House adopts bill imposing stiffer sanctions on Hizballah and its allies
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for adopting on Tuesday night the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Amendments Act of 2018 (S. 1595), which seeks to cut off the flow of resources to the Iran-backed terrorist group.
This bipartisan measure is particularly important in light of Hizballah’s destabilizing regional actions and its massive arms build-up in Lebanon. The legislation strengthens and expands the scope of economic and financial sanctions imposed by previous legislation: the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015. It targets foreign governments that knowingly provide significant arms, combat or financial support to Hizballah, as well as foreign individuals and companies that aid its fundraising or recruitment activities.
Key provisions:
- Imposes sanctions on foreign government agencies or instrumentalities that support Hizballah combat operations, or provide significant financial support or arms support to the terror group;
- Imposes sanctions on foreign individuals and companies that aid Hizballah’s fundraising or recruitment activities, including the provision of support to its media outlets;
- Requires a biennial report on banks that knowingly provide significant assistance to Hizballah and are tied to countries deemed State Sponsors of Terrorism;
- Imposes sanctions on Hizballah by reason of its significant transnational criminal activities, including narcotics trafficking;
- Mandates a biennial report on jurisdictions outside Lebanon that allow their territory to be used by Hizballah for terrorist activity, including training, financing and recruitment;
- Authorizes the president to strengthen oversight procedures for U.S. banks that maintain specific relationships with foreign banks that operate in areas where Hizballah is located; and
- Mandates a report on estimated net worth of senior Hizballah members, including any senior foreign political figures of the terrorist group.
AIPAC appreciates the leadership of the authors of this important legislation, Reps. Ed Royce (R-CA) and Eliot Engel (D-NY) and Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). — From the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
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Senate Committee votes sanctions against Hamas, Hizballah for using human shields
AIPAC commends the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for adopting the Sanctioning the Use of Civilians as Defenseless Shields Act (S. 3257). The bipartisan legislation—authored by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Joe Donnelly (D-IN) with an amendment by Chairman Bob Corker (R-TN)—mandates sanctions against members of Hamas and Hizballah responsible for the use of human shields as well as agencies of foreign states that support these groups in this heinous practice.
Hamas and Hizballah are blatantly violating international law by placing their terrorist infrastructure among civilian populations. In any future conflict in Gaza or Lebanon, the lives of innocent civilians will be endangered because of the reckless and illegal behavior of these terrorist organizations.
AIPAC urges the full Senate to adopt this important legislation. — From American Israel Public Affairs Committee
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University of Haifa to bestow honorary doctorate on German Chancellor Angela Merkel
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Haifa “in recognition of her leadership grounded in principles of equality, freedom and human rights; for serving as a model to women around the world; in appreciation of her warm friendship and robust ties between The Federal Republic of Germany and the State of Israel.” The award ceremony will Ntake place during her two-day visit to Israel on October 3-4th.
“Throughout her life, Dr. Merkel has demonstrated exemplary standards of excellence, wisdom and humanity. It is a great privilege to confer upon her an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Haifa, and I am enormously proud and excited by the occasion,” noted Prof. Ron Robin, President of the University of Haifa.
As part of the award ceremony, scheduled to take place at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem on October 4, 2018, Merkel will meet with a diverse group of graduate students from the University of Haifa, including German students studying at the University. — From the University of Haifa
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Leaders on two continents affirm North American – European partnership
U.S., European and Canadian political and diplomatic leaders have signed an American Jewish Committee (AJC) statement of support for the Transatlantic Partnership and the core values that bind North America and Europe together.
The full statement, “Reaffirming the Transatlantic Partnership – A Pledge of Unity and Resolve,” with the initial 31 signatories, was published Wednesday in The New York Times, in both the U.S. and International editions. The ad, statement and full list of signatories also are available at www.AJC.org/TransatlanticUnity.
“Americans and Europeans are joined at the hip by common foundational values and common existential threats, and thus by a common agenda,” said AJC CEO David Harris. “The ties that link this precious fraternity of kindred nations must never be permitted to fray, for they represent the best hope for the ultimate realization of a genuinely peaceful and prosperous world.”
The distinguished signatories include former presidents, vice presidents, prime ministers, national security advisors, secretaries of state, and ministers of defense and foreign affairs, representing 15 countries. Among them are Vice President Joe Biden, Secretaries of State George Shultz and Madeleine Albright, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni and German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer.
“We are grateful inheritors of the postwar regime of transatlantic security bestowed on us by visionary American and European leaders, who were inspired by common values and united against common threats,” declare the U.S., European and Canadian leaders in the statement. “We rise in defense of the precious alliance of democracies—and its treaties, institutions and norms—that has sustained peace and generated prosperity from the Cold War to the present day.”
“As students of history, we know all too well the terrible price that has been paid when these principles were not respected and protected,” the statement continues. “Resolved to preserve our essential alliance…we use this occasion, when basic assumptions are being challenged and, at times, debased, to recommit to the shared ideals and precepts on which our nations have relied since the end of the Second World War.”
The North American and European leaders proclaim to reaffirm:
- Our commitment to the rules-based international order, in which unprovoked violations of borders are punished, legal mechanisms are empowered to address global challenges while honoring national sovereignty, and standards are maintained to safeguard universal human rights;
- Our confidence in NATO – the indispensable bulwark of peace and security for almost 70 years – and our appreciation of the organization’s inestimable strategic value to the United States and its 28 transatlantic allies;
- Our respect for the European Union, which – from its inception as the European Coal and Steel Community to its current 28-member configuration – has kept historically fractious Europe whole and free, and proven to be the most ambitious and successful peace project in modern history;
- Our determination to assure the integrity of the West’s intelligence, law enforcement and security agencies, on whose professionalism, cooperation and responsiveness we all rely to protect us from dangers both foreign and domestic, of state and non-state origin;
- Our defense of democracy and our support of appropriate measures to counter appeals to extremism, xenophobia and all forms of bigotry; uphold a free and independent press; thwart and deter cyberattacks; and block attempts at electoral interference.
Other current and former political and diplomatic leaders are encouraged to join this initiative by going to www.AJC.org/TransatlanticUnity.
The American Jewish Committee , with headquarters in New York, maintains offices across the U.S. and Europe, including its Transatlantic Institute in Brussels, established in 2004. — From the American Jewish Committee
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Hillel International announces initiative for students’ mental wellness
Continuing its efforts to adapt to the changing needs of the students it serves, Hillel International announced on Wednesday the launch of HillelWellas part of the Hillel U professional development program during the 2018-2019 school year.
With initial support through a $1 million gift from Stephen J. Cloobeck, founder of Diamond Resorts International, Inc., HillelWell will provide resources and training to campus professionals to better prepare them to serve the student body (regardless of religious affiliation) on their campuses with increasing rates of depression, anxiety and other mental health and wellness concerns.
“Our goal is to create an integrated Jewish approach to mental health, focused on giving young people the knowledge and skills to balance their spiritual, physical, intellectual, relational and emotional wellbeing,” said Rabbi Sherre Hirsch, senior rabbinic scholar for Hillel International, who is overseeing HillelWell. “This approach seeks not only to normalize mental health and wellness and remove its current stigmas,but also to promote it as a way to enrich the Jewish people and the world.”
This issue is not new to Hillel. In recent years, Hillel professionals on campus have identified stress and anxiety as well as mental health and wellness among their greatest concerns for Jewish and non-Jewish college students, and one of the highest priorities for skill development and programmatic resources. Research shows that one in three college freshmen will report a mental health disorder, and 1 in 12 college students will make a suicide plan. Researchers also believe even these statistics underrepresent the issue. Barriers to effective prevention and treatment include lack of campus resources, stigma andfear – causing many young adults to suffer in isolation.
HillelWellwill address the mental health and wellness crisis on campus in tangible ways, including:
- The launch of a HillelWell lab with five to seven campus participants that will each pilot an innovative, scalable wellness initiative.
- Providing in person and online training for at least 400 Hillel professionals during the 2018-2019 school year.
- Collaboration with Hillel International’s student cabinet to ensure HillelWell is integrated into all programming and addressing the needs of students.
- Development of resource guides for campus professionals to create their own wellness strategies, including through deep campus partnerships that support the whole student.
“I am honored to support Hillel International as it seeks to address mental health and wellness for a generation that is more in need than ever of this type of support,” said Stephen J. Cloobeck, founder of Diamond Resorts International, Inc.“Through my own struggles with dyslexia, I know firsthand how isolating and difficult it can be as a young person dealing with something others might not understand. I know that HillelWell will make an incredible difference to the students and the wider Jewish community.”
HillelWell will incorporate longstanding practices including “unplugging” for Shabbat, the intentionality of Jewish tradition, mindfulness of prayer and meditation, all while providing highly relevant and modern training for professionals and equipping the next generation of Jewish leaders with the resources they need to live in a complicated and demanding world.
“Students have told us what they need from Hillel and we are listening,” said Rabbi Hirsch. “With the support of Stephen J. Cloobeck, HillelWell will allow us to respond to the changing needs of our students and professionals and promote proactive steps toward wellness on campus.” — From Hillel International
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United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism announces contest for leadership award
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ) has announced it is accepting nominations for the fifth annual Shoshana S. Cardin Leadership Award. Created in 2014, this award recognizes an emerging Jewish leader (of any age) who is making a difference in advancing the values of a 21st century Judaism that is learned and passionate, authentic and pluralistic, joyful and accessible, egalitarian and traditional. The award will be presented at the meeting of USCJ’s General Assembly of Kehillot on December 2, 2018, in New York.
Recipients will be recognized for:
❖ Clarity of vision and a strong articulation and dissemination of that vision
❖ Innovative ideas and processes that motivate and inspire others to engage in the vision
❖ Taking initiative
❖ Demonstrated metrics of success
Qualifications:
❖ Identifies with the values of Conservative Judaism
❖ An emerging leader; in any decade of one’s life
❖ Based in and work in North America
❖ Nominated by peers, colleagues, supervisors or self.
❖ Jewish professionals cannot be nominated for their work unless it is in a volunteer capacity
Recipient will receive:
❖ A $5,000 stipend
❖ Opportunities to connect with other emerging Jewish leaders from across the continent through USCJ and its network of kehillot and leaders
❖ Public recognition at USCJ’s General Assembly of Kehillot, in marketing and publicity materials
Click here to download nomination form. Email completed form to cardinaward@uscj.org.
Nomination Deadline: October 15, 2018
For more information or questions contact Linda Sussman at cardinaward@uscj.org, METNY Kehilla Relationship Manager — From United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism.
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