5/27/2010 Gail Yamner, of Clifton, Attends National Meeting of Jewish Leaders

May 27, 2010

Washington, DC -- On May 27 Gail Yamner, of Clifton, President of Joint Action Committee, attended a meeting of leaders of major Jewish organizations and Senate Democrats to discuss concerns of the Jewish Community. The meeting was convened by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). Twenty-two of 59 Democratic senators attended.

Senator Reid began the meeting by discussing Iran sanctions and said that a bill would be passed in early June.  He also stressed strong support for Israel pointing out the foreign aid package and funding for the Iron Dome missile defense and other military equipment.

The floor was opened for discussion of issues that the Jewish Community wanted to present.  Most of the speakers thanked the Administration for its support of Israel and reiterated concerns about Iran's nuclear capacity.  There was discussion of misunderstandings about Administration relations with Israel and the American Jewish Community and ways of correcting those false impressions. Other topics were the role of the on-the-ground efforts of the Jewish Community in Haiti, objections to the recently passed immigration laws in Arizona, the plight of Holocaust survivors (more than half live below poverty level) and the need to press forward on passage of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the International Violence Against Women Act (both bills target domestic violence against women).

Among the groups represented in addition to Joint Action Committee were the American Israel Public Affairs Committee; Jewish Federations of North America; Hadassah; American Jewish World; the Jewish Council for Public Affairs; the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society; Jewish Women International; NCSJ; J Street; the National Jewish Democratic Council; and American Friends of Lubavitch.

Joint Action Committee (JAC) is an advocacy group that promotes the United States-Israel relationship, separation of religion and state, reproductive freedom and social policies consistent with the core concerns of the American Jewish community.