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September 3, 2004/Elul 17 5763, Vol. 55, No. 50
RNC notebook
RON KAMPEAS
MATTHEW E. BERGER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
It started with a grim parade of names and ended with a song of hope.
A reading of names of victims of terrorism in Israel drew about 700 people to New York's Baruch College on Aug. 29, the day before the launch of the Republican National Convention. The event was sponsored by The Israel Project, a group that tries to improve Israel's standing in U.S. public opinion, and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
A similar reading drew more than 1,000 Jews in July at a Democratic Party event in Boston, but much tougher security restrictions in New York, and a city emptied of many of its denizens, contributed to the lower turnout.
Volunteers held aloft photos of nearly 1,000 terror victims as their names were read out. Survivors of terrorist attacks and families who lost loved ones joined top Jewish community representatives and Israeli diplomats in addressing the crowd.
The event ended with a song by top-40 pop duo Evan and Jaron dedicated to victims of terrorism called, "Isn't it time we cared?"
"We have come here today to remind the world that behind every number are devastated families, behind every statistic are women and men suffering," said Eliad Moreli, who survived a July 2002 bombing attack at the Hebrew University cafeteria.
That was the message Israel Project founder Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi wanted to get across. The Israel Project will air its ads 350 times on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News Channel and local news channel NY1 this week.
"Our target is the journalists covering the convention," she said. "We want to put a human face on what to them are statistics."
Heavy hitters abound
The heavy hitters are coming out to thank Jewish Republicans for their support and efforts to increase the percentage of Jews voting for President Bush in November.
Vice President Dick Cheney has been added to the politically star-studded lineup for Republican Jewish Coalition Victory 2004 Celebration which was held Sept. 2. Cheney will join Commerce Secretary Don Evans, Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and five Republican governors. Former White House spokesman Ari Fleischer will serve as master of ceremonies.
"The vice president's attendance at this celebration is indicative of the commitment of this administration to reaching out and including the Jewish community," said Sam Fox, national chairman of the Republican Jewish Coali-tion.
AIPAC receives support
They came to praise Israel - and ended up defending its best-known defender.
Over 1,600 people, in-cluding a Who's Who of the Republican Party, attended the American Israel Public Affairs Committee-United Jewish Communities event Aug. 29 night at Chelsea Piers in New York launching this year's Republican Party convention.
Such events usually are dedicated to praising Israel's friends in Congress and in the administration, but the spotlight was turned on the normally camera-shy AIPAC because of allegations that two of its staffers were involved in the leaking of classified Pentagon docu-ments.
"AIPAC and its support for Israel is so important to all of us," UJC chairman Robert Goldberg said.
Attendance had climbed from an anticipated 1,200 to 1,600, organizers said, with a flood of RSVPs over the weekend after the news broke.
"The record turnout demonstrates our community stands united," Goldberg said.
Others chimed in their support
"I've worked closely with AIPAC for more than a half century," said Fox. "I know AIPAC; it is an organization in my experience that had reflected the very best qualities of profession-alism."
Leaders of the National Jewish Democratic Council also spoke glowingly of AIPAC's leadership and professionalism, as have U.S. House and Senate members participating in forums with AIPAC board members all week at the convention.
"While the House will want to look carefully at any allegations that might endanger our national security, it will begin that look with a record of great confidence in our relationship with AIPAC and our strongest ally and the only democracy in the Middle East, Israel," said House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.).
Also speaking out were the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
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