On October 22 & 23, 2006, 40 delegates from 10 countries gathered in Jerusalem to launch the "International Rights and Redress Campaign." The campaign will be conducted with the next 18 months, culminating with the celebration of Israel's 60th anniversary in May 2008.

Convened by Justice for Jews from Arab Countries (JJAC) and the World Organization of Jews from Arab Countries (WOJAC), the two-day summit of leaders of Diaspora Jewish communities and organizations mapped out far-reaching steps to register family histories, and document individual and communal property losses of Jewish refugees from Arab countries.

In the presence of representatives from North and South America, Europe, Asia and Israel, Minister of Justice Meir Sheetrit vowed strong support from the Israeli government for the registration campaign in Israel. "I pledge today to finance and reactivate a serious unit within the Justice Ministry to help in the global effort of recording the history and culture of our own dispossessed Jewish people, and to document their claims no less than the well-known claims of the Palestinians," he declared. The Minister assured delegates of the Government's support for the international registration effort and affirmed that adequate funding would be available to ensure the success of the registration campaign in Israel.

IRRC Meeting in Jerusalem

A call-to-action "Declaration" was unanimously adopted, calling for "public education programs on the rights of Jewish refugees from Arab countries…and registration of communal and individual losses suffered by Jews who were uprooted from Arab countries."

Delegates attending the Jerusalem launch of the IRRC	Stanley Urman thanking the Hon. Meir Sheetrit	Regina Waldman making a point to delegates	Jean-Pierre Allali discussing the registration forms

Not since the days of the Soviet Jewry movement in the 1970's, has the worldwide Jewish community come together as they have now for this single cause. The International Rights and Redress Campaign will be implemented in a total of 40 countries, with the participation of 56 international Jewish organizations.

Additional photos can be obtained at www.justiceforjews.com/photos.html.

Justice for Jews from Arab Countries has partnered with the University of Miami and Prof. Henry Green on 'The Forgotten Exodus' project, a worldwide campaign to videotape testimonies of Jews from Arab and Islamic lands for the purpose of preserving this important part of Jewish history.

There will be four regional video teams established in North and South America, Europe and Israel to tape family narratives.

The goal is to videotape, collect and preserve the personal testimonies of Jews who were displaced from North Africa, the Middle East and the Gulf region in the twentieth century, and in particular, between World War Two and the 1980s.

If you are interested in having your family's story video taped, please register at www.justiceforjews.com/registration.php and check the appropriate box on the form.

Serge Cattan reported that efforts to conduct a registration campaign in Belgium will be undertaken by the Institut Sepharade Europeen. While less then ten percent of the Belgium's Jews are Sephardi, there is still significant interest on the part of the central Jewish community organization (CCJOB) in conducting an effective campaign in Brussels, the seat of the European Parliament.

The International Rights and Redress Campaign was officially launched in Brazil at Conferade, a conference that took place in Sao Paulo on November 14-15, 2006.

Stan Urman was invited to deliver the opening address to some 300 delegates. In attendance was the Israeli Ambassador to Brazil and Israel's Chief Sephardic Rabbi, HaRav Shelomo Amar.

While in Brazil, Urman also lectured at two synagogues in Rio de Janeiro and met with the newly appointed Brazilian Ambassador to Israel who will soon be assuming his post in Tel Aviv.

A media campaign on the rights of Jewish refugees from Arab countries, organized by CEMPRI, the Brazilian-Israel Media Center, was extremely successful. Stan Urman was interviewed on SBT -Brazil's national television station [video clip], and articles appeared in Brazil's largest newspaper (Folio) as well as in other major newspapers in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and in the southern part of Brazil.

Ariella Cotler reported on plans for implementing the registration campaign in Canada. A National Committee has been formed and activities are projected to take place in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. In Montreal, the Communaute Sepharade du Quebec has offered to assist in organizing the registration efforts in Quebec.

Jean-Pierre Allali reported that a special committee, under the auspices of CRIF, has been established to organize the registration campaign in France. All organizations have been asked to join in this effort and activities are projected for both the Jewish and non-Jewish communities. An Honorary Committee has been established and programs have already taken pace in Marseilles, Lyon and other cities as well.

Edwin Shuker reported that after recent elections, he had been appointed by the Board of Deputies of British Jews to chair a special committee to conduct the registration campaign in Great Britain.

The Association of the Jews from the Middle East and North Africa (HARIF) has been conducting film screenings and events focused on Jews from Arab countries. Recent events include:

• 2,600 years of Judaism in Iraq: film and discussion with Salim Fattal;
• Iraqi Jewry and the 'Farhoud' pogrom of 1941;
• The UK premiere of the film "The Last Jews of Baghdad" with a special appearance by the director, Carole Basri.

Alessandro Ruben reported on developments in Italy. A new Board, and President were recently elected to head the Unione della Communita Ebraiche Italiana. Alessandro reported on campaign plans to the new leadership at their recent meeting. Activities are projected for Rome, where there is a large Libyan community and Milan, where there are both Libyan and Iranian communities.

Torbjorn Karfunkel reported on the independent efforts of FADIM to organize programs in Sweden. There are one thousand Mizrahi Jews among the twenty thousand Jews resident in Sweden and there is interest in organizing educational activities in Sweden.

Michael Chlenov reported on efforts of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) to undertake political representations on behalf of some twenty member countries.

Mr. Chlenov reported that preliminary meetings were held with the Russian Ambassador in Israel and with senior officials in the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The objective - to bring to the table, the rights of Jewish refugees and ensure that Russia, as a member of the quartet, is fully briefed on these issues.

BOSTON

Stan Urman spoke at the Elie Wiesel Center for Judaic Studies at Boston University. The film The Forgotten Refugees was screened followed by a lecture entitled: "Jewish Refugees from Arab Countries: A Moral and Strategic Imperative." Over 350 persons were in attendance. The program was cosponsored by The David Project, the Elie Wiesel Center, Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Boston and the Boston Jewish Community Relations Council.

Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa (JIMENA), working in conjunction with the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), is reaching out to Community Relation Councils throughout the United States to initiate the registration campaign in major cities across America. So far, JIMENA has made contact with Boston, Seattle, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Miami, Chicago, Detroit, and are gearing up for Washington DC, Houston, Dallas and other communities.

JIMENA kicked off the registration campaign at numerous programs:

• At the Silicon Valley JCC with the Women's Philanthropy Division of the Federation with a program entitled: Wonders of Sephardic Heritage - Mizrahi Sights, Sounds and Spices!
• The Los Angeles' JCRC hosted Emily Blanck, Director of JIMENA, who met the Board of Rabbis and Rabbi Ovadia from the Iraqi Synagogue - Kahal Joseph.
• Joseph Abdul Wahed spoke on the 12th of November at Calgary Alberta's Jewish Film Festival highlighting The Forgotten Refugees produced by The David Project.
• JIMENA has been working with the Hillels in the Bay Area to make them aware of the registration campaign.
• JIMENA is actively getting registration cards filled out in Silicon Valley where a large Mizrahi and Israeli population lives.

Alissa Shams, Mindy Jerome, Charles Jacobs, Rabbi Elie Abadie,
Rabbi Isaac Farhi, Joey Mizrachi and Stanley Urman in Deal, NJ.

Rabbi Elie Abadie of the Safra Synagogue in Manhattan was in attendance, and made a special call for all Jews from Arab countries to register as part of the International Rights and Redress Campaign.

In August 2006 a meeting was held with Rabbi Sam Kassin, Dean of Midrash Sefaradi, one of the largest Sephardic yeshivas in the world. Rabbi Kassin reaffirmed his support for the International Rights and Redress Campaign. The rabbi who was visiting NJ from Jerusalem, expressed his support and declared that his students-Sephardic rabbis around the world, should also support the activities of the IRRC.

Rabbi Sam Kassin

NEW YORK

• OUTREACH TO RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS

Meetings were held with some of the major religious denominational movements to coordinate their involvement in the International Rights and Redress Campaign.

The meetings were productive, and there was agreement that the education and registration components of the campaign were important. Member synagogues will be encouraged by their national representative organizations to participate in the international registration program.

• OUTREACH TO SEPHARDIC COMMUNTIY IN BROOKLYN

The Brooklyn Sephardic community, one of the largest in all of North America, will be holding a meeting to plan for the local implementation of the International Rights and Redress Campaign. The meeting will be hosted by the Sephardic Community Center on Tuesday December 12, 2006. Many community leaders will be participating to underscore the seriousness and urgency of the registration campaign.

WASHINGTON, DC

As previously reported, bipartisan Resolutions S. Res. 494 and H. Res. 848 were introduced in the Senate and in the House of Representatives in mid-2006. They call on the President to ensure that in all international forums, when the issue of 'Middle East refugees' is discussed, the US will make certain that any explicit reference to Palestinian refugees is matched by a similar explicit reference to Jewish and other refugees, as a matter of law and equity.

In late summer, a series of meetings took place with the senior staff of 19 senators and the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee. These representations were strengthened by the presence of professionals from the American Jewish Committee, Anti-Defamation League, B'nai B'rith International, and the JCPA.

At that time, the war in Lebanon was at its height, and support for Israel was first and foremost on everyone's mind. Notwithstanding, the delegation was well received and the 'case' for the rights of Jewish refugees from Arab countries was presented in an effective fashion.

Appropriate political representations have continued during this 2006 session and the resolutions remain within the purview of the Foreign Relations Committee. If they are not adopted this session, than the resolutions will be reintroduced in the 2007 Congressional session.

On September 2, 2006 JJAC announced through a worldwide press release, that the up-to one million Jews displaced from Arab countries can now can register online in a process aimed at restoring their rights and helping them seek redress for their suffering and losses. Jewish refugees and their descendants who fled Arab countries can now visit www.justiceforjews.com to register their family narratives.

www.JusticeforJews.com

The launch of the International Rights and Redress Campaign generated significant media coverage(TV, radio, newspapers) in Israel, Europe and in the US.