Jewish leaders to discuss future of Israel, Diaspora
10/30/2012 01:58
More than 120 major decision makers, scholars and leaders from around the Jewish world to attend conference in Jerusalem.
Photo: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post
More than 120 major decision makers, scholars and leaders from around the Jewish
world will attend a conference in Jerusalem on Tuesday to discuss strategic
issues facing the Jewish people and the State of Israel in the
future.
The gathering, organized by the Jewish People Policy Institute
together with the NADAV Foundation, will focus on Jewish identity, new Jewish
leadership, and geopolitical challenges to Israel, among other
topics.
JPPI president Avinoam Bar-Yosef emphasized that the conference
plans to raise the issue of managing the budgets and resources within the Jewish
world in light of the ongoing global economic crisis and the changing trends in
Jewish philanthropy.
“For the first time, we can see that the Israeli
government is taking Diaspora Jewry seriously, viewing it as a strategic asset
to Israel, and that it is willing to invest in its future to maintain its power
and influence,” said Bar-Yosef.
As such, a special session will be held
at the conference with senior government officials and leaders of Jewish
organizations to identify joint projects for the future that will require mutual
cooperation and coordination between Israel and the Diaspora
community.
“Conference participants will also look at the entirety of the
resources available within the Jewish world in order to consider more efficient
ways to utilize them to meet future strategic needs of the Jewish people,” Bar
Yosef added.
Jewish-French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy, President
Shimon Peres, former US envoy to the Middle East Dennis Ross, US Ambassador to
Israel Dan Shapiro and chairman of the Jewish Agency Natan Sharansky, as well as
a number of senior Israeli politicians, are expected to participate in the
event.
JPPI will present policy recommendations arising from the
conference to decision makers in Israel and the Diaspora.