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International Council of Jewish Parliamentarians (ICJP)
Encyclopedia
The International Council of Jewish Parliamentarians (ICJP) is a project supported by the Knesset
, the World Jewish Congress
, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israel Forum. Its goal is to bring together Jewish legislators and parliamentarians from around the world to engage in a dialogue of cooperation to achieve the goals of the ICJP's Mission.
since 1988, of Jewish government ministers and members of parliaments from around the world. These conferences established a global network of relationships among Jewish officials and parliamentarians and enabled greater knowledge and understanding of the challenges facing Jewish parliamentarians and communities in Israel and the Diaspora. The growth from an initial 20 participants in 1988 to over 80 in 2002 reflects the interest in engaging in a global dialogue on the future of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. These earlier sessions were organized and supported by the Knesset
, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the World Jewish Congress
.
At its January 2005 meeting in Jerusalem, the ICJP Steering Committee adopted a number of resolutions that follow this Background. They appointed Ruth Kaplan - former Chief of Staff to four Speakers of the Knesset and an ICJP veteran - as ICJP Coordinator. In early February, meetings were held in Washington, DC, with U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer
, Norm Coleman
, Dianne Feinstein
, Frank Lautenberg
, Joseph Lieberman and Carl Levin
, and with Members of Congress Gary Ackerman
, Howard Berman
, Susan Davis, Eliot Engel, Barney Frank
, Tom Lantos
, Nita Lowey
, Jerrold Nadler
, Jan Schakowsky
, Debbie Wasserman Schultz
, Allyson Schwartz
, and Henry Waxman
.
At the 2006 meeting of the ICJPhttp://www.icjp.net/itinery.htm in Jerusalem, Israel from January 7-10, the ICJP Steering Committee unanimously selected U.S. Rep. Gary L. Ackerman to serve as the organization's president.http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=59082http://www.worldjewishcongress.org/icjp_2006.html During the 2006 meeting, Israel's foreign minister, Silvan Shalom
, addressed the attendees.http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Speeches+by+Israeli+leaders/2006/Address+by+FM+Shalom+to+the+International+Council+of+Jewish+Parliamentarians+9-Jan-2006.htm Then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
's planned address to the group was rendered impossible due to Sharon's hospitalization following a stroke
; instead, members of the ICJP visited Sharon in the hospital and held a prayer vigil for his recovery.
(Note: Where a country has no Jewish representation in its parliament, former Jewish parliamentarians may be considered by the Executive for membership, ad personam. Membership will also be open to outstanding former parliamentarians who can inspire present-day leaders as determined by the Executive.)
To participate, Members must accept the mission of the ICJP.
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
, the World Jewish Congress
World Jewish Congress
The World Jewish Congress was founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in August 1936 as an international federation of Jewish communities and organizations...
, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israel Forum. Its goal is to bring together Jewish legislators and parliamentarians from around the world to engage in a dialogue of cooperation to achieve the goals of the ICJP's Mission.
ICJP Mission
The International Council of Jewish Parliamentarians seeks:- To promote an ongoing dialogue and a sense of fraternity among Jewish legislators and ministers;
- To uphold the principles of democracy, further the cause of human rights and promote the rule of law;
- To combat racismRacismRacism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, xenophobiaXenophobiaXenophobia is defined as "an unreasonable fear of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange". It comes from the Greek words ξένος , meaning "stranger," "foreigner" and φόβος , meaning "fear."...
, and terrorismTerrorismTerrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
by all means available to parliamentarians and ministers; - To support Israel, conduct dialogue on political issues between Jewish parliamentarians and the political leadership in IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, and contribute toward the creation of enduring peace in the Middle EastMiddle EastThe Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
; - To ensure the welfare, both material and spiritual, of Jews and Jewish communities worldwide.
- To create international cooperation on projects relevant to ICJP members.
History
The desire to establish the International Council of Jewish Parliamentarians (ICJP) arose from a series of successful bi-annual meetings held in IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
since 1988, of Jewish government ministers and members of parliaments from around the world. These conferences established a global network of relationships among Jewish officials and parliamentarians and enabled greater knowledge and understanding of the challenges facing Jewish parliamentarians and communities in Israel and the Diaspora. The growth from an initial 20 participants in 1988 to over 80 in 2002 reflects the interest in engaging in a global dialogue on the future of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. These earlier sessions were organized and supported by the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the World Jewish Congress
World Jewish Congress
The World Jewish Congress was founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in August 1936 as an international federation of Jewish communities and organizations...
.
At its January 2005 meeting in Jerusalem, the ICJP Steering Committee adopted a number of resolutions that follow this Background. They appointed Ruth Kaplan - former Chief of Staff to four Speakers of the Knesset and an ICJP veteran - as ICJP Coordinator. In early February, meetings were held in Washington, DC, with U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer
Barbara Boxer
Barbara Levy Boxer is the junior United States Senator from California . A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives ....
, Norm Coleman
Norm Coleman
Norman Bertram Coleman, Jr. is an American attorney and politician. He was a United States senator from Minnesota from 2003 to 2009. Coleman was elected in 2002 and served in the 108th, 109th, and 110th Congresses. Before becoming a senator, he was mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota, from 1994 to 2002...
, Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein is the senior U.S. Senator from California. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served in the Senate since 1992. She also served as 38th Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988....
, Frank Lautenberg
Frank Lautenberg
Frank Raleigh Lautenberg is the senior United States Senator from New Jersey and a member of the Democratic Party. Previously, he was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Automatic Data Processing, Inc.-Early life, career, and family:...
, Joseph Lieberman and Carl Levin
Carl Levin
Carl Milton Levin is a Jewish-American United States Senator from Michigan, serving since 1979. He is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, and with Members of Congress Gary Ackerman
Gary Ackerman
Gary Leonard Ackerman is the U.S. Representative for , serving since a special election in 1983. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
, Howard Berman
Howard Berman
Howard Lawrence Berman is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He earlier served in the California State Assembly from 1974 to 1982, and as the U.S...
, Susan Davis, Eliot Engel, Barney Frank
Barney Frank
Barney Frank is the U.S. Representative for . A member of the Democratic Party, he is the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the United States.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frank graduated from Harvard College and...
, Tom Lantos
Tom Lantos
Thomas Peter "Tom" Lantos was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from 1981 until his death, representing the northern two-thirds of San Mateo County and a portion of southwest San Francisco...
, Nita Lowey
Nita Lowey
Nita Melnikoff Lowey is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. She is a member of the Democratic Party. She previously represented the 20th district from 1989 to 1993.-Early life, education and career:...
, Jerrold Nadler
Jerrold Nadler
Jerrold Lewis "Jerry" Nadler is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1992. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes the west side of Manhattan from the Upper West Side down to Battery Park, including the site where the World Trade Center stood...
, Jan Schakowsky
Jan Schakowsky
Janice D. "Jan" Schakowsky is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. She is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes many of Chicago's northern suburbs, including Evanston, Skokie, Wilmette, Park Ridge, Des Plaines and Rosemont...
, Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Debbie Wasserman Schultz is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Democratic Party and the Chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee. She previously served in the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate...
, Allyson Schwartz
Allyson Schwartz
Allyson Young Schwartz is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes parts of Montgomery County and Northeast Philadelphia...
, and Henry Waxman
Henry Waxman
Henry Arnold Waxman is the U.S. Representative for , serving in Congress since 1975. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is considered to be one of the most influential liberal members of Congress...
.
At the 2006 meeting of the ICJPhttp://www.icjp.net/itinery.htm in Jerusalem, Israel from January 7-10, the ICJP Steering Committee unanimously selected U.S. Rep. Gary L. Ackerman to serve as the organization's president.http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=59082http://www.worldjewishcongress.org/icjp_2006.html During the 2006 meeting, Israel's foreign minister, Silvan Shalom
Silvan Shalom
' , born 4 October 1958) is an Israeli politician, member of the Knesset for Likud and the country's Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development. He previously served as the country's Foreign Minister and Finance Minister.-Biography:...
, addressed the attendees.http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Speeches+by+Israeli+leaders/2006/Address+by+FM+Shalom+to+the+International+Council+of+Jewish+Parliamentarians+9-Jan-2006.htm Then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
's planned address to the group was rendered impossible due to Sharon's hospitalization following a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
; instead, members of the ICJP visited Sharon in the hospital and held a prayer vigil for his recovery.
Membership
Membership in the ICJP is open to:- Jewish members of national parliaments and of the European Parliament, cabinet or deputy ministers who currently hold office; and
- A permanent delegation of ten percent of the Knesset who will participate in the activities of the Council.
(Note: Where a country has no Jewish representation in its parliament, former Jewish parliamentarians may be considered by the Executive for membership, ad personam. Membership will also be open to outstanding former parliamentarians who can inspire present-day leaders as determined by the Executive.)
To participate, Members must accept the mission of the ICJP.