Jewish – Israel News & Views
An initiative to inform and mobilize local grass roots Jews in large Jewish communities in Canada and the U.S.
INTRODUCTORY NOTE
This is my first trial run of a news & views letter, which I first conceived of as being a service to be operated by individuals or concerned groups in various large Jewish centers in Canada and the States.
A number of those I am sending this to are already engaged in trying to inform grass roots Jews on issues of concern to Jews and Israel, however they are writing to Jews across the U.S. and Canada.
My idea is for individuals or groups in each large Jewish centre to distribute to their local grass roots Jewish community members, various news reports and articles that would not be covered in the regular major news sources. The Jewish – Israel News & Views letter would be geared to raising awareness of local or national and international reports and issues, concerning or impacting, directly or indirectly our respective local Jewish communities.
In certain instances, in addition to informing, the news & views letter would express views on what should or can be done to meet particular periodic challenges and to mobilize the local grass roots Jewish community to demand bold and effective action from our Jewish leadership.
As amongst those in each large Jewish centre who would take on this task, there would be efforts to consult and co-ordinate where issues arise that impact some or all local grass roots Jewish communities to ensure the issues are put fairly and squarely before each community.
This first letter deals with the issue of fear and intimidation on our campuses created by anti-Israel advocates, how that fear has impaired the ability of Jewish students to exercise their full right of freedom of speech, how our university administrations, gripped by that same fear, have failed to effectively deal with this situation, how this has enabled anti-Israel and anti-semitic views to creep into the student body and classrooms and concludes with a call to all grass roots Jews to mobilize and call upon their local and national leadership, to take specific strong and pro-active action to enable Jewish students and universities to overcome these fears.
I would appreciate feedback on whether this Jewish – Israel News & Views initiative, primarily targeting one’s own grass roots Jewish community, is of value and whether others are interested in taking the lead on this initiative in their own respective communities.
Also, I would appreciate feedback on whether you support and will act on my concluding suggested grass roots action to move our Jewish leadership and Hillel to courageously dare to start the process of dealing with and overcoming the climate of fear and intimidation our Jewish students and our universities are sorely impacted by and to put a stop to the consequential anti-Israel sentiment infusing into the fabric of our universities .
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