NY METRO &
METRO WEST
There has been no shortage of opportunity
for Zionists to recharge their advocacy batteries
with ZOA’s NY Metro region. We’ve
hosted programs featuring elite Israeli military
figures, Israeli politicians, a renowned author
and scholar, and senior directors from within
the ZOA.
High Level Reports from
Israel
On March 27, Efrat Mayor Oded Revivi
addressed the ZOA Donor Societies, speaking
with expertise on the subject, “Are Settlements
Really an Obstacle to Peace?”
A city located in the Judean Mountains
south of Jerusalem, Efrat typifies what life
is like for Israelis living in areas that biblically,
historically and legally belong to
Israel, but that are erroneously claimed by
Israel’s enemies. Among the points made by
the Mayor: any peace would need to start
with recognition of Israel’s existence; Israel’s
security will never be compromised; and Jews
will not be removed from their communities
in Judea and Samaria.
How ZOA Helps Students
Fight Back
On April 7, Jacob and Lauren Poleyeff
hosted a parlor meeting at their home in
West Orange, New Jersey featuring Susan B.
Tuchman, Esq., director of the ZOA Center
for Law and Justice. Ms. Tuchman, who
was introduced by ZOA Chairman Mark
Levenson, spoke to “Anti-Israel Hostility
& Anti-Semitism on Campus: How ZOA
Helps Students Fight Back.” Having led the
successful fight to get the U.S. Department of
Education’s Office for Civil Rights to include
Jewish students among those protected under
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, Susan is
uniquely qualified to speak to this issue. “The
work Susan Tuchman is doing is incredible,
not only for our children, but also for our
grandchildren,” said meeting host Jacob
Poleyeff. ZOA has a presence on over 100
college campuses, many of which are home to
ZOA Campus fellows who organize pro-Israel
programming and help students combat
campus anti-Semitism. Among other work,
Susan helps students strategize best practices
for effectively fighting anti-Israel hostility and
anti-Semitism on campus.
More High Level Reports
from Israel
On April 10, Colonel (Res.) Grisha
Yakubovich visited ZOA’s national headquarters
in New York City and delivered a
top level briefing entitled, “The Real Reasons
Palestinian Arabs Won’t Negotiate or Accept
Peace with Israel,” to a conference room filled
with ZOA Donor Society and ZOA national
board members.
After a distinguished 30-year career in
the IDF, during which time he helped
manage Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, Col.
Yakubovich continues to serve in the reserves.
The last four years of his active career,
2012-2016, Col. Yakubovich served as the
Coordinator of Government Activities in the
Territories (COGAT). He was responsible
for managing the political infrastructure,
economy, the international community, and
military coordination within the territories,
uniquely qualifying Yakubovich to share
insights into the current state of affairs.
Yakubovich holds that Israel is not an obstacle
to peace; “The problem is not Israel….
The problem is between Hamas and Fatah,”
he said. Col. Yakubovich explained that
Mahmoud Abbas stopped more than 50% of
the PA’s budget to Hamas last year.
58 Around the Country: NY Metro & Metro West
Mayor
of Ma’ale
Adumim
Benny
Kashriel
“The work Susan Tuchman is doing is incredible,
not only for our children, but also for our
grandchildren,” said meeting host Jacob Poleyeff.