Advocates for Israel: Ashland Chapter
We began our work this year under our new chairman, Gary Acheatel. This impressive list reflects the large amount of dedication, creativity, and skill present in our community, and what can be present in every community once the commitment is made to connect with a group of willing partners in support of Israel.
It is exciting to present the activities that have attracted champions for the coming year. A sad truth in American Jewish life today is that what we are doing is “cutting edge.” Other regions are examining our community-based model programs, educating both Jews and Gentiles, and will be duplicating our innovative efforts in their regions!
Congratulations to those who “stepped up” and adopted an event/activity! Let us all further commit to assist each other in making these actions awesome, as we are all volunteers and need each other's support.
In addition to the events listed below, there are an infinite number of possible projects to help generate interest in and knowledge about Israel.
Bulletin Columns: Susan Wilson, Gerry Mandel, Eliza
Goal: to create monthly columns in the local synagogue newspapers.
Southern Oregon University Tabling: Atara
Goal: to disseminate information at the local university, to identify Jewish college students, and to begin organizing them.
Israel Tour: Rabbi Jackie
Goal: to conduct Israel trips to foster a better understanding and love of Israel. Every tour will probably have a different focus, such as: family tours, first-timer adult-only tours, mitzvah project tours, peace and reconciliation work tours, and Jewish-Christian tours. Some tours will combine several of these themes. There was a tour in November of 2004 and another in March of 2006.
KSKQ Weekly Program: Stan Shulster
Goal: to create a media venue for fostering a healthy dialogue about Israel.
Israel Consulate Speaker: Stan Shulster
Goal: to bring in quality speakers from the Israel consulate and other places for engagements in multiple local venues such as churches, universities, synagogues, etc.
Yom HaAtzmaut: Susan Wilson
Goal: to organize a community-wide celebration of Yom Ha’Atzmaut. This celebration will have food, games, speakers, materials, Israeli dancing, etc. Event will alternate between the two main synagogue structures in town.
Varsity Films: Elle Celler, Ron Silverman
Goal: to create a Jewish Film Festival. We have a good relationship with the local theater owner, who has shown a healthy willingness to support this project.
Israel Documentary Film: Rabbi Jackie
Goal: to use shorter documentary films (such as "The Road to Jenin") to create an Israel information event. The focus for the first event was the media, how it functions, and how it can distort things and dysfunction. An editor from a local paper was our guest speaker. We filled the room; the combination of a good speaker and a film worked well, as we filled the room.
SOU Modern Israel History Class: Rabbi David Zaslow
Goal: Rabbi David is working to create and teach a course on modern Israel at the University. His perspective will probably be a healthy counterpoint to some of the other discussions on the Middle East occurring on campus.
Media Watch Team: Susan Wilson
Goal (ongoing): to search out biased articles and letters in our local media and to counter them. Media Watch has been very successful in this regard. We have evolved from individual responders to a team format; a letter that needs response is given to a team, which crafts the response. This task alternates between the teams.
Peace House
Goal: to become more active in dialoguing on Israel-related issues with Peace House, our local peace organization, which has just reorganized. We are exploring the possibility of placing one of our members on their board, or establishing a consultant position with their group.
Israel Book Club
Goal: to continue our book club activities, reading books with a focus on Israel and the Middle East such as The Trouble with Islam, The Case for Democracy, etc.
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