Famous Rabbi & Arrested Reporter To Speak Nov 23: Saperstein Invokes God in Denver;
Amy Goodman Arrested in St Paul;
Both Speaking for "Jews Uniting to End the War"

Dear friends,

Two heroes of the national political conventions - Rabbi David Saperstein and Amy Goodman of the "Democracy Now!" national  radio and TV news program  -- along with Congressman Jerrold Nadler,  will be headline speakers at an action gathering at Central Synagogue, NYC, on November 23 --  Jews Uniting to End the War & Heal America.

The gathering is co-sponsored by The Shalom Center and Workmen's Circle/ Arbeter Ring, the only national Jewish organizations to oppose the Iraq war from its beginning. 

Rabbi Saperstein gave the invocation prayer at the Democratic  National Convention in Denver on Thursday evening,  before Senator Obama's acceptance speech. Amy Goodman was arrested along with other journalists  in Minneapolis for trying to cover police attacks on antiwar demonstrators at the Republican National Convention. She has been released, but other journalists are still under arrest. For more info and what to do, see below the Nov 23 listing.

The "Jews Uniting" speaker lineup is below. To register and/ or to support the gathering by contributing. whether or not you can come,  click to -

https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/602/t/7445/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=3732

JEWS UNITING TO END THE EAR & HEAL AMERICA

NOVEMBER 23, 2008; CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE, NYC

8:30AM        Registration; Coffee & bagels available
9:30AM-9:40AM    Welcoming remarks/Framing of the Day
•    Workmen's Circle  rep
•    Rabbi Ellen Lippmann  (Shalom Ctr Board)

9:40-10:45AM    Opening plenary: Why the Jewish community MUST take vigorous action  to end the war and heal America
•    Rabbi David Saperstein, director, Religious Action Center in Washington
•    Liz Holtzman, former Congresswoman, author and attorney
•    Rabbi Arthur Waskow, director, The Shalom Center
•    Ann Toback, director, Workmen's Circle

11:00-12:15AM    5 Concurrent morning workshops on the implications of the peace effort

A. Impacts of Iraq War & Peace on the Broader Middle East (from Iran to Egypt, and everything in between)
•    Jeremy Ben-Ami, J Street 
•    MJ Rosenberg, Israel Policy Forum
•    Lilly Rivlin, Meretz USA

B. Human rights and civil liberties in the US
•    Donna  Lieberman, American  Civil Liberties Union
•    Michael Ratner, Center for Constitutional Rights
•    Rabbi Simkha Weintraub, Rabbis for Human Rights-North America
•    Liz Holtzman, former Congresswoman, author and attorney

C. Domestic Economic Consequences of the War & Peace
•    Greg Speeter, National Priorities Project
•    Brad Lander, Pratt Center for Community  Development
•    Dara Silverman, Jews for Racial & Economic Justice

D. Oil, War, & Climate Crisis
•    Charles Komanoff, Carbon Tax Center
•    Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin, Baltimore Jewish Environmental Network

E. Healing veterans, their  families, and the families of the war dead
•    Myriam Miedzian, author "Boys Will Be Boys: Breaking the Link Between Masculinity and Violence"
•    Penny Coleman, author "Flashback: Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome, Suicide and the Costs of War"
•    Sue Niederer, Goldstar Families for Peace
•    VETERAN TBD

12:00-1:00PM    Lunch -- Time to shmooze

1:00-1:20PM        Afternoon Keynote /An Insider's View from the Hill: Congressman Jerrold Nadler)

1:20-2:45PM        Afternoon plenary: Confronting the War in the Jewish Community at this Historic Moment of Opportunity
MODERATOR: Larry Bush, editor, Jewish Currents 
•    Sammie Moshenberg, National Council of Jewish Women 
•    Rabbi Peter Knobel, president, Central Conference of American Rabbis 
•    Rabbi Marla Feldman, director, Reform Commission on Social Action
•    Rabbi Arthur Waskow, director, The Shalom Center

3:00-4:15PM        3 Concurrent afternoon workshops

A. Jewish values, texts, and organizing with rabbis and synagogues:
•    Rabbi Rebecca Alpert, Temple University
•    Rabbi Or Rose, Hebrew College
•    Rabbi Ellen Lippmann, Kolot Chayeinu/Voices of Our Lives
•    Rabbi David Shneyer, Am Kolel

B. Building a Jewish anti-war activist network (concrete plans for early 2009 organizing & beyond + the challenges/opportunities of working in interfaith, multiracial partnerships)
•    Leslie Cagan, director, United for Peace & Justice
•    April Rosenblum, Righteous Indignation
•    Boston Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring rep
•    Mark Johnson, Fellowship of Reconciliation/Olive Branch Interfaith Partners for Peace
•    Jeremy Ben Ami, J Street
 
C. The Media & Changing Jewish Public Opinion
•    Dan Sieradski, Jewish Telegraphic Agency
•    Jeff Cohen, Park Center for Independent Media

4:30-5:15PM         Closing Plenary
•    Keynote: Amy Goodman, Democracy Now

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
ST.  PAUL, MN-Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman was unlawfully arrested  in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota at approximately 5 p.m. local time.  Policem violently manhandled Goodman, yanking her arm, as they arrested  her. Video of her arrest can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYjyvkR0bGQ

Goodman  was arrested while attempting to free two Democracy Now! Producers who  were being unlawfully detained. They are Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole  Salazar. Kouddous and Salazar were arrested while they carried out their  journalistic duties in covering street demonstrations at the Republican  National Convention. Goodman's crime appears to have been defending her  colleagues and the freedom of the press.

Ramsey County Sheriff Bob  Fletcher told Democracy Now! that Kouddous and Salazar were being  arrested on suspicion of rioting. They are currentl being held at the  Ramsey County jail in St. Paul.

The Shalom Center joins Democracy Now! in calling on all  journalists and concerned citizens to call the office of Mayor Chris  Coleman and the Ramsey County Jail and demand the immediate release of  Goodman, Kouddous and Salazar. These calls can be directed to: Chris  Rider from Mayor Coleman's office at 651-266-8535 and the Ramsey County  Jail at 651-266-9350 (press extension 0).

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