GA Counter-convention in Toronto, November 13
On the weekend of November 12, 2005 the United Jewish Communities – Federations of North America, an organization representing 156 Jewish federations and 400 independent Jewish communities will meet for their Annual General Assembly (GA) at the Metro Convention Centre. We see this as a vital opportunity to amplify progressive Jewish voices for peace and justice so that they can be heard within the Jewish world.
On Sunday, November 13, 2005, a coalition of interested groups and individuals will host 3D: Diversity, Democracy and Dissent in the Jewish Community Teach-in at Metro Hall (just down the street from the Metro Convention Centre) that will feature a variety of activities, including: lectures, arts performances, continuous film screenings, expert panellists, a book display and more.
This teach-in is brought to you by the organizers of the “Jewish Voices for Peace and Justice Conference”. In June 2003, a coalition of Jewish groups and individuals organized this conference to bring together those opposed to Israel’s continuing occupation of the West Bank and Gaza and its abrogation of Palestinian human rights. Once again we feel the need raise our collective voices. This time, we hope to focus not only on the Occupation, but also on a wide range of issues facing the Jewish community.
Click here to register online.
That is so excellent! Will Norman Finkelstein be there to lead a workshop?
The last thing the Jewish community needs is a “counter demontration” to a relatively benign meeting of philanthropists at the GA. It’s sad to see ideologically motivated Jews on the “Left” ape methods of counter globalization activists who attack G8 gatherings and diminish their progressive message with unnecessary theatrics and anarchist infiltration.
Jews concerned with ethical behaviour in Israel should ask themselves why they don’t spend their days protesting Syrian attacks on indigenous Kurds, or protesting the PA for its rank corruption and inefficacy. Protesting the one democracy in the Middle East seems cowardly when there are bigger dragons to slay nearby.
“those opposed to Israel’s continuing occupation of the West Bank and Gaza and its abrogation of Palestinian human rights. Once again we feel the need raise our collective voices. This time, we hope to focus not only on the Occupation”
oh god shut the fuck up.
init, raise awareness about other shits that dont make your own peeps look bad. its not even about “avoiding the issue”, its just about making the world aware of other issues which puts our own issue into perspective. you motherfuckers. zachary’s got the right idea.
It’s true that there’s a strong current of people who are deeply invested in the idea of “dissent”, so they need to construct the mainstream as evil — and they need the mainstream to be evil, ie not interested in changing anything — for them to continue to identify as dissenters. See any of the standard I-was-a-teenage-Zionist articles (Counterpunch, etc) for details. But that doesn’t mean they’re all bad. The solution is for another set of Jews to navigate between both, who are comfortable with both the idea that mainstream are actual human beings, and that haters often have a real point worth listening to as well.
You really don’t need Jewlicious to show you up for the marginal non-entity that you are. You do it fine all by yourself. Have fun at your stupid little party. Don’t forget the patchouli scented candles!
Yikes! Cut it out anon! I don’t need people going around saying I encouraged you to say that! Besides we’re all out of brown shirts. Rag on moby all you like, just keep me out of it. I’m no fan of the GA demi-macher shmooze fest myself. Granted, I also hold by Zachary Thacher’s eloquent critique of this teach-in. For the record. I mean as long as no one’s offended or anything … I did read the program and the speaker bios. Too bad I’ll be in Israel, woulda loved to hear that Jihad dude’s speach as well as that interprative dance number. Oh well.
For the first few words (before seeing who made the post), I was suspecting that a brave bunch of people were going to protest the silence of American Jewry as 9000 Jews were kicked out of the homes and their houses grinded to dust.
I was wrong.
Shavuah tov people.
i thought it would be fun to comment on the post rather than making fun of people, is that okay?
the GA includes plenty of progressive voices, including those that stand for peace. those of you who are dead set in your beliefs that UJC and Federations only represent a certain breed of ideology haven’t been inside my Federation lately. I work for a Federation-funded entity that is committed to peace dialogue. And about a dozen other Feeration funded agencies in SF are dedicated to topics like fighting domestic violence, environmental education (here and in Israel), social justice issues, race relations, and progressive local politics.
Federation is what you choose to make of it by involving yourself in the agency or not. I know that they can be very conservative and very money focused (that’s the point right) and that oftentimes they come to consensus about Israel topics that some of you don’t like. So get involved and be a counter voice within the group. No one’s stopping you.