This summer, Jewish Federation Los Angeles led our community in rallying support for the most vulnerable members of our Israeli family during an unimaginable crisis. Together, we raised over $3 million to meet the immediate needs of our sisters and brothers for respite, trauma counseling, resiliency services and much more. Most importantly, we let them know they are not alone.
Our Federation’s commitment to Israel, and our people, is unwavering – and not just in Israel. As just one example of our local work, I’m proud to share that our Campus Impact Network is giving college students the tools, skills and knowledge to fight the movement to marginalize and demonize Israel. That’s why we are particularly concerned with a resolution by the American Studies Association (ASA), a small academic association, which voted to boycott Israel, Israeli academics and Israeli universities. This week, ASA is hosting their annual conference here in Los Angeles. While the California chapter of ASA has decided not to comply with the boycott, ASA members from across the United States will be in attendance and there will be numerous sessions disseminating misinformation about Israel, and spreading anti-Israel propaganda.
Our Federation is closely monitoring this conference, and we are in regular contact with the academics who have taken a stand against this attempt to blacklist Israeli academia. To date, Israeli academics have not been denied access to the conference.
Through the Israel Action Network, created by our Federation, we are providing strategic support and content to the educators who see this boycott for what it is – a violation of academic freedom that undermines peace. Click here to read an Op-Ed in the Los Angeles Times which provides additional perspective on the negative impact of ASA’s actions.
Thanks to our community, we are able to effectively respond to all attempts to isolate and marginalize our Jewish homeland and our people, and support a secure State of Israel.
Shabbat Shalom,
Jay Sanderson
President & CEO
