American Jewish Committee Continues Online "Advocacy Anywhere" Programs

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Apr 20, 2020, 08:27 ET

NEW YORK, April 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- More than a month after American Jewish Committee (AJC) launched its online "Advocacy Anywhere" programs, hundreds of thousands of viewers are logging on to engage in the regular conversations with prominent experts on a wide range of topics of concern to Jews worldwide.

"The robust interest in our online education, advocacy, and diplomacy inspires us to develop fresh programs each week," said AJC CEO David Harris. "And with a social media platform of over 2.3 million followers, our global reach continues to expand."

In a week shortened by the Passover holiday, AJC Advocacy Anywhere programs, all available for viewing on the AJC Facebook page, included:

An Improbable Jewish Journey with AJC CEO David Harris. More than 87,000 have viewed on Facebook this program, in which Harris, one of the world's foremost Jewish advocates, shares his personal Jewish story, from the "improbable" development of Jewish identity to the journey that led him to AJC more than 40 years ago.

Celebrity Passover Storytime, featuring actor Joshua Malina, who starred in "The West Wing" and "Scandal," has been viewed by more than 69,000 on Facebook.

The Post-Corbyn Labor Party: A New Era? Ten days after Keir Starmer was elected head of the Labour Party, Lord John Mann, Independent Adviser to the UK Government on Antisemitism; Joan Ryan, Honorary President of Labour Friends of Israel and former Labour MP; and Ian Austin, Chair of Mainstream, the Campaign Against Extremism, and former Labour MP, joined in a conversation about the future of a post-Corbyn Labour Party and how to combat the rise of antisemitism in the UK. The program has been viewed by more than 25,000 on Facebook.

The Future of U.S.-China Relations in a Post-COVID-19 World, featuring Bonnie Glaser, Director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) China Power Project; Malcolm Riddell, Founder and CEO of CHINADebate and former investment banker, diplomat, lawyer, and CIA agent; Robert Spalding, Senior Fellow at Hudson Institute and former NSC Senior Director for Strategic Planning; and Susan Shirk, Chair of the UC San Diego 21st Century China Center and former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, has been seen by more than 42,000 on Facebook.

Registration for AJC Advocacy Anywhere is free and can be viewed via Zoom and Facebook.

This week's lineup for AJC Advocacy Anywhere includes:

Monday, April 20, 1:00 PM (ET) -- Fighting Antisemitism and Hate Speech: Is the UN an Ally or an Antagonist? Felice Gaer, Director of AJC's Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights, and a leading expert on UN human rights mechanisms and religious freedom, will assess the progress, potential, and enduring challenges in the UN's role in the fight against antisemitism.

Tuesday, April 21, 1:00 PM (ET) -- An Intergenerational Yom HaShoah Commemoration: Together We Bear Witness. Two Holocaust survivors—Halina Peabody in the United States and Marian Turski in Poland—will be in conversation with young American and German AJC staff members. U.S. Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues Cherrie Daniels and AJC Director of International Jewish Affairs Rabbi Andrew Baker will also join the commemoration on the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.

Tuesday, April 21, 4:00 PM (ET) -- A Conversation with H.E. Dr. Martin Weiss, Ambassador of Austria to the United States. After one month of lockdown due to COVID-19, Austria was one of the first European countries to begin easing restrictions. Compared to other countries on the continent, its coronavirus cases and deaths have been quite low. Austria has also been an increasingly important voice in Europe urging closer ties with Israel. Ambassador Weiss, who before coming to Washington was Austria's immensely popular Ambassador to Israel, will discuss these issues and more.

Wednesday, April 22, 12:30 PM (ET) -- Ramadan and Muslim-Jewish Relations in the Age of Coronavirus. Imam Mohamed Magid, spiritual leader of ADAMS Center, a mosque community serving 25,000 Muslims in the Washington, D.C., area, and Rabia Chaudry, an attorney, advocate, podcaster, and author of the New York Times bestseller, Adnan's Story: The Search for Truth and Justice After Serial, will discuss challenges and innovations of celebrating the month of Ramadan, which begins the evening of April 23, during the pandemic crisis. Majid and Chaudry are members of the AJC-led Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council (MJAC).

Wednesday, April 22, 6:00 PM (ET) -- A Conversation with Sofia Gross, Global Public Policy Manager, Snap Inc. In a conversation moderated by AJC Chief of Staff to the CEO Belle Yoeli, Gross will explain how Snap handles crises such as COVID-19, engaging young voters in elections, and serving as a medium for change.

Thursday, April 23, 1:00 PM (ET) -- India and the Coronavirus: A Conversation with H.E. Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Indian Ambassador to the United States. As India's 1.3 billion people endure an extended national lockdown due to the coronavirus, the Modi government wrestles with what is now a globally familiar dilemma: keeping a country safe amid contagion without jeopardizing its long-term economic survival. Issues Ambassador Sandhu will discuss include: How has the pandemic affected the world's most populous democracy? What has been the impact for its social cohesion; growing pharmaceutical and medical devices industries; relations with neighboring states; growing ties to both the U.S. and Israel; and bonds with Indian Americans?

Friday, April 24, 11:00 AM (ET) -- Middle East Update: A Special Briefing with Nickolay Mladenov, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. There are few people today anywhere more knowledgeable about what is going on in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, as well as the surrounding region, than Nickolay Mladenov. In his role, Mladenov is in a unique position to engage with all the parties on every level from political to humanitarian. AJC has known him for many years, beginning with his tenure as foreign minister of Bulgaria, when he became a close friend, and his appearance at the AJC Global Forum. Mr. Mladenov will assess the latest developments in the region during the pandemic and three months after President Trump unveiled a detailed "Vision for Peace."

https://www.ajc.org/news/american-jewish-committee-continues-online-advocacy-anywhere-programs

SOURCE American Jewish Committee