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AIPAC: News, Policy, Analysis for the Middle East and U.S.-Israel Relations.
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National Summit Program

Sunday, October 28, 2007

8:45 A.M. - 10:00 A.M.

Estate Planning Breakfast

Planning for the Future: Wealth Preservation and Planned Giving Techniques

Please join us for this informative breakfast briefing hosted by the AIPAC Tomorrow Campaign.

  • Mr. Stephen Saft, Esq., CPA
    Withers Bergman, LLP

9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M.

Pre-Conference Scholar-in-Residence Sessions

Choose from a number of opportunities to interact with AIPAC experts in an informal setting.

Behind the Scenes: How Foreign Policy is Made in Washington

David Gillette, a senior AIPAC lobbyist, has an extensive knowledge of U.S. foreign policy drawn from a career on Capitol Hill and in the State Department.

  • Mr. David Gillette
    Deputy Director of Policy and Government Affairs, AIPAC

Can Economic Sanctions Really Stop Iran From Going Nuclear?

Marvin Feuer, who currently serves as AIPAC's Director of Policy and Government Affairs, is a former Pentagon official and a widely respected expert on avariety of issues related to U.S. defense policy and the strategic landscape of the Middle East.

  • Dr. Marvin Feuer
    Director of Policy and Government Affairs, AIPAC

Friends of Faith: An Examination of Christian Support for the Pro-Israel Movement

Jeff Mendelsohn is AIPAC's National Outreach Director, heading the organization's effort to work with the African-American, Latino and religiouslymotivated pro-Israel Christian communities.

  • Mr. Jeff Mendelsohn
    National Outreach Director, AIPAC

Israel on Campus: Challenge and Opportunity

AIPAC Leadership Development Director Jonathan Kessler has been responsible for mentoring literally thousands of pro-Israel campus activists, many of whom have gone on to highly successful careers in politics, academia and pro-Israel advocacy.

  • Mr. Jonathan Kessler
    Leadership Development Director, AIPAC

Jerusalem Report: The Trends Shaping Israel’s Political Future

One of AIPAC's top officials in Jerusalem, Tom Sawicki has an insider's knowledge of Israeli politics gleaned from numerous interactions with the Jewish state's top policymakers and years of experience covering Knesset affairs.

  • Mr. Tom Sawicki
    Director of Programming, Jerusalem Office, AIPAC

Why Israel? The History and Necessity of the Jewish State

Rafi Danziger, AIPAC's Director of Research and Information, is an expert on the Middle East and the Editor-in-Chief of Near East Report, AIPAC's biweekly flagship publication.

  • Dr. Rafi Danziger
    Director of Research and Information; Editor-in-Chief of Near East Report, AIPAC

10:30 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.

Opening Luncheon Plenary: Legends of the Jewish People

The National Summit’s opening session features inspirational addresses from two men who overcame unthinkable adversity to become symbols of Jewish spirit and statesmanship.

  • Professor Elie Wiesel
    Nobel Peace Prize Winner and Boston University Professor
  • Mr. Natan Sharansky
    Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and Chairman, Adelson Institute for Strategic Studies, Shalem Center

1:15 P.M. - 2:30 P.M.

Mid-Morning Breakout Sessions

Briefing Theater - Global Impact: A Tour of Today's Middle East

Take a journey to one of the most important and complex parts of the world. In this dynamic presentation, a Middle East expert will guide you through a discussion of the far-reaching implications of today's events.

  • Mr. David Horovitz
    Editor-in-Chief, The Jerusalem Post

Briefing Theater - The Real Reasons Behind the U.S.-Israel Relationship

Why does the United States continue to stand with Israel? Is the Jewish state really an asset to America? Get the answers to these timely and pressing questions in an interactive multimedia presentation that should be required viewing for all pro-Israel activists.

  • Ambassador Brad Gordon
    Director of Policy and Government Affairs, AIPAC

Broken Link: Why the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict is Not the Root of All Unrest in the Middle East Today

Middle East experts will discuss the disputes among various regional actors that would persist even if Israel reached peace with all of her neighbors.

  • Dr. Josef Joffee
    Editor-in-Chief, Die Zeit; Marc and Anita Abramowitz Fellow in International Relations, Hoover Institution, Stanford University
  • Dr. Martin Kramer
    Wexler-Frommer Fellow, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy; Adelson Institute Senior Fellow, Shalem Center; Olin Institute Senior Fellow, Harvard University

Jihad Rising: The Growing Threat of Islamic Terrorism at Home and Around the World

Scholars of radical Islam will explain what motivates global jihadists and assess what the West can do to fight their violent ideology.

  • Dr. Daniel Pipes
    Director, Middle East Forum
  • Ambassador Edward Walker, Jr.
    Adjunct Scholar, Middle East Institute; Christian A. Johnson Distinguished Professor in Global and Political Theory, Hamilton University

Knesset Conversation: Trends and Personalities Shaping Israeli Politics Today

Two experts on Jerusalem's fast-paced political scene will explore the latest developments surrounding Israel's dynamic democracy.

  • Mr. Tom Sawicki
    Director of Programming, Jerusalem Office, AIPAC
  • Dr. Meyrav Wurmser
    Director, Center for Middle East Policy, Hudson Institute

Who's the Boss: Inside the Palestinian Authority

A veteran panel of Middle East analysts will explain the power structure of competing Palestinian groups and identify potential partners for peace.

  • Ms. Ester Kurz
    Director of Legislative Strategy and Policy, AIPAC
  • Mr. David Makovsky
    Director, Project on the Middle East Peace Process, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
  • Professor Asher Susser
    Senior Fellow in Arab Politics, Brandeis University

An Inside Look at How Congress Impacts Foreign Policy

AIPAC's Deputy Director of Policy and Government Affairs, Jeffrey Colman, lobbies Congress on a range of issues affecting the U.S.–Israel relationship.

  • Mr. Jeffrey Colman
    Deputy Director of Policy and Government Affairs, AIPAC

Emerging Issue: Why Should the Pro-Israel Community Care About Energy Security?

An expert in homeland security and energy policy and a former Capitol Hill counsel, Bini Zomer is the Deputy Director of AIPAC's Policy and Government Affairs Department.

  • Mr. Bini Zomer
    Deputy Director of Policy and Government Affairs, AIPAC

The Concentric Circles of Danger in Today’s Middle East

Marc Ginsberg, who served as U.S. Ambassador to Morocco under President Clinton, is a Fox News analyst regularly called upon to explain events in the Middle East.

  • Ambassador Marc Ginsberg
    President, Layalina Productions, Inc.

Where is Bashar Assad Leading Syria?

Born and raised in Lebanon, Tony Badran is an expert on both Syria and Lebanon and a research fellow at The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

  • Mr. Tony Badran
    Research Fellow, Levant, The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies

Why Do Christians Support the Jewish State of Israel?

David Brog, a former Capitol Hill staffer, is one of the first authors to deal extensively with the phenomenon of evangelical Christian support for Israel in his recent book.

  • Mr. David Brog
    Author, Standing With Israel: Why Christians Support the Jewish State

Will the Arab World Ever Accept Israel?

Rafi Danziger, AIPAC's Director of Research and Information, is an expert on the Middle East and the Editor-in-Chief of Near East Report, AIPAC's biweekly flagship publication.

  • Dr. Rafi Danziger
    Director of Research and Information; Editor-in-Chief of Near East Report, AIPAC

Planning For Your Future and Ours

Drop by and speak with us at The AIPAC Tomorrow Campaign Lounge

  • Ms. Sarah Fertig Trauben, CPA
    Endowment Director, The AIPAC Tomorrow Campaign

3:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M.

Afternoon Plenary: America’s Role in the World Today

America’s Ambassador to the United Nations discusses the unique and evolving role of the United States in our world.

  • Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad
    U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
  • Mr. Howard Friedman
    President, AIPAC

4:30 P.M. - 5:45 P.M.

Afternoon Breakout Sessions

Briefing Theater - Global Impact: A Tour of Today's Middle East

complex parts of the world. In this dynamic presentation, a Middle East expert will guide you through a discussion of the far-reaching implications of today's events.

  • Mr. David Makovsky
    Director, Project on the Middle East Peace Process, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Briefing Theater - The Real Reasons Behind the U.S.-Israel Relationship

Why does the United States continue to stand with Israel? Is the Jewish state really an asset to America? Get the answers to these timely and pressing questions in an interactive multimedia presentation that should be required viewing for all pro-Israel activists.

  • Ambassador Brad Gordon
    Director of Policy and Government Affairs, AIPAC

Deciphering Damascus: Is Syria Seeking Peace or Preparing for War?

Leading thinkers will dissect President Bashar Assad's rhetoric for clues about his goals for Syria and his regime's true intentions toward Israel and the West.

  • Mr. Tony Badran
    Research Fellow, Levant, The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies
  • Mr. David Gillette
    Deputy Director of Policy and Government Affairs, AIPAC
  • Mr. David Schenker
    Senior Fellow in Arab Politics, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Radical Ambitions: Iran’s Efforts to Dominate the Middle East

Top Middle East scholars will explore what can be done to stop Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and advancing its radical agenda throughout the region.

  • Dr. Marvin Feuer
    Director of Policy and Government Affairs, AIPAC
  • The Honorable Brad Sherman (D-CA)
    Chairman, Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade, United States House of Representatives

Shifting Sands: The Arab World's Evolving Role in the Peace Process

One of Israel's most respected thinkers and AIPAC's Director for Legislative Strategy and Policy will explore whether Arab nations today are promoting—or preventing—Middle East peace.

  • Ms. Ester Kurz
    Director of Legislative Strategy and Policy, AIPAC
  • Professor Asher Susser
    Senior Fellow in Arab Politics, Brandeis University

Terror TV: Is the Arab World’s Media Facilitating Terrorism?

Two veteran analysts with decades of experience in the Arab world will describe how mass media in the region justifies terrorism and indoctrinates children to hate non-Muslims.

  • Mr. Mark Dubowitz
    Chief Operating Officer and Director of The Coalition Against Terrorist Media, The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies
  • Ambassador Marc Ginsberg
    President, Layalina Productions, Inc.

An Inside Look at How Congress Impacts Foreign Policy

AIPAC's Deputy Director of Policy and Government Affairs, Jeffrey Colman, lobbies Congress on a range of issues affecting the U.S.–Israel relationship.

  • Mr. Jeffrey Colman
    Deputy Director of Policy and Government Affairs, AIPAC

Emerging Issue: Why Should the Pro-Israel Community Care About Energy Security?

An expert in homeland security and energy policy and a former Capitol Hill counsel, Bini Zomer is the Deputy Director of AIPAC's Policy and Government Affairs Department.

  • Mr. Bini Zomer
    Deputy Director of Policy and Government Affairs, AIPAC

How is Radical Islam Shaping Our World

Founding Director of the Middle East Forum and publisher of Middle East Quarterly, Daniel Pipes is an expert on radical Islam and a prolific author having written numerous books and articles that have appeared in more than 100 newspapers.

  • Dr. Daniel Pipes
    Director, Middle East Forum

How is Israeli Society Coping in an Age of Growing Danger?

A noted author and leading journalist, David Horovitz is the Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Post and one of Israel's most respected observers of politics, culture and society.

  • Mr. David Horovitz
    Editor-in-Chief, The Jerusalem Post

What Would the World Look Like Without Israel?

Widely acclaimed essayist and foreign policy expert Josef Joffe, publisher and editor of the German weekly Die Zeit, is a fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution specializing in international security, the Middle East and U.S. foreign policy.

  • Dr. Josef Joffe
    Editor-in-Chief, Die Zeit; Marc and Anita Abramowitz Fellow in International Relations, Hoover Institution, Stanford University

Why is Israel a Strategic Asset for the United States?

A fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Jerusalem's Shalem Center and Harvard University, Martin Kramer is an authority on contemporary Islam and the modern Middle East.

  • Dr. Martin Kramer
    Wexler-Frommer Fellow, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy; Adelson Institute Senior Fellow, Shalem Center; Olin Institute Senior Fellow, Harvard University

Planning For Your Future and Ours

Drop by and speak with us at The AIPAC Tomorrow Campaign Lounge

  • Ms. Sarah Fertig Trauben, CPA
    Endowment Director, The AIPAC Tomorrow Campaign

8:00 P.M. - 10:30 P.M.

AIPAC Gala Dinner: Celebrating the U.S.-Israel Relationship

Senators from Pennsylvania and New Jersey and House members from the Mid-Atlantic congressional delegation will come together to pay tribute to the ties between the United States and Israel.

  • The Honorable Arlen Specter (R-PA)
    United States Senate
  • The Honorable Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
    United States Senate
  • The Honorable Robert Casey (D-PA)
    United States Senate
  • Members of the Mid-Atlantic Congressional Delegation

Summit Gala at Philadelphia Museum of Art

Renoir at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Exclusive Renoir exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art was the venue for this year's Congressional Gala dinner.

Learn More

Become A Club Member

AIPAC Club Members

The AIPAC National Summit is reserved exclusively for members who contribute at the Capitol Club level or beyond.

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