system, implemented by the Jewish Community Council is the primary community-wide response system for anti-Israel bias and for the mass mobilization of contact with elected officials. Jewish activists will respond to both positive and negative media concerning Israel and statements by elected officials.

WASHINGTON DAY IN WASHINGTON

Steven Helman, Federation/ Ron Halber and Murry Tenenbaum, Council: A lobby day on the Hill, similar to those planned by other communities, will be organized so that we can thank those in our congressional delegation who have been vocally supportive of Israel and encourage others to do so.

PARTNERSHIP 2000

Maya Natan, Federation:

a. The chairpeople of Partnership 2000, Wendy Schacht and Billy Kreisberg, just returned from meetings in Bet Shemesh/Adulam. They are to serve as a resource for those planning travel to Israel. The fact that the delegation to these meetings arrived as planned is a gesture which should not be underestimated.

b. Local papers in the region are carrying stories about events such as the rally and other acts of solidarity.

c. Token gifts and a note from our community will be sent home with every schoolchild in the region in the next week.

d. A web camera has been set up in the Binyamin Children's Library so that children in the region can send video images to children here.

e. Twenty-five schools in the region and Jerusalem have been paired with twenty-five schools in our community so that students can correspond directly.

JERUSALEM

Beth Cousens, Federation: Federation leadership and local educators met with principals of schools in Jerusalem including Gila and Psagot. Each teacher expressed surprise and delight in learning of our concern and solidarity. As a result of the encounter, students in our community will correspond directly with students in those schools.

SPEAKERS' BUREAU

Ron Halber, Council: The Federation assisted the Council in establishing a speakers' bureau, which is available to provide briefings on the current situation.

COMMUNITY WIDE FORUM

Maya Natan, Federation/Ron Halber, Council: The Federation and Council are organizing a community-wide forum TENTATIVELY scheduled for November 28, 2000 at the DCJCC. The forum will feature representation from the Embassy of Israel as well as our community. The possibility of including an Israeli academic is also under consideration. Pending the interest in this forum, we may hold additional briefings in Maryland and Virginia. Please do not publicize this forum without checking the date with Maya or Ron

CAMPAIGN IMPLICATIONS

Sandy Katz, Steve Slater, Rochelle Zeidman: The current situation has generated additional interest in the insights of visiting Israeli dignitaries. For example, during the recent visit of Sallai Meridor, Chair of the Jewish Agency for Israel, spoke to a packed room of lawyers and judges who were uninvolved in Federation activity before hearing his presentation. The Pacesetters Division organized the event and those who attended left affirming the need for their involvement in the future. A direct mail piece was sent to donors soon after the crisis erupted. Discussions of how the situation will impact the campaign are currently taken place among the highest levels of campaign leadership. All members of the FRD departments are encouraged to address this interest within their constituencies.

MISSIONS

Beryl Meyer, Sandy Katz- Federation/Murry Tenenbaum- Council: Federation will continue to promote travel to Israel on Missions as a primary vehicle for showing solidarity with the people of Israel. Rabbis Joel Tessler and Matthew Simon will recruit rabbinic colleagues to take a leading role in organizing a mission to Israel December 10-15. We hope to have approximately 40 participants representing the local Jewish community, general community and public officials.

RALLY

The Federation, in cooperation with the Jewish Community Council and several other local agencies, held a successful rally in solidarity with Israel on October 13, 2000.

E-MAIL UPDATES

Steven Helman, Alan Caro- Federation: Every two to three weeks an Israel and Overseas news update is distributed via e-mail to members of the Israel and Overseas Committee, as well as to anyone who requests it. These updates are meant to demonstrate how our overseas dollars better the lives of Jews in Israel and throughout the Diaspora. In addition, Alan Caro will transmit those documents which appear on our website to those in our data base who have e-mail. These messages will include links to Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post.

ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF KIDNAPPED SOLDIERS

Sandy Katz, Federation/Murry Tenenbaum, Council: We await direction from the Council on this matter.

Cheshvan 5761 - November 2000