[ [link removed] ]J Street Conference 2021

Friend --

Last night capped off two blockbuster days at J Street’s largest, most
accessible National Conference ever.

With important, powerful remarks from US Ambassador to the United Nations
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Bernie Sanders
and an impressive range of inspiring speakers, yesterday was a powerful
call to action in our fight to advance diplomacy, justice and democracy.

Across every session -- from combating white nationalism and antisemitism
to shaping a new era of progressive foreign policy -- the discussions were
driven by our shared Jewish, progressive values of empathy, solidarity and
tikkun olam.

Closing out her very last conference as Chair of the J Street Board, Alex
Stanton issued a direct commitment, along with two other members of the
board, to personally double all new donations over the next 29 days, up to
$50,000.

[ [link removed] ]To make a contribution to our shared pro-Israel, pro-peace mission, and
have it matched dollar for dollar, donate here >>

American Middle East Policy in the Biden Era

At yesterday evening’s mainstage session, J Street was pleased to welcome
not one, but two senior Biden administration officials. Cedric Richmond,
Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office of
Public Engagement, warmly opened the evening session, which was capped off
by a closing keynote address from US Ambassador to the United Nations
Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield made President Biden’s commitment to
diplomacy, human rights and Israel’s security crystal clear, reaffirming
the administration’s support for a two-state solution and commitment to
repairing international relationships after the damage wrought by four
years of President Trump (click the images below to play excerpts from
each session).

[ [link removed] ]Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at the J Street Conference

J Street was immensely proud to honor former President Jimmy Carter with
our Tzedek v'Shalom ‘Peace and Justice’ award for his outstanding work
securing the Camp David Accords and his ongoing commitment to
peacebuilding between Israelis and Palestinians and around the world.

[ [link removed] ]Jimmy Carter Award Video

A host of other American and international leaders also joined this
evening. Former Israeli Opposition Leader and Minister of Justice Tzipi
Livni and former UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process
Nickolay Mladenov both spoke of the very real possibility for an end to
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict if leaders on both sides would truly
commit to peace. 

Senator Bernie Sanders spoke powerfully of the urgent need for clarity of
purpose as we seek to defend human rights and end the occupation. “There
can be no debate but that the people of Israel have the right to live in
peace and security, without fear of violence or terrorism. But that is a
right that the Palestinian people must also have,” Sanders said. “We must
be willing to say loudly and clearly: the occupation must end.”

[ [link removed] ]Senator Bernie Sanders at the J Street Conference

“In terms of aid to Israel, in my view, the American people do not want to
see that money being used to support policies that violate human rights
and treat the Palestinian people as second-class human beings,” Sanders
said. “It is totally appropriate for the United States to say what that
aid may and may not be used for.”

Senator Chris Murphy joined for a discussion on the importance of
restoring the Iran nuclear deal and de-escalating the conflict sparked by
President Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from the seven-nation agreement.
Member of Knesset and former Major General Yair Golan made the clear point
that, despite Prime Minister Netanyahu's protestations, returning to the
deal remains in Israel’s urgent strategic interests.

[ [link removed] ]Senator Chris Murphy at the J Street Conference

We also heard from some of the House of Representatives' top foreign
policy lawmakers, including House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman
Gregory Meeks of New York, and Chair of the House Appropriations
Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, Congresswoman Barbara Lee of
California.

Living Our Progressive Values

At Monday afternoon’s mainstage session on progressive values and building
our movement, Senator Elizabeth Warren delivered a powerful articulation
of the principles, goals and policies that drive our pro-Israel, pro-peace
mission, firing up our virtual audience with her clarity and candor. “As
we recognize the critical importance of the US-Israel relationship, it is
critical also to recognize the moral imperative of Palestinian rights,”
Warren said. “No Israeli child from Be'er Sheva should have to hide in a
bomb shelter, and no Palestinian child from Hebron should be evicted from
their home to make way for a settlement.”

[ [link removed] ]Senator Elizabeth Warren at the J Street Conference

“The Netanyahu government may have put aside formal annexation for now,
but the continued growth of these settlements and the destruction of
Palestinian homes amounts to de facto annexation,” Warren said. “If we're
serious about arresting settlement expansion and helping move the parties
toward a two-state solution, then it would be irresponsible not to
consider all of the tools we have at our disposal. One of those is
restricting military aid from being used in the occupied territories.”

Following a moving tribute to our united fight against systemic racism,
attacks on immigrants and the rise of white nationalism, J Street U
President Yoni Slater led an in-depth conversation between Representatives
Jamaal Bowman and Jamie Raskin. Congressman Raskin urged our movement to
be “maximally visionary and extremely pragmatic,” in our aims and
strategy.

[ [link removed] ]Reps. Jamaal Bowman and Jamie Raskin at the J Street Conference

Congressman Bowman pushed for us to align our vision of foreign and
domestic policy, centering human rights and the dignity of every person.
Later, an expert panel of leaders and advocates examined the links between
violent antisemitism and the rise in white supremacist attacks on other
vulnerable communities -- and how we need to stand together to reject
cynical, harmful attempts by the far-right to turn us against one another.
These sentiments were echoed by an array of other speakers, including a
powerful speech by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley.

[ [link removed] ]Rep. Ayanna Pressley at the J Street Conference

Jewish leaders from a whole spectrum of religious movements also joined J
Street for an inspiring discussion on centering our Jewish values at the
heart of pro-Israel advocacy. Guests included Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, CEO
of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, Rabbi Rick Jacobs,
President of the Union for Reform Judaism and Rabbi Deborah Waxman,
President of Reconstructing Judaism. Rebecca Kirzner, Director of
Campaigns at the Jewish refugee agency HIAS, joined leading advocates from
Reconstructing Judaism, the St. Louis JCRC and the Religious Action Center
of Reform Judaism to discuss the future of Jewish social justice activism
in the Biden era.

Now, We Get To Work

The close of J Street’s largest-ever national conference also marks the
start of our largest ever congressional advocacy campaign. This week, over
1,500 J Street supporters will be meeting directly with congressional
offices to push for policies that support diplomacy, protect human rights
and advance our vision for Israel as a truly just and democratic homeland
for the Jewish people, living in peace and security alongside a
Palestinian state.

To support their advocacy on Capitol Hill and to sustain our work to
secure real, long-term change, J Street National Board Chair Alex Stanton
and board members Charles Kremer and Peter Frey have offered to personally
double any donation received over the next 29 days up to $50,000.

[ [link removed] ]To take them up on their offer, make a matched donation of
$25
or any other amount now >>

If you have ActBlue Express Lane, your donation will be matched and
processed in one click.



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As Alex said, “now is our moment to push for the bold, urgent, necessary
steps we know need to be taken to protect our vision of a just and
democratic future.”

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this truly special conference at a
landmark moment for J Street and our movement. And special thanks to all
our guests, sponsors, exhibitors and tireless staff for helping pull off a
first-of-its-kind J Street event.

To those who are joining us for advocacy week, we’ll see you (virtually)
on the Hill soon!

Yours,

Christine Beresenova
Director of Education and Public Engagement


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© 2021 J Street | [ [link removed] ]www.jstreet.org | [email protected]

J Street is the political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans who want
Israel to be secure, democratic and the national home of the Jewish people.
Working in American politics and the Jewish community, we advocate policies that
advance shared US and Israeli interests as well as Jewish and democratic values,
leading to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.



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