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November 21, 2003
Taking Israel advocacy to MPs
New national initiative introduces young Jews to the political
process.
KYLE BERGER REPORTER
In the past several years, as terror has continued to wreak havoc
throughout Israel, there has also been an increase in acts of anti-Semitism
throughout the Diaspora, including Canada.
Canadian Israel advocacy groups have been working hard to represent
Israel while encouraging community members to write letters to their
local members of Parliament (MPs) hoping to convince the politicians
to take a stand against anti-Semitism. Taking that goal a step further
is the national group, the Young Leadership Israel Advocacy Initiative
(YLIAI).
Now in its second year, the goal of the YLIAI is to build a cadre
of Jewish leaders from across Canada, aged 25-40, who will involve
themselves in Canadian political life and, more importantly, represent
the Jews of Canada in helping to build support for Israel.
According to Montreal's Howard Liebman, who is co-chairing this
year's program with David Goldstein, the initiative is a response
to a need for the Jews of Canada to become more involved in the
Canadian political scene.
"I think our community is extremely well organized when it
comes to charity work and infrastructure, but we are definitely
behind other cultural communities when it comes to becoming engaged
in the political process," he told the Bulletin. "In
other cultural communities in Canada, politics is seen as a priority
and community individuals are groomed and asked to become engaged
in the political process.
"It's something so easy and so consistent with Jewish values
of becoming involved," he continued. "It's just a natural
that we sensitize the next generation to the political process,
so that it's not some unknown and vague area."
The brainchild of the Canada-Israel Committee (CIC) and funded by
United Israel Appeal Federations Canada (UIA), the annual program
involves monthly conference calls that feature guest speakers and
discussions on topics such as historical information on Canada-Israel
relations, where different parties stand on Israel-based issues
and how to engage a politician.
The program also includes a weekend meeting on Parliament Hill in
Ottawa, where participants meet with the MPs, and concludes with
a CIC-organized summer mission to Israel with some of those MPs.
Liebman, who was a participant in last year's program, said the
first mission, which included 12 young leaders, five MPs and several
other political lobbyists, was a very successful experience.
"The MPs were not just learning about Israel and the Middle
East but they did it while surrounded by young Canadian Jews,"
he said. "We were able to engage them in discussions about
becoming involved in their parties and it was an opportunity for
us to get involved in the process, which was the whole point."
Liebman said he has maintained close relationships with several
of the MPs and has invited them to various community gatherings
in Montreal's Jewish community.
Last year, the YLIAI had approximately 20 participants. This year's
group boasts about 70 representatives, including eight from the
Greater Vancouver area. By the end of each year, the YLIAI hopes
that its participants will use their training to work their way
up political ladders and make a difference for years to come.
"The idea is that by the end of the year, [participants] have
identified a political party or a way into the political arena,
then they take it from there," Liebman said.
"People are also encouraged to get involved and engage their
MPs in whatever issues are important to them. It's not strictly
about people going in and saying, 'I am a Jew and I want to be involved
in just Israel issues.' We are getting involved to speak to the
issues of the day while at the same time making sure that our community
message gets across at the right time."
Because of the changes taking place in the Canadian political scene
this year, the YLIAI has held off setting a date for this year's
visit to Parliament Hill.
For more information or to get involved in the YLIAI, call Jodi
Block, director of leadership development of UIA Federations Canada,
at 416-636-7655, ext. 225.
Kyle Berger is a freelance journalist and graphic designer
living in Richmond.
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