(L-R) NY City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, NY State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Conference Chairman Harold Tanner, Cantor Joseph Malovany of the Fifth Avenue Synagogue, NY Board of Rabbis president Rabbi Adam Mintz, Israel's Permanent Representative to the UN Amb. Dan Gillerman, and Congressman Charles Rangel.

On January 5, the day after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s debilitating stroke, the Conference and the Consulate-General of Israel arranged a prayer vigil for the Prime Minster’s quick and full recovery. Conference Chairman Harold Tanner welcomed the invited guests, including public officials and Jewish organizational and religious leaders. He said, “Ariel Sharon has been a giant in the development of Israel, since its very beginning. He has carried a heavy burden particularly in the past four years, for its security and very existence, and for the heroic decision to disengage from Gaza, a decision that he carried almost by himself. He is a strong leader whose determination has led Israel through difficult times. We hope that the strength he has demonstrated since the founding of Israel will sustain him personally as he fights to recover from this massive stroke. At this difficult time, it is important for the Jewish people of the world to remain united as a community for the sake of Israel. Our prayers are with Prime Minister Sharon, his family and the State of Israel. We are pleased to see Israel acting as the true democracy that it is in forming an interim government under Mr. Olmert. We commit ourselves to work together in support of Israel, its people, and its acting government.”

Amb. Aryeh Mekel, Israel’s Consul-General, then spoke, characterizing Israel right now as a country of “concern, prayer, and political stability.” He said, “we are all concerned for Prime Minister Sharon’s health and well-being, and we send him our greetings and blessing for a speedy recovery, as we would all like to see him again back at his old strength, at his best, as he always was. And then there’s prayer. We are people of faith; we believe in the power of prayer. We all offer a prayer for the Prime Minister’s health. And then there’s the issue of political stability. What we have proved over the past twenty-four hours is that Israel continues to be the only democracy in the Middle East. Prime Minister Sharon’s powers were transferred to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Olmert without any hesitation and at no time was there a power vacuum.” Amb. Dan Gillerman, Israel’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said, “this is a day of great devastation, because the father of Israel, Arik Sharon, is desparately ill, and we his children feel nearly orphaned and very sad. We hope this will be another battle that he wins against all odds.”

Congressman Charles Rangel compared the moment to the sudden losses of Yitzhak Rabin, Martin Luther King, and President John Kennedy, saying, “we must recognize that this great vacuum is not just a personal and political one, but one that’s important for the free world as this beacon of democracy in the Middle East.” Speaker of the New York State Assembly Sheldon Silver said, “We pray that this great leader, this powerful and stabilizing force will be rewarded by G-d with a full recovery and remain a source of inspiration for the State of Israel and Jews around the world” and recited a Psalm. Psalms were also read, in dedication to PM Sharon’s health, by New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Ms. Marjorie Tiven, New York City Commissioner for the United Nations, representing Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Rabbi Adam Mintz, president of the New York Board of Rabbis, read a statement from the New York Council of Churches that concluded: “for his recovery we earnestly pray so that he may finish his task and continue to give leadership to our beloved Israel and humankind.” He and Cantor Joseph Malovany of the Fifth Avenue Synagogue then recited the prayer for healing, m’sheberach. Rabbi Arthur Schneier of Park East Synagogue led the assembled in a prayer for the State of Israel.

Closing the ceremony, Conference Executive Vice Chairman Malcolm Hoenlein said, “There are few people who embody Israel’s history more than Ariel Sharon. We pray that he will be able to continue to serve the Jewish people and the Jewish State as he has for so many decades. He appreciated the American Jewish community. He always said, ‘I am a Jew first and an Israeli second.’ But he also appreciated America and the American people and what unites us. This is a chance for us to reciprocate, to show how much we care about him, and by our continued prayers to try to bring about a speedy and complete recovery.”

Following Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's massive stroke, the Conference and its member organizations extended their best wishes and prayers for a speedy and complete recovery, and also sent the following letter to Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert:

Dear Ehud, We, the undersigned member organizations of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, join together to express our solidarity and support to the people and Government of Israel at this very difficult time. We share the pain of all concerned with Israel. We pray for the full and speedy recovery of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. We have confidence that Israel’s democratic government will assure continuity and political stability. We stand as one with Israel and will do all we can to help its citizens meet the challenges that confront them. You have our prayers and best wishes. [end of text]

Professor Gerald Steinberg, Director of the Program on Conflict Management and Negotiation at Bar Ilan University, and editor of NGO Monitor, spoke to the Conference about the anti-Israel bias of certain human rights and humanitarian organizations.

Human rights and humanitarian groups (NGOs) are considered apolitical and benefit from this “halo effect.” Many NGOs do excellent work, but some significant ones abuse their status by adopting blatantly political biases, particularly against Israel, and by using unsubstantiated Palestinian claims as the basis of their reports. Their anti-Israel reports are used at the United Nations and by governments and are picked up in the media, thereby given even greater legitimacy.

Biased NGOs are behind the anti-Israel divestment campaigns, the effort to portray Israel as an apartheid state, and the “one-state solution” that would mean the destruction of Israel. All of these themes were prominent at the 2001 NGO Conference in Durban, South Africa. Bias is also expressed by their disproportionate criticism of Israel, compared to other countries.

Some of the biased NGOs include Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Christian Aid, Save The Children. These groups are active in the United Nations, at the UN Commission on Human Rights, the UN Economic and Security Council, and the various pro-Palestinian UN committees.

Some successes include reviews by the Ford Foundation of their grantees for bias and less disproportionate criticism of Israel by Human Rights Watch and the establishment there of a Middle East Advisory Board.

The Conference’s Committee on the United Nations and Related Matters met on February 6 to hear reports on recent UN activities and discussion on upcoming issues.

The Committee’s chairman, Joel S. Kaplan, president of B’nai B’rith, observed that “the UN had long discredited itself, but today faces a fork in the road. Business-as-usual will lead to total irrelevance. The other choice is to concentrate on the human condition, by raising the great moral issues of the day and working to downplay the politics.” Kaplan pointed to six issues. First, the UN must overcome its inaction on Darfur and take a meaningful position. Second, it must deal with the election of a terrorist group, Hamas, to leadership with more than words. Third, it must deal with Iran, which aspires to superpower status in the Muslim world with ambitions to destroy Israel with nuclear weapons. Fourth, it must eradicate corruption in its own body, such as the Oil-for-Food scandal. Fifth, the new Human Rights Council must not allow egregious human rights violators to join to protect themselves. Sixth, the UN must try to resolve the religious confrontation we are in, as evidenced by the caricature controversy.

Kaplan then introduced the co-chairman of the UN Committee, Bob Goodkind, president of the American Jewish Committee. Goodkind spoke of the “moving, substantive, dramatic” UN Holocaust Remembrance commemoration on January 27 in the General Assembly hall. He termed it a “revolutionary event.” The challenge, he said, is to make sure it becomes an educational event for the non-Jewish world. Introducing the next speaker, Israel’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Amb. Dan Gillerman, Goodkind praised his “superlative speech at the UN commemoration that hit all the right notes in an extraordinarily moving way.”

Amb. Gillerman then addressed other issues at the Security Council. Hezbollah was finally named in a resolution after an attack on Israel’s northern border. An important Security Council presidential statement, after the electoral victory of Hamas, made clear that the international community expects the Palestinian Authority to live up to its commitments to end the terrorism and to make sure no one in the government is in any way involved in terror. “No Palestinian government will be recognized by the world community unless it recognizes Israel and relinquishes terror,” he said. Amb. Gillerman characterized the Security Council as more relevant, more powerful and more effective than it has been for a very long time. For example, Resolution 1559, based on Franco-American cooperation, led to Syrian troops leaving Lebanon, a major Syrian strategic asset far more important than the Golan Heights. Similar positive results were being seen with Resolution 1664 that authorized the investigation of the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. The Security Council also condemned the outrageous anti- Semitic statements by Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and now has had the Iranian nuclear issue referred to it by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Many problematic issues remain to be resolved, though, Amb. Gillerman said. The number of anti- Israel resolutions must be reduced; the pro- Palestinian committees must be eliminated; Israel must join the Western European and Other regional group; and the new Human Rights Council cannot be allowed to have the same discriminatory practices as the current Commission on Human Rights.

Professor Asher Susser, Director of the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University, provided the Conference on February 7 with a post-disengagement analysis, entitled “Israel’s Hierarchy of Interests.” Posing the question, “Was disengagement the right thing to do?,” he answered, “Yes, and we need to do more, despite the Hamas election victory.” Following is a summary of his remarks.

Israel has a variety of interests: maintaining the security of the state, maintaining the US-Israel relationship, fighting terror, and others, but some interests are more important. Israel must prioritize and be clear about its hierarchy of interests. Israel’s “overriding historical interest is to maintain itself as the state of the Jewish people,” and all other interests are subordinate.

Demography is the key. Disengagement should have been explained as a way of maintaining Israel as a Jewish state, not as a contribution to Israel’s security. The role of territory has changed in the concept of Israel’s security. Conventional Arab attacks are no longer a major concern, because there are stable peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, and Syria and Iraq are no longer conventional threats. For non-conventional threats, like Iranian nuclear weapons or Syrian chemical weapons, territory is not an issue.

Continued occupation of the West Bank may or may not reduce terrorism, but it will certainly eventually lead to a bi-national state, because it works against Israel demographically and in international standing. The idea of two-state solution is losing ground to the one-state solution, a euphemism for the destruction of Israel. Israel must establish a two-state reality with or without Palestinian consent. But, before any additional disengagement, the security fence must be finished, as planned by the end of this year.

It has been said disengagement created a tailwind for terror and helped Hamas win the election. Hamas certainly portrayed disengagement as a victory, but Hamas won because of the electoral system and Fatah’s lack of discipline. Hamas only won a minority of votes, but won many constituencies due to multiple Fatah candidates.

The Hamas victory does not change the underlying issue. The chances for a negotiated settlement are reduced, but it is not as if there were a deal to be had with Abu Mazen. Hamas does not accept a two-state solution, but it cannot wish away the two-state reality and they are operating within it. Hamas has to take into account the international community’s support for the two-state solution, and like any other political organization needs to maintain public support. The Palestinians are weary of the conflict and Hamas will have to consider whether it is in their interest to continue the violence. If they choose to do so, they will meet an overwhelming Israeli response. Moreover, neither Hamas nor any other Palestinian group, should have a veto over Israel’s decision to determine its own borders as it sees fit.

On January 10, Gen. Ya’alon briefed the Conference, via conference call, on the regional security situation. On Iran, he viewed its resumption of nuclear research, breaching the Paris Agreement, as another indication of Iran’s military nuclear aspirations. President Ahmadinejad’s statements and support for terrorist groups reflect the current Iranian regime’s strategy regarding Israel, US, and the West. Israeli policy is that Iran should pay a price through political and economic sanctions. Israel and the West should be ready to deal with the Iranian program, because Iran may not accede to the international community’s demands.

In the Palestinian arena, post-disengagement, Gaza is becoming “Hamastan, Hezbollah-stan, and al- Qaeda-stan combined.” The border is open to smuggle weapons, and no inspections are being conducted by the Palestinian Authority, Egypt or the European Union. Hezbollah and al-Qaeda are importing experts into Gaza to improve terror capabilities. Qassam rockets are being fired everyday, and even Ashkelon’s industrial zone and power stations are now in range.

Lebanon is struggling to become independent state, with a new slogan: “Lebanon for the Lebanese.” Syria continues to interfere in Lebanon through assassinations and by supporting terrorism against Israel. Syria is also supporting terrorism in Iraq. Assad might not survive in power, because he has made many mistakes. He is the subject of more and more internal criticism, not just from the former Vice President.

Al-Qaeda’s #2, Ayman Al-Zawahiri, declared that al Qaeda is coming after Israel, and there is no reason to doubt it. Al-Qaeda is coming through Jordan, and there are already al-Qaeda elements in Sinai and Gaza. Rocket launches from Lebanon may have been al-Qaeda as well, as Zawahiri claimed.

The main challenge facing Israel is the reluctance of too many to recognize Israel’s right to exist as Jewish state, whether Iranian Shiites, Hamas or Fatah. Israel will have to fight for its independence for a long time into the future.

Israel's Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, addressing the Conference in September 2005.

On January 30, his last day as Israel's Foreign Minister, Silvan Shalom sent a letter to the Conference, which read, in part:

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your close cooperation, your tireless efforts on behalf of the State of Israel and for your show of support for Israel at all times. Your deep friendship and commitment to Israel is well known, and is highly appreciated...

"It is the special bond between Israel and the Diaspora that also enables Israel to forge new and better relations with our Palestinian and Arab neighbors and indeed with the entire international community, while always working to address the ongoing threats to the security of our people, from terrorism and anti-Semitism to the specter of a nuclear Iran.

"Through close cooperation with you and all our international friends, we have been able to achieve important breakthroughs in Israel's relations with Europe, the UN, and countries of Asia, Africa and the Americas, as well as progress on specific issues of concern, including Holocaust remembrance, and facilitating - finally, after more than fifty years - the inclusion of Magen David Adom in the International Red Cross Movement...

"In closing, I would like to thank you for your friendship and continued support of the State of Israel."

Former Sen. Rudy Boschwitz, addressing the commemoration of Operation Solomon.

On January 30, the Conference hosted a reception to commemorate the 15th anniversary of Operation Solomon, the massive airlift of 14,310 Ethiopian Jews to Israel in 36 hours.

The commemoration featured former Sen. Rudy Boschwitz, who in 1991 was President Bush’s emissary to Ethiopia, and a driving force behind Operation Solomon. The Conference was instrumental in setting up the Boschwitz mission. Executive Vice Chairman Malcolm Hoenlein called Sen. Boschwitz and urged him to speak with President Bush about appointing a presidential envoy. President Bush approved the mission and asked Sen. Boschwitz to lead it. Sen. Boschwitz recalled meeting with Ethiopian dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam, whose policy of starvation caused 6 million deaths, and to negotiate for the release of Ethiopian Jewry. As a Jewish refugee from Europe in World War II, the number of deaths had a particular resonance, and he resolved to ensure that the Jews would be taken to safety. He said: “Fifty years ago nobody helped our people. Fifty years later, because of the actions and activity and the organization of the Jewish community, led by the Conference, our voices were heard. That is the real message of Operation Solomon.”

Amb. Aryeh Mekel, Israel’s Consul-General in New York, recounted how, as director-general of the Israel Broadcasting Agency, he arranged for the first Amharic radio broadcast in Israel on the day after Operation Solomon. “Today,” he said, “we have 85,000 Ethiopian Jews in Israel and they have already made a tremendous contribution. There have been hundreds of Army officers and thousands of soldiers, as well as lawyers and entertainers. To show how important they have become, political parties are actively competing to have Ethiopian Jews on their lists. Not just because they can bring in votes, but because of their talent and what they can bring to the table.”

Steve Schwager, Executive Vice President of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee which played a key role in Operation Solomon, said: “People who 15 years ago were subsistence farmers in villages Ethiopia have made it in Israeli society as doctors and lawyers. The job is not finished. We have more work to do, but the facto of the matter is that there are plenty of role models to disprove what some said, that Africans would never absorb into Israel. We are in fact a light unto nations.”

Carol Solomon, Chairwoman of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency For Israel, discussed the history of JAFI’s involvement in Operation Solomon, including the payment of $35 million to the Ethiopian government for the release of Ethiopian Jewry. “After the operation there was a fabulous outpouring from the Israeli public of volunteers and supplies to the arriving Ethiopian Jews, and the American Jewish community responded the emotional scene with great generosity.” She said funds are now being raised by United Jewish Communities for Operation Promise to complete the work of bringing the remaining Ethiopian Jewish population to Israel and to aid Ethiopian Jewish absorption.

Steven Spector, author of “Operation Solomon: The Daring Rescue of Ethiopian Jews,” documented the behind-the-scenes efforts to make the airlift possible.

“The Palestinian election is a watershed for many reasons. The troubling outcome with the victory of the terrorist organization, Hamas, poses more questions than it answers,” said Conference of Presidents Chairman Harold Tanner and Executive Vice Chairman Malcolm Hoenlein.

“Why did Hamas win? Was it an endorsement of the stated intent to destroy Israel, a repudiation of Fatah, a demand for change and an end to corruption and internal chaos, or all of the above? What is clear is that the US, the European Union, and the international community must not engage Hamas. Its inclusion in the government would violate the Oslo Accords, and dealing with Hamas would violate US law.

“We support President Bush’s clear stand that ‘if your platform is the destruction of Israel, it means you're not a partner in peace.’ Speculation about Hamas changing is nothing more than that. The statements of their leaders leave little room for optimism.

“Leaving President Abu Mazen as a titular head with Hamas in control is not a solution, nor would it be acceptable to allow them to dominate the government without accepting portfolios involving the international community. Terrorist groups cannot simply be co-opted. There must be fundamental change with words matched by deeds. The acceptance of a central authority with law and order means dismantling terror groups and their infrastructures, not co-opting Hamas into Palestinian Authority forces, nor allowing them to remain and produce Qassem rockets and reward terrorist bombers. Accepting an extension of a temporary cease-fire will only allow Hamas to grow stronger, until they are in a position to restart the violence against Israel and perhaps other neighboring states.

“The Palestinian people must decide their future course: rejecting Israel and promoting violence or accepting Israel and renouncing violence. One road leads to increased conflict and misery; the other to hope for peace.”

“Vile revisionism is Iran’s response to the United Nations’ moving commemoration of the Holocaust. After Iranian President Ahmadinejad called the Holocaust a ‘myth,’ his government now calls for ‘scientific scrutiny’ on its ‘characteristics, scope and extent.’ The Iranian statement, addressed to the President of the General Assembly, is a transparent attempt to promote Holocaust revisionism within the United Nations,” said Conference of Presidents Chairman Harold Tanner and Executive Vice Chairman Malcolm Hoenlein.

“The world cannot ignore these actions, which reflect the Iranian policy of exporting hate and destruction. The lessons of the Holocaust must not only be learned, they must be applied. World leaders must continue to challenge and condemn revisionist actions and statements, which cannot be disregarded, especially from a terror-supporting, rogue state with nuclear aspirations.”

The full text of the Iranian statement can be seen here in PDF.

Michael Harrison, editor and publisher of Talkers Magazine. Photo by PBS.

In January, America’s Voices hosted Michael Harrison, publisher of Talkers Magazine the industry journal for radio talk show hosts. Unlike most America’s Voices visits to Israel in which the radio host broadcasts back to his own U.S. audience, Michael Harrison acted as the guest on radio shows throughout the U.S. He discussed his trip to Israel on a series of radio shows in hundreds of markets reaching tens of millions of Americans. His visit is also featured in this month's issue of Talkers Magazine.

In February, America’s Voices brought Duke & the Doctor, hosts of the number one health radio talk show in the U.S. They had the opportunity to broadcast interviews about Israeli breakthroughs in medicine, alternative therapies, skin care, etc. to their listeners across the United States.