I attended two additional sessions including one entitled; "Making the Case for Israel,"- that featured Democratic Congresswoman Shelley Berkley of Nevada and Republican Conressman Eric Cantor from Virginia. The Congressman was asked a tough question: How do we make the case to those who would like to see us get off the front page?
"My only suggestion for that is simple bang for the buck. America needs democratic allies. Israel has stood with us in the UN. We need a buffer on the front lines. You need to do three things: 1) Educate. 2) Lead by example. Get on the phones with talk radio, respond to the blogs and write letters to the editors. 3) Let's support. Develop relationships and support those in Congress."-
Congresswoman Berkley said; "Talk about the head. What we do comes from the kishkes, (the gut). We deal with 435 people who may not have this in their guts. We need friends on both sides of the aisle."-
"Does it matter that I come here? It makes a huge difference that we're here and they know it! Members of Congress respond to two things, votes and money and AIPAC delivers both!"- I am here committed to what AIPAC believes in. What is good for Israel and what is good for America"-? said Berkley.
I found things I could agree with during my daylong sojourn in Washington. I also witnessed a well-oiled machine making its case to its constituency of foot soldiers in ways that focused attention away from questions of morality and the impact of the occupation directly to the life and death struggle of a people suffering under a growing multifaceted assault from Islamic fundamentalism. So for me, a liberal peace seeking Jew, it is clear that I need AIPAC as well as other organizations to contribute to a future that offers not only Israelis and the Palestinians, but all human beings the prospect of realizing a workable secure and vital peace in a Holy Land that we must all learn to share.
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