Diverse Crowd at Policy Conference

You might think that Israel is strictly a Jewish issue. But with a quick look around the Washington Convention Center during the next three days, you’d see that the pro-Israel movement in the United States is growing more diverse each year. Jews and non-Jews, religious and secular, African Americans and Latinos—all of them are here to show their support for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship.

A number of breakout sessions will highlight how pro-Israel activism attracts a cross-section of America. In “Growing Alliance” this afternoon, three leaders of the Latino community will explain what members of their community find in common with the citizens of the Jewish state, motivating them to become involved in the pro-Israel movement.

At a breakout session Monday afternoon called “From Solidarity to Support,” a panel of prominent African Americans will discuss how the Jewish story of struggling against persecution resonates with them. They will describe their own experiences visiting Israel, leading them to follow Martin Luther King’s example of support for the Jewish state.

Seventy-three pastors and church leaders are attending Policy Conference. Programming specifically designed for Christian supporters of the Jewish state includes a panel session on Monday, “Friends of Faith,” which will examine the roots of Christian Zionism and explore how pro-Israel Christians and Jews can work together in the political arena to strengthen Israel’s security.

As in previous years, the conference is welcoming dozens of participants from outside the United States. Pro-Israel activists from Canada, Europe, Latin America and South Africa will join a number of international elected officials from Europe who are partaking in a number of AIPAC-related programs.

If you are a Policy Conference veteran, approach anyone who you think might be a first-time delegate, welcome them and ask them how they got involved with AIPAC. We all have a lot to learn from each other.