Ajc Passport

This week, we bring you a special Florida-themed episode of AJC Passport. We spoke to two members of Congress from Florida, Representative Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Representative Brian Mast (R-FL), and discussed the importance of pro-Israel support on both sides of the aisle and the need to confront the threat of anti-Semitism in America.

Last week, former U.S. State Department Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Hannah Rosenthal joined us for a special AJC Passport live show in Atlanta to celebrate 75 years since the creation of AJC's Atlanta office. Rosenthal discussed her time in government and her work fighting hatred of the Jewish people around the world.

The recent flare-up between Palestinian terrorist groups in Gaza and Israel over saw more than 650 rockets slam into Israel’s south, killing four Israeli civilians and paralyzing much of the country. The assault drew over 300 retaliatory strikes against terrorist infrastructure in Gaza by the Israel Defense Forces. Joining us today is AJC Jerusalem Director Avital Leibovich to fill us in on the latest round of violence and its aftermath. Then we’ll hear a conversation with Congressman Eliot Engel, Chairman on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, recorded last week during a special AJC Passport live show in New York.

Imam Mohamed Magid is the spiritual leader and executive director of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society Center, which serves 5,000 Muslim families in Northern Virginia, making him one the most important imams in America. He is also a member of the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council, convened by AJC and the Islamic Society of North America. Imam Magid joins us this week to discuss Islam in America and the state of Muslim-Jewish relations. Also joining us this week is AJC Transatlantic Institute Director Daniel Schwammenthal to analyze what went wrong at The New York Times when its international edition published an anti-Semitic cartoon last week.

With AJC Global Forum 2019 rapidly approaching, we’re throwing it back to last year’s Global Forum in Jerusalem. There, we recorded the first-ever AJC Passport live show in a room filled with hundreds of college students. Journalist Matti Friedman joined us to discuss one of the least reported-on angles of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: the press that covers the struggle. Drawing on his years of experience as an AP reporter and editor, Friedman talked with us about how the editorial process shapes coverage of the conflict.

September 11 was a traumatic and defining moment for Americans, so it comes as little surprise that questionable comments about the attack by a controversial member of Congress would generate a firestorm. JTA Washington Bureau Chief Ron Kampeas joins us to explain the war of words between Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and President Trump. Also joining us this week is Stephanie Guiloff, Deputy Director of AJC’s Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs, to discuss a new AJC campaign to urge the European Union to designate the entirety of Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

Israelis went to the polls earlier this week to elect the members of the 21st Knesset and choose a prime minister. Days after the polls closed, the final results have been announced. On this special post-election episode of AJC Passport, we are joined by David Makovsky, former senior advisor to the Secretary of State’s Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations and Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and AJC Jerusalem Director Avital Leibovich to break down the results of the election and what impact it will have on the future of Israel.

In recent years, Europe has been rocked by reports of increasing anti-Semitism. But what is happening within our own borders? Brian Levin, Director of California State University’s Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, joins us to share his latest findings, analyze the trends in hate crimes in the United States, and explore effective responses. Then, with the national election in Israel less than a week away, Haaretz journalist Allison Kaplan Sommer joins us on "The Battle for Balfour” to discuss the social media bots scandal and share her prediction of who will be Israel’s next prime minister.

The African American and American Jewish communities have a long and storied history of cooperation. But is there still a shared Black-Jewish agenda today? Joining us is Dr. Lonnie Bunch III, Founding Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, to discuss the past, present, and future of Black-Jewish relations in America. Then, on "The Battle for Balfour,” we are joined by Jerusalem Post Senior Contributing Editor Lahav Harkov for an update on the latest flare-up in Gaza and what impact it might have on the upcoming Israeli election.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, known by his initials as AMLO, swept into office as president of Mexico with great fanfare and big promises. Will he be able to live up to them? Joining us today to discuss what we can expect from López Obrador’s presidency is Dina Siegel Vann, director of AJC’s Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs, who accompanied a high-level AJC delegation that met with him in Mexico City last week. Then on "The Battle for Balfour,” we are joined by Arik Rudnitsky, a scholar on Israeli Arab society at the Israel Democracy Institute and the Moshe Dayan Center of Tel Aviv University, for a discussion on voter turnout among Arab citizens of Israel in the upcoming national election and how it might help determine who becomes prime minister.

On February 18, seven members of the British Parliament resigned from the Labour Party, citing what they called “institutional anti-Semitism.” Two more followed just days later. Though dramatic, the split came as little surprise: the Labour Party has been rocked by charges of anti-Semitism since Jeremy Corbyn became party leader in 2015. Ella Rose, former National Director of the Jewish Labour Movement, joins us to discuss the political fallout of the split and what it means for the future of the Labour Party. Then, on "The Battle for Balfour," Walla! News Political Correspondent Tal Shalev joins us to discuss the latest political developments in Israel ahead of the April 9 national election.

Rabbi David Rosen lives in Jerusalem, but he spends much of his time traveling the world as AJC’s Director of International Interreligious Affairs. He joins us this week from the Vatican, where he is accompanying a senior AJC delegation in meetings with Pope Francis and other high-level Church officials. We spoke with him about the history of Catholic-Jewish relations, the breaking news that the Church will unseal WWII-era archives, and the future of interreligious dialogue. Then, on "The Battle for Balfour," we spoke with AJC Managing Director of Global Communications Avi Mayer about several controversial decisions by Israel's Central Elections Committee ahead of the April 9 election. And on "Good for the Jews," we listened in to Rep. Ted Deutch’s (D-FL) stirring floor speech about recent anti-Semitic incidents in Congress.

Mitch Landrieu’s second term as Mayor of New Orleans may have ended in 2018, but the impact of his eight years in office will be felt for years to come. He helped revive a city still recovering from Hurricane Katrina and led the fight to take down four Confederate statues. In December, Landrieu traveled to Israel with AJC Project Interchange while serving as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. He joins us now to discuss the trip, the value of centrism in America’s political discourse, and what’s in store for the 2020 presidential race. This week, we’re launching a new segment on the Israeli election, titled “The Battle for Balfour.” Each week through Election Day on April 9, we will bring you an exclusive update on the race to determine the next Prime Minister of Israel. Joining us today is AJC Jerusalem Director Avital Leibovich.

Last May, we were joined by Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, to talk about his experience visiting Israel as part of our annual AJC Project Interchange delegation of U.S. mayors. Since then, Buttigieg, who is helping to reinvigorate his Midwest city, took a giant leap onto the national political stage when he declared his candidacy for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. With this enhanced spotlight on Mayor Pete, we are rerunning this pertinent interview to share his thoughts on Israel and what the Democratic party stands to learn from the Jewish state.

Last weekend, freshman Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) used her Twitter account to promote a classic anti-Semitic trope, accusing American Jews of paying off elected officials to maintain the U.S.-Israel relationship. Omar issued an apology after her remarks were met with widespread condemnation, including from the Democratic leadership. Was her apology sincere? Will she learn from this episode and become an ally in the fight against anti-Semitism? AJC CEO David Harris joins us to discuss the incident and the urgent need to confront anti-Semitism in all its forms. Meanwhile, this week, the French government released a report showing a 74% increase in anti-Semitic incidents in 2018 amidst a wave of vandalism against Jewish sites in Paris. AJC Paris Director Anne-Sophie Sebban-Bécache joins us to discuss the staggering statistics and AJC’s role in urging French authorities to redouble their efforts to tackle the sources of anti-Semitism.

Is the Democratic Party still pro-Israel? Leading public opinion researcher and political strategist Mark Mellman joins us to address a question being asked by many and discuss how his newly-formed group, the Democratic Majority for Israel, plans to counter those trying to pull the party away from the Jewish state. Also joining us is AJC Assistant Director of International Relations Holly Huffnagle, who previously served as Policy Advisor to the U.S. State Department’s Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism. Huffnagle offers an inside look at the Special Envoy’s vital role in fighting anti-Semitism and shares her thoughts on Elan Carr, who was nominated by Secretary Pompeo to fill the role earlier this week.

Last week, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó declared himself president after years of economic turmoil in what was once one of the most prosperous countries in Latin America. Tens of thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets to show their support for Guaidó and their opposition to the repressive regime of Nicolás Maduro. Will this dramatic turn of events help restore democracy and freedom to the country? Dany Bahar, an Israeli and Venezuelan economist serving as a David M. Rubenstein Fellow in the Global Economy and Development program at the Brookings Institution, joins us to break down these developments and what it could mean for the future of Venezuela and its Jewish community.

Last weekend, demonstrators took to the streets for the 2019 Women’s March, but this year’s event was mired in controversy. This week on AJC Passport, we hear from two leading Jewish figures who support the aims of the March, but disagree on whether to participate in light of the ongoing anti-Semitism scandals surrounding its leadership. Carly Pildis, political organizer and contributing editor at Tablet Magazine, and Rabbi Sarah Bassin, Assistant Rabbi of Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills, discuss their decisions and suggest ways to mitigate tensions between the Jewish community and the leaders of the Women’s March.

This week’s episode comes to you live from the nation’s capital. We were joined by two freshman members of Congress, Representative Donna Shalala (D-FL) and Representative Van Taylor (R-TX). We talked with them about the key issues they plan to tackle while in Congress, including strengthening U.S.-Israel relations and building bipartisanship. The episode was recorded in front of a live audience as part of AJC’s National Leadership Council Advocacy Fly In, featuring a series of meetings with thought leaders, foreign diplomats, and members of Congress.

The BDS movement has climbed its way up the Hill in the form of a bill targeting proponents of the anti-Israel boycott campaign. On this week’s episode, AJC General Counsel Marc Stern sheds light on the bill and other legislative measures against boycott efforts. Also joining us is AJC Transatlantic Institute Director Daniel Schwammenthal, who discusses the state of the relationship between the EU and Israel and the steps needed to mend it.