2 Action Requests: (A) Thank our NM Senators, and (B) Write re: Lannan Speaker Gideon Levy

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  1.  Take Action:  Thank our NM Senators Udall and Heinrich for co-signing the Gillibrand-Rounds letter to President Obama, requesting that he veto one-sided UN resolutions against Israel.

As noted in an email on September 19 by AIPAC Area Director, Kevin Altman, “In a bipartisan letter to President Obama, [88] senators stated that the United States must continue to support direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations by vetoing any one-sided U.N. Security Council resolutions.”  You can find the text of the letter to President Obama here.  Both NM senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich signed onto this letter; it’s very important that they hear our appreciation for doing so.  Please take a moment to write or call and thank them.  Here is their contact information:

Martin Heinrich  (202) 224-5521; fax:  (202) 228-0832

http://www.heinrich.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Chief of Staff:  Joe Britton:  joe_britton@heinrich.senate.gov

Legislative director: Jude McCartin: jude_mccartin@heinrich.senate.gov

Foreign Policy Legislative Aide: Tony Samp: tony_samp@heinrich.senate.gov

Tom Udall  (202) 224-6621; fax: (202) 228-3261

http://tomudall.senate.gov/?p=contact

Chief of Staff:  Bianca Ortiz-Wertheim:  bianca_ortizwertheim@tomudall.senate.gov

Foreign Policy Legislative Aide:  Matthew Padilla:  matthew_padilla@tomudall.senate.gov

Legislative Director: Andrew Wallace: Andrew_wallace@tomudall.senate.gov

Key Points to Make:

1.  Thank you for co-signing the Gillibrand-Rounds letter.

2.  This is an important reminder to the President and his UN diplomats that one-sided resolutions in the Security Council are detrimental to peace.

3. I am appreciative of your ongoing support for a strong US-Israel relationship.

Note that contact information for elected officials can be found on our website:  http://www.sfmew.org/elected-officials-contact/.

B.  On September 19 we sent out a post requesting that you send a letter to the editor or op-ed about the upcoming Lannan speaker, Gideon Levy, who makes up facts to support his virulently anti-Israel position.  Please go to that post (found here), read it carefully, and write.  Time is short to get an op-ed or letter published.  Please do this today.

FYI

  • 25 pro-Israel activists attended the ADL-New Mexico/SFMEW sponsored Israel Advocacy Workshop on Sunday, Sept. 25th, held at Temple Beth Shalom.

They heard from Shaya Lerner, the Anti-Defamation League’s Assistant Director for Middle Eastern Affairs from New York discuss the history of the Arab-Israel Conflict, Suki Halevi and Shaya explore with the group interactively how to hold a reasoned conversation about challenging contemporary issues regarding Israel, and Halley Faust on writing letters-to-the editor and communicating with elected officials.  Participants also got a chance to practice writing a letter to the editor.  Parts of this program were recorded – watch for a future announcement of how you can listen to and view the materials used, many of which are on our website already under Resources.

Many thanks to our volunteers who helped with the event, including Gary Katz, Janie Siskin, Joe Eigner, Joy Rosenberg, Suki Halevi, Shaya Lerner, and R. Berel Levertov for sounding the shofar.  Thanks also to CAMERA, AIPAC, ADL, Temple Beth Shalom and their staff, and the Jewish Federation of New Mexico for helping to make this event successful.

  • Last night Christians United for Israel (CUFI) held a “Night to Honor Israel” at The Light at Mission Viejo (LTMV) Church, 4601 Mission Bend in Santa Fe.

    This was an inspiring evening with pro-Israel speakers CUFI Regional Director Randy Neal, LTMV Pastor Ron Sebesta, CUFI NM executive director Ted Gonzales, CUFI on Campus area coordinator Lydia Williams, and plenary speaker from Israel, Sgt. Benjamin Anthony, founder of Our Soldiers Speak.  Sgt. Benjamin’s brother, Rafael Anthony, a trained opera singer, provided renditions of “This Land is Mine” (theme song from Exodus) and “Yerushalyim Shel Zahav” (Jerusalem of Gold).

Many thanks to our contributors.

What…you aren’t one of them?  We’re trying to ramp up more activities within Santa Fe and New Mexico.  Please donate by clicking on the yellow button:  Donate button or go to www.sfmew.org/donate.

If you see something, say something.

We need your eyes and ears to detect Israel-related activities (pro or con) going on in the Santa Fe area.  Please let us know by writing to info@sfmew.org.  Also, if you have something to say to our members and want to write a blog post, send your draft to media@sfmew.org.