J´lem Conference: Thinkers Discuss Preservation of the Diaspora
Monday, March 20, 2006 / 20 Adar 5766The third annual Jerusalem Conference began Monday morning, with notable thinkers and shapers of public policy gathering in Israel's capital to formulate an agenda for Israel's future.
"Just days before a critical election for a new prime minister and government of Israel… we celebrated the holiday of Purim, where [the hero] Mordechai is described as seeking peace for his people," said Conference Chairman Robert Rechnitz of Los Angeles. "What a wondrous way to describe a politician - especially compared with those we see today, who seek their personal betterment in exchange for nothing but talk and sweet words. How many times have we been disappointed by leaders who give us nice words, but do not match them with actions."
Rechnitz said he hoped the conference would herald new initiatives that would guide Israel's leadership and build bridges in an increasingly fractured Israel. "We must use this opportunity to remedy the alienation between religious and secular Jews in Israel. It is OK to talk about concessions, but not painful concessions. Our people have a monopoly on pain, and the concessions we should be engaging in should be within our people - to bridge gaps between brothers."
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