NWC Newsletter April 2009
NWC NEWSLETTER APRIL 2009
NWC Hosts Fabulous Event at the
RJC National Leadership Meeting
The RJC National Women's Committee (NWC) was thrilled to host an exciting program during the RJC's Winter Leadership Meeting last week. Women from across the country came together to discuss critical political issues, under the leadership of newly-elected NWC chair Diane Sembler-Kamins. The NWC is a forward-looking, committed group of RJC members, who want to expand the RJC's outreach among women and effectively add women's voices to the RJC and to the Republican Party. RNC Chairman Michael Steele came by during the program and met with the group. In addition, the women heard a terrific political briefing by Candy Straight, an experienced Republican activist from New Jersey and a founder of the WISH List (Women In the Senate and House). There was also a lively, interesting discussion of future plans for the NWC. This meeting was an opportunity for the women of the RJC to come together and discuss programming, grassroots, media outreach, and NWC’s goals for the future. Below are some of the pictures from the event!
NWC MEETING IN NEW YORK IN MAY!
Please join the National Women’s Committee of the
Republican Jewish Coalition for a women-only Light Dinner to discuss
The New Administration and the Role of the NWC
Hosted by our NWC Chair
DIANE SEMBLER-KAMINS
Moderated by NWC Executive Director
Lisa Spies
With a presentation from our special Guest
Katie Levinson
Katie Levinson’s background includes serving as communications director and spokeswoman for Rudy Giuliani’s presidential and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s gubernatorial campaigns, as well as serving as a senior member of the White House Communications team.
This meeting is an opportunity for the women of the RJC to come together and discuss programming, grassroots, media outreach, and NWC’s goals for the future.
Tuesday, May 12th, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
at the offices of
Weil Gotshal, 767 Fifth Avenue at 59th Street, Room 25 New York, NY
NWC BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS
The NWC is proud to announce the addition of new Board members as well as a new Chair.
NWC Chair
Diane Sembler- Kamins (Florida) is active in serving her community and is passionate about her political activities. Diane was President for the Pinellas County Jewish Day School and served 6 years as Vice President for Development. Diane has served her local Jewish Federation in many capacities from Campaign Chair, Women’s Division Campaign Chair, Budget and Allocations Chair, Main Event co-chair, as well as being a member of the National Women’s Young Leadership Cabinet. She also served the national organization as a solicitation trainer. She was co-chair of Jewish Outreach for the State of Florida in the Bush 2004 race. Diane has served on the Temple Beth-El Art Festival committee, a large weekend art show supporting the Temple, for the past 35 years. She has 5 children, 3 of whom are married and 2 grandchildren. Diane has been a member of the RJC for the past 19 years.
NWC Board Members
Ann Conlin Tanenbaum (Pennsylvania) is Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Conlin’s Digital Print and Copy Centers, a family owned and operated business established 29 years ago. While the company headquarters is in King of Prussia, PA, Conlin’s services customers throughout the United States and Western Europe. Ann serves as member of the Board of Women Visitors, University of Pennsylvania Health System. She is the corresponding secretary, a member of the Executive Committee and works as liaison to Penn Medicine at Radnor. Ann serves as member of the Board of Musicopia, providing music programs – now removed from school curricula - to students who might otherwise never be exposed to the potential they possess. Ann is married to Myles H. Tanenbaum and they live in Villanova, PA. Together they support a variety of philanthropic causes and political organizations actively assisting in their programs, fundraising and general support.
Eloise Gerson (Illinois) was born in Peru and came to the US as a student. Eloise rapidly learned English and graduated from Loyola University with a business degree in Marketing. Thereafter, Eloise worked as an account executive for a major Chicago advertising firm for more than ten years. Eloise eventually obtained her Real Estate license and joined her husband in their real estate management/investment business. The career switch afforded Eloise more time for her avocation, politics. Upon earning her US Citizenship in 1994, she immediately got deeply involved with the Republican Party. Eloise joined the 42nd Ward Republican Organization, the most vibrant and largest GOP organization in Chicago. The lake-front 42nd Ward encompasses Chicago's renowned business downtown (the "Loop") as well as the city's "Gold Coast," "Magnificent Mile" of Michigan Avenue and the Rush Street entertainment district. She became 42nd Ward President in 2001 and was elected its Committeeman in February, 2008. In April 2008, Eloise was elected Chairman of the Chicago Republican Party by her 49 fellow Ward Committeemen. Eloise was an Illinois State Delegate and Deputy Whip to the 2004 Republican Presidential Convention in New York. Eloise is a member of International Women Associates, Chicago Chapter, an organization promoting understanding and co-operation among Chicago area women of all nations. She has been a member of the RJC since 2005.
Lynne Lechter (Pennsylvania) has lived in Upper Merion Township in Pennsylvania with her husband Ab for 16 years. She has served as a citizen member of the Upper Merion Fire and Emergency Services Board, as a member of the Montgomery County Commission on Women and Families, and most recently as a trustee for the Montgomery County Community College, where she served on its Finance Committee for five years. During her time with the college, Lynne worked towards a number of accomplishments, including the extension of the Pottstown campus, a continual expansion of the curriculum, an increase in enrollment, and guaranteed transfer opportunities for qualified students to a wide variety of four-year colleges. An avid music fan, Lynne is a past President of the Philadelphia Opera Guild and a Board Member of the Opera Company of Philadelphia. She works to promote the arts in the region, and has spent over ten years raising funds to support the Opera Company’s Sounds of Learning Program, a nationally acclaimed, award-winning educational program for Philadelphia and suburban students. Additionally, Lynne and her husband Ab support the Upper Merion’s “Music Under the Stars” series, and the Settlement Music School, which has helped train thousands of local students at affordable prices. Lynne and her husband Ab are also strong supporters of the Cancer Foundation for Personal Wellness, a non-profit organization that provides support and aid for cancer patients undergoing therapy who cannot afford products such as wigs. Recently Lynne joined an organization in West Conshohocken that is dedicated to building a Vietnam War memorial for soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice. Lynne thinks globally as well, and was a previous Board Member of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), an organization that works to rescue and resettle Jewish and non-Jewish people and provide assistance to them as they transition into American culture, helping them to become productive members of society. Lynne graduated from Russell Sage College, earned her Masters degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and her J.D. from Villanova University. Currently, she is the general counsel to an international sales and marketing corporation, designing and producing furniture for American furniture companies and the hospitality industry. Lynne was co-founder and Chair of the International Law Committee for the Montgomery County Bar, and she was a member of the Desmond McTighe American Inns of Court, an organization made up of Judges and Attorneys dedicated to upholding the highest ethical and legal standards. In addition to practicing law, Lynne has previously served as an adjunct professor at the Villanova University Law School’s Domestic Abuse Clinic.
OP-ED by NWC MEMBER ELISE COOPER
Anti-Jewish Radicalism returns to UCLA
By ELISE COOPER
After hearing about the recent symposium on Gaza at UCLA, some old memories were conjured up. While working at UCLA for an educational program in the 1980s, I was attacked for being a Jew and a supporter of Israel. The protestors told me they did not care about the 6 million Jews who died and that Zionism will no longer be couched in individualism. After filing numerous protests and having the support of many physical science professors, the university took some action to stem such hatred. Now, approximately thirty years later, I see that hatred once again is alive and well at my alma mater. First, there was the UC Gaza Solidarity Coalition Resolution which was completely one-sided against Israel. A sample of what was stated: “Whereas Israel's recent aerial attack on December 27th, 2008, and the ground offensive launched on January 3rd, 2009, has killed more than Six Hundred and Forty in Gaza and Four in Israel, injured over Two Thousand Eight Hundred people in Gaza; and countless in Israel.” Then there was the Gaza Symposium held on January 21of this year titled “Human Rights and Gaza”. One would think that a symposium would present both sides. Since it was held at a university, a learning institution, students should be allowed to listen to the facts and presentations to formulate their own opinions. Similar tothe resolution, the symposium was completely aone-sided witch hunt against Israel. Shirley Eshaghian, the student president of Bruins for Israel, stated, “It was a disgusting event…It castigated Israel for creating a crisis.” There were four professors making presentations and another professor, Susan Slymovics, who organized the event and acted as a moderator. When contacted for a response she stated “no comment” and hung up. The four professors used inflammatory rhetoric telling those attending that Israel committed war crimes. They further stated that there was an underlying desire by the Israeli government to exterminate those living in Gaza as the Nazis had done to the Jews during World War II. During the question and answer session there were numerous chants of “Zionism is racism…Zionism is Nazism.” The consensus of those Jewish students who attended the symposium was that since an academic department organized it, there should have been some sense of neutrality, with at least one speaker supporting Israel’s point of view. Andrew Kreitz, the chairman of Bruin Republicans, stated that pro-Israel supporters have to deal with statements that are ”either exaggerated or full of spin and is really just expressions of their opinions and their beliefs under the guise of neutrality or fact based learning.” Those in the academic world speak of wanting to expand the students’ thought process and thinking skills. For example, UCLA Chancellor, Gene Block, stated about the controversy, “Importantly, we are training students to think critically and to be responsible citizens. Our students must hear diverse viewpoints, if only to sharpen their own thought processes and strengthen their arguments. I also believe that this kind of learning occurs best when views and debates are conducted with decorum. “If that is the case, then how can a one-sided resolution and symposium allow students to formulate their analytical skills, especially since there was certainly no debate? Unfortunately, on college campuses today, those who support Israel are losing the public relations battle. Many times during presentations Israel is the one perceived as killing innocent civilians even though Hamas uses them as shields. The supporters of Israel need to speak up and show the Bruins for Israel that they are not fighting this battle alone. Shirley expressed her feelings when she stated that today, “Professors have never been so active against Israel. Unfortunately, a lot of pro-Israel professors and faculty tend to keep quiet. I wish we could have our professors be loud with us…Dr. Pearl (the father of the journalist Daniel Pearl, beheaded by Khalid Mohammed) has been great. We appreciate him.” I am hoping that incidents at UCLA such as the one I had to battle thirty years ago are isolated. Through public knowledge, the silent majority will speak out to show the pro-Israel students at UCLA and elsewhere that they are not fighting this battle alone. The prevailing attitude by both Shirley and Andrew is that at UCLA, pro-Israel supporters can still feel comfortable on campus because they consider UCLA to be a center-left campus where the extreme left is still considered a fringe. As an alumnus and a parent, I certainly hope this is the case.
Elise Cooper is a freelance author who focuses on current issues. Her articles have been published by the newmajority.com as well as other Republican newsletters and blogs. Ms. Cooper is also a freelance assistant publicist, and has worked with many of the mainstream conservative talk show hosts. She has been in charge of setting up Southern California dates for author book signings, including number-one best-selling authors. In addition, she hosts a blog talk radio show (www.BlogTalkRadio.com/BookStopsHere) where she discusses the relevance of books to current events as well as conducting several guest interviews. Ms. Cooper also worked for Republican candidates in the LA area.
A LETTER FROM THE NWC CHAIR, DIANE SEMBLER-KAMINS
Dear Friends,
As the incoming chair of the NWC I want to thank Linda Law for her commitment in starting this outstanding organization. She worked hours creating the plans, garnering a board, organizing events and launching this endeavour. There are not enough words to say how indebted we all are to her commitment and perseverance.
Now we go forward continuing to grow the NWC and to give women the opportunity to make a statement about our opinions on the direction of our country, our party and making a difference in shaping the political landscape. With that in mind Lisa Spies, our Executive Director, and I have been working on creating programs for the NWC in all parts of our country culminating with a NWC conference in Washington, DC in the Fall.
I look forward to meeting as many of you as I can during this next year and to traveling to your communities with programs that will enable our base to grow. Education and programming will be the base of our moving ahead and I encourage anyone to share their thoughts and ideas of ways they would like to see the NWC help in their community. Contact Lisa or myself and we will make every effort to facilitate those ideas.
In closing I want to thank the women who have currently agreed to serve on the NWC board and we are awaiting news from several others who will be joining us soon. I know that the National Women’s Committee will continue to move forward, to grow in numbers and to enhance the influence of the Republican Jewish Coalition.
Thank you and my best,
Diane Sembler-Kamins
