Program
SUNDAY, APRIL 23, 2017 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS SUNDAY, APRIL 23, 2017 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Registration East Promenade, 3rd Floor 9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Latin American Small Communities Meeting East, 4th Floor 12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. WJC Jewish Diplomatic Corps Lunch Petit Trianon, 3rd Floor 12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. Informal Buffet Lunch Trianon Ballroom, 3rd Floor REGIONAL CAUCUS MEETINGS 1:30 p.m. 3:30 p.m. Africa & Asia-Pacific Regional Caucus (communities with no regional affiliation also invited) East, 4th Floor 1:30 p.m. 4:00 p.m. European Jewish Congress Enlarged Executive (meeting for the representatives of EJC-affiliated communities) Concourse A, Concourse Level 1:30 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Latin American Jewish Congress General Assembly Rendezvous Trianon, 3rd Floor 1:30 p.m. 3:30 p.m. WJC North America Regional Caucus New York, 4th Floor 2:30 p.m. 3:30 p.m. WJC Israel Regional Caucus Concourse G, Concourse Level 3
SUNDAY, APRIL 23, 2017 3:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Euro-Asian Jewish Congress Regional Caucus Lincoln, 4th Floor 4:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Resolutions Preparatory Discussion (all Delegates & Observers welcome) New York, 4th Floor OPENING DINNER 5:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m. RECEPTION Grand Ballroom Foyer, 3rd Floor DINNER HOSTED BY WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS PRESIDENT AMB. RONALD S. LAUDER Grand Ballroom, 3rd Floor Welcome by World Jewish Congress North America Chair, Evelyn Sommer Address by United Nations Secretary General H.E. António Guterres HaMotzi by Rabbi Arthur Schneier, Vice President, World Jewish Congress Observance of Yom HaShoah including Musical Remembrance by the Cornell Chai Notes A Cappela Choir and Tribute to Elie Wiesel z l 4
7:30 a.m. 8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast Served Grand Ballroom Foyer, 3rd Floor 15 TH WJC PLENARY ASSEMBLY 8:30 a.m. 15 TH WJC PLENARY ASSEMBLY: FORMAL BUSINESS Grand Ballroom, 3rd Floor Call to Order & Opening Address by WJC President, Amb. Ronald S. Lauder ELECTION OF WJC PRESIDENT Address by WJC Treasurer, Chella Safra Address by WJC Policy Council Chair & President of the European Jewish Congress, Dr. Moshe Kantor Address by WJC Policy Council Co-Chair & WJC Credentials Commission Chair, Robert Goot Report on WJC Activities 2013-2017, presented by WJC CEO & Executive Vice President, Robert Singer CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS ELECTION OF WJC OFFICERS & MEMBERS OF WJC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chaired by Mary Kluk, Chair, WJC Nominations Committee 5
12:00 p.m. THE ROLE OF UNESCO IN COUNTERING AN- TI-SEMITISM AND PRESERVING THE LEGACY OF THE HOLOCAUST Address by Irina Bokova, Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 12:30 p.m. 1:00 p.m. Address by Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Lunch Grand Ballroom, 3rd Floor 6
2:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. BREAK-OUT SESSIONS I ISRAEL COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS SESSION: THE RISE & IMPACT OF FAR RIGHT POLITICAL PARTIES ON THE GLOBAL ORDER Beekman, 2nd Floor English-French Interpretation Provided Across Europe, anti-liberal, nationalist parties have been gaining strength over the past two years and have come to power in a number of countries, or seem poised to do so in others. Capitalizing on widespread discontent with globalism, which is seen as a threat to traditional values, these authoritarian, Euro-skeptic parties have found new sources of support in mainstream society. What does this development mean for the continuity of the age-old Jewish presence in Europe and for the wider world? How should the Jewish State deal with nationalist parties that are ostensibly pro-israel? Moderator: Dr. Laurence Weinbaum, Director, Israel Council on Foreign Relations and Director General, World Jewish Congress Israel Prof. Edward N. Luttwak, Senior Associate, Center for Strategic and International Studies (USA) The Hon. Dan Meridor, President of the Israel Council on Foreign Relations Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission Coordinator on Combating anti-semitism 7
Respondent: Francis Kalifat, President of the Representative Council of the Jewish Institutions of France Respondent: Akiva Tor, Head, Bureau for World Jewish Affairs and World Religions, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH PAR- LIAMENTARIANS SESSION: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A JEWISH PAR- LIAMENTARIAN TODAY? Sutton North, 2nd Floor This session will deal with current challenges facing Jewish members of Congress and Parliament and the issues they grapple with as Jewish legislators who chose public service. Featured panelists are members of the International Council of Jewish Parliamentarians (ICJP), a project of the WJC designed to provide a platform for Jewish parliamentarians who wish to communicate on issues of common concern. Moderator and Panelist: Gillian Merron, Chief Executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews and former U.K. Member of Parliament & Minister of State The Hon. Eliot Engel (D-NY) Chair, International Council of Jewish Parliamentarians; Ranking Member of the US House Foreign Relations Committee, US House of Representatives 8
The Hon. Nita Lowey (D-NY), US House of Representatives The Hon. Waldo Wolff, National Chamber of Deputies of Argentina The Hon. Lee Zeldin (R-NY), US House of Representatives ISRAELI TV & MOVIE SUCCESS STORIES IN HOLLYWOOD Sutton Center, 2nd Floor This panel will showcase Israeli successes in Hollywood - TV & film - and will highlight Israel s contributions to one of the biggest and most influential industries in the world. Just like Israel has become a powerhouse in areas such as high tech, defense, cybersecurity, water technology, Israel is now starting to establish itself in Hollywood as a growing source of creative successes in TV, movies and critically acclaimed series streamed through various new platforms. In some parts of the world and in certain industries, due the exploitations of those seeking to boycott Israel, any association with Israel may have a negative connotation and adverse impact on business and commerce, yet recently Israel has had unprecedented successes in TV, movies and beyond to the extent that the slightest connection to Israeli creativity in this field presents itself as a significant added value and attraction. The panel, led by Israel s Consul General in 9
Los Angeles, is comprised of participants who represent the different major angles of the industry actress, writer/creator, agent, producer. Moderator and Panelist: Sam Grundwerg, Consul General of Israel in Los Angeles Moran Atias, Hollywood Actress Adam Berkowitz, Co-Head of Television Department, Creative Artists Agency Howard Rosenman, Film & TV Producer 1
5:00 p.m. Coach & Ferry Transfer, via Statue of Liberty, to Ellis Island Meet in Hilton Hotel, Lobby Level, 54th Street Exit (opposite Herb N Kitchen) DINNER CELEBRATING 80 YEARS OF THE WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS HOSTED BY WJC NORTH AMERICA 6:30 p.m RECEPTION & DINNER IN THE REGISTRY HALL, ELLIS ISLAND Welcome by Rabbi Joel Meyers, Chair, World Jewish Congress American Section Greetings from Amb. Dani Dayan, Consul General of Israel in New York Celebration of 80 Years of WJC Activities, with remarks by Dr. Guido Goldman, son of World Jewish Congress co-founder and long-time president Nahum Goldmann, and Founding Director of the Minda de Gunzburg Centre for European Studies, Harvard University. Presentation of The World Jewish Congress, 1936-2016 book, by Menachem Rosensaft, World Jewish Congress General Counsel Musical Performance: Songs from Jewish Broadway 10:00 p.m. Return to New York Hilton Midtown 11
TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017 TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017 7:30 a.m. 8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast Served Grand Ballroom Foyer, 3rd Floor 8:30 a.m. 15 TH WJC PLENARY ASSEMBLY RECONVENES Grand Ballroom, 3rd Floor Address by Minister of Intelligence & Minister of Transportation of the State of Israel M.K. Yisrael Katz 9:00 a.m. RESOLUTIONS 15 TH WJC PLENARY ASSEMBLY RECONVENES Discussion and vote on Resolutions, moderated by WJC Resolutions Committee Chair, Moshe Ronen 10:00 a.m. REGIONAL REPORTS & DELEGATE INTERVENTIONS Reports from Chairs of Regional Affiliates: Julius Meinl, President, Euro-Asian Jewish Congress Dr. Moshe Kantor, President, European Jewish Congress Jack Terpins, President, Latin American Jewish Congress Shai Hermesh, Chair, World Jewish Congress Israel Evelyn Sommer, Chair, World Jewish Congress North America Interventions from Delegates on various issues 1
TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017 11:00 a.m. BREAK-OUT SESSIONS II JEWISH NOBEL LAUREATES PANEL: DIMENSIONS OF LEARNING AND DISCOVERY Beekman, 2nd Floor This panel discussion featuring three eminent Nobel Prize Laureates will focus on rational thinking, behavior, and memory, also reflecting on efforts to understand and explain the incomprehensible: the Shoah, the experience of which marked the development of each of the Laureates. Moderator: Jonathan Arkush, President, Board of Deputies of British Jews Nobel Laureate (Chemistry) Prof. Roald Hoffmann, Cornell University Nobel Laureate (Economics) Prof. Daniel Kahneman, Princeton University Nobel Laureate (Medicine) Prof. Eric Kandel, Columbia University 13
TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017 CYBERHATE AND THE FIGHT AGAINST MODERN-DAY ANTI-SEMITISM Sutton North, 2nd Floor Session presented by a global panel of Jewish Diplomats, members of the WJC Jewish Diplomatic Corps, including presentation of WJC-commissioned report on online anti- Semitism prepared in collaboration with Vigo Social Intelligence. The report, The Rise of Anti- Semitism on Social Media: Summary of 2016, analyzes current expressions of anti-semitism on several social media platforms, and provides hard data and analysis of relevant trends on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Additionally, the report offers operative recommendations going forward on how to address and combat online anti-semitism. Members of the WJC Jewish Diplomatic Corps, representing all major regions, will present their local perspectives on the prevalence of cyberhate as a key threat to their communities and a central contemporary expression of anti-semitism. Furthermore, the panel will discuss the role of the next generation in the efforts to identify, analyze, and combat this alarming and threatening development. Moderator: Marc Pozniak (South Africa moderator) Presentation of Report: Oleg Ivanov (USA) Panelists: Yohan Benizri (Belgium), Tal Dror (Israel), Tamara Fathi (Canada), Youri Hazanov (France), Diego Sonnenschein (Uruguay), Rachel Steinmetz (USA) 1
TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017 12:30 p.m. 12:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. Lunch Grand Ballroom, 3rd Floor Meeting of the Newly Elected Executive Committee (Lunch Served) Sutton Center, 2nd Floor SESSION IN COOPERATION WITH THE MISSION OF ISRAEL TO THE UNITED NATIONS: THE ROLE OF THE UNITED NATIONS IN COUNTERING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM Grand Ballroom, 3rd Floor Introduction by the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations, Amb. Danny Danon Remarks by US Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amb. Nikki Haley (t.b.c.) Closing Remarks by Amb. Ronald S. Lauder, President of the World Jewish Congress 5:00 p.m Close of Plenary Assembly 15