July 15, 2006
By Joel Glick

To the editor:

On June 19 and 20, I had the opportunity to visit Washington, D.C., as part of a delegation representing the Portland chapter of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, the Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace. The Portland delegation joined 100 other Jewish activists from throughout the United States who were participating in Brit Tzedek’s National Advocacy Days.

The Portland delegation met with legislative assistants in the offices of Senator Wyden and Representatives Wu, Hooley and Blumenauer. Representative Blumenauer personally greeted us at Brit Tzedek’s reception for senators, representatives and their staff.

As a Jew who cares very deeply about the well being of Israel, this was an exciting time to be on Capitol Hill. Our senators and representatives are currently participating in significant discussions and making difficult decisions that will play a key role in determining the direction of Middle East peace efforts. Therefore, it is critical that the diversity of opinion in local Jewish communities be heard.

Our discussions focused on the importance of encouraging diplomacy between Prime Minister Olmert and Palestinian moderates as a step towards a two-state settlement between Israelis and Palestinians. We spoke at length about how necessary it is to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through negotiations leading to permanent borders and the formation of a viable Palestinian state. We also discussed the role the U.S. can actively play in fostering the political conditions essential for final status negotiations.

Personal relationships with our elected officials and their staffs are a vital asset in our pursuit of peace between Israelis and Palestinians. As individuals and as an organized community it us our right and responsibility to make the Jewish voice for peace heard in the hallways of Congress.

Joel Glick
Portland