Saturday, March 15, 2008

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Making It Matter: The Why

Monday, March 17

Making It Matter: The How

1. The Crisis in Darfur and the Jewish Response
The "Save Darfur" campaign is an extraordinary example of Jewish activists sparking mass action to address crisis. Leaders of this effort will talk about how they mobilized the Jewish community to act.

Moderator: Judy Altenberg, Colorado
Speakers: Martin Raffel, Associate Executive Vice Chair, Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA)
Jodi Jacobson, Director of Advocacy, American Jewish World Service
Tzivia Schwartz-Getzug, Executive Director, Jewish World Watch

2. "There Shall Be No Needy Among You"
For many of us, that biblical verse is a call to action.  In this session you'll learn about the ambitious anti-poverty campaigns launched by both the Jewish and non-Jewish communities.

Moderator: Hadar Susskind, Washington Director, JCPA
Panelists: Melissa Boteach, Poverty Campaign Coordinator, JCPA
Desmond Brown, Catholic Charities
Bonnie Burdman, Director, JCRC of Youngstown, Ohio

3. Profits for a Purpose
Who knew you could make money and do good? Discover how a new breed of entrepreneurs are leveraging the best practices of business and branding to create social change in the world.

Moderator: Steve Greenbaum, Chicago
Speakers: Mirm Kriegel, Branding Strategist/Account Director, BBMG
Michael Pirron, CEO, Impact Makers
Brian Walsh, Director, Global Social Engagement, Liquidnet

4. Tikkun Olam and Environmental Action
There's a deep connection between Jewish values and environmental action. Learn how more and more Jewish groups are working to repair the broken state of our physical world.

Moderator: Steven Geller, Los Angeles 
Speakers: Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin, General Consultant, Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life; Director, Baltimore Jewish Environmental Network
Jennifer Kefer, Climate and Energy Policy Program Coordinator, Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life
Daniel Orenstein, Visiting Fellow, Brown University's Watson Institute for International Studies; Science and Policy Fellow, Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life

5. What's Jewish About Public Service?
Lots of people, of all faiths, feel compelled to pursue public service. But many young Jews see their public service as a natural outgrowth of Judaism. Meet representatives of major service organizations who will explore the connections between Jewish values and social action.

Moderator: Cantor Steven Weiss, Boston
Speakers:  Alyson Fieldman, JDC Service Corps;
Michael Friedman, Avodah Service Corps;
Zach Sisisky, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer

6. Promoting Israel Today
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has endeavored to change the public's perception of Israel as a dangerous place in favor of more appealing images - beautiful beaches, modern technology, historic sites.  What challenges has this branding initiative presented?

Moderator: Lisa Kudish, Chicago
Speakers: David Sable, Vice Chair and CEO, Wunderman
David Siegel, Spokesman, Israeli Embassy
Amos Kamil, Israel Advocacy Initiative, JCPA
Joseph Richards, Executive Director, Fuel for Truth

7.These Genes Not Sold in Stores
Advances in genetics have left young Jewish parents facing difficult decisions. Looking at autism, genetic testing, and higher rates of breast and ovarian cancer genes in Ashkenazi Jews, the panel will discuss what the Jewish community is doing to help families and what Washington is doing, as well.

Moderator: Michelle Labgold, Senior Director Domestic Affairs, UJC Washington
Speakers: Dr. Adele Schneider, Director, Clinical Genetics, Victor Center for Jewish Genetic Diseases
Rochelle L. Shoretz, "Sharsheret: Linking Young Jewish Women In Their Fight Against Breast Cancer"
Amy York, Assistant Vice President, Government Affairs Office, Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago

8.New Voices, New Subjects
A young generation of Jewish filmmakers, writers, and journalists is finding new ways to explore Jewish identity and Jewish life. Hear these emerging artists discuss their work.

Moderator: Jodi Freedman, Southern Maine
Speakers: Adam Hootnick, Filmmaker, "Unsettled"
Tiffany Shlain, Producer/Director, "The Tribe" 

9. Iran: It Still Matters
The Iranian government continues to threaten both its Middle Eastern neighbors and the world at large.  It's crucial to understand - and find ways to deal with - this threat.

Moderator: William Daroff, Vice President for Public Policy and Director, UJC Washington
Speakers: Ted Deutch, Florida State Senator
Jeremy Isaacharoff, Deputy Chief of Mision, Israel Embassy
David Makovsky, Senior Fellow and Director of The Washington Institute's Project on the Middle East Peace Process

10. The Connection: New Ways To Reach Unaffiliated Jews
Around North America, creative leaders have found that new, often surprising types of programming - contemporary music, performances, and alternative holiday celebrations, for instance - are powerful means of building Jewish identity among Jews who often eschew mainstream Jewish culture.

Moderator: Michael Soberman, Director, National Initiatives for the Next Generation, UIA Federations Canada
Speakers: Rebecca Guber, Director, The Six Points Fellowship for Emerging Jewish Artists
Rabbi Elie Kaunfer, Executive Director, Mechon Hadar
Nigel Savage, Founder and Director, Hazon
Stefanie Somers, Bureau of Jewish Education, Los Angeles

1. The Crisis in Darfur - - and the Jewish Response
The "Save Darfur" campaign is a recent example of Jewish activists sparking mass action to address crises here and abroad. Learn from the leaders of this and other efforts how to mobilize citizens to act.

Moderator: Joanne Moore, Richmond/Washington, D.C.
Speakers: Martin Raffel, Associate Executive Vice Chair, Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA)
Jodi Jacobson, Director of Advocacy, American Jewish World Service
Tzivia Schwartz-Getzug, Executive Director, Jewish World Watch

2. "There Shall Be No Needy Among You"
For many of us, that biblical verse is a call to action.  In this session you'll learn about the ambitious anti-poverty campaigns launched by both the Jewish and non-Jewish communities.

Moderator: Hadar Susskind, Washington Director, JCPA
Panelists: Melissa Boteach, Poverty Campaign Coordinator, JCPA
Desmond Brown, Catholic Charities
Bonnie Burdman, Director, JCRC of Youngstown, Ohio

3. Profits for a Purpose
Who knew you could make money and do good? Discover how a new breed of entrepreneurs are leveraging the best practices of business and branding to create social change in the world.

Moderator: Dan Backer, Boston
Speakers: Mirm Kriegel, Branding Strategist/Account Director, BBMG
Michael Pirron, CEO, Impact Makers

4. Tikkun Olam and Environmental Action
There's a deep connection between Jewish values and environmental action. Learn how more and more Jewish groups are working to repair the broken state of our physical world.

Moderator: Lisa Leventhal, Indianapolis
Speakers: Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin, General Consultant, Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life; Director, Baltimore Jewish Environmental Network
Jennifer Kefer, Climate and Energy Policy Program Coordinator, Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life
Daniel Orenstein, Visiting Fellow, Brown University's Watson Institute for International Studies; Science and Policy Fellow, Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life

5. What's Jewish About Public Service?
Lots of people, of all faiths, feel compelled to pursue public service. But many young Jews see their public service as a natural outgrowth of Judaism. Meet representatives of major service organizations who will explore the connections between Jewish values and social action.

Moderator: Glenda Bernhardt, Richmond 
Speakers:  Alyson Fieldman, JDC Service Corps;
Michael Friedman, Avodah Service Corps;
Zach Sisisky, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer

6. Promoting Israel Today
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has endeavored to change the public's perception of Israel as a dangerous place in favor of more appealing images - beautiful beaches, modern technology, historic sites.  What challenges has this branding initiative presented?

Moderator: Jon Deaner, New York
Speakers: Ron Dermer, Minister of Economic Affairs, Israeli Embassy
Amos Kamil, Israel Advocacy Initiative, JCPA
Joseph Richards, Executive Director, Fuel for Truth

7. Iran: It Still Matters
The Iranian government continues to threaten both its Middle Eastern neighbors and the world at large.  It's crucial to understand - and find ways to deal with - this threat.

Moderator: Jon S. Cardin, House of Delegates, Baltimore County, Maryland
Speakers: Ted Deutch, Florida State Senator
Jeremy Isaacharoff, Deputy Chief of Mision, Israel Embassy
David Makovsky, Senior Fellow and Director of The Washington Institute's Project on the Middle East Peace Process

8. The Connection: New Ways To Reach Unaffiliated Jews
Around North America, creative leaders have found that new, often surprising types of programming - contemporary music, performances, and alternative holiday celebrations, for instance - are powerful means of building Jewish identity among Jews who often eschew mainstream Jewish culture.

Moderator: Michael Soberman, Director, National Initiatives for the Next Generation, UIA Federations Canada
Speakers: Rebecca Guber, Director, The Six Points Fellowship for Emerging Jewish Artists
Rabbi Elie Kaunfer, Executive Director, Mechon Hadar
Nigel Savage, Founder and Director, Hazon
Stefanie Somers, Bureau of Jewish Education, Los Angeles

9. Presidential Campaign Forum
Join representatives of the three presidential candidates in an engaging and stimulating discussion of major political issues, hot-button social topics, and the Jewish position on the presidential election.

Moderator: William Daroff, Vice President for Public Policy and Director, UJC Washington
Speakers: Ambassador Daniel C. Kurtzer, Barack Obama
Secretary Lawerence S. Eagleburger, John McCain
Political Strategist Ann Lewis, Hillary Clinton


 

Tuesday, March 18

Making It Matter: Showtime