Second North American Conference on Judaism and Human Rights

The conference is for Rabbis, Cantors, Rabbinic Students and all who are committed to human rights. Sunday, Dec. 7 - Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008 Adas Israel Congregation 2850 Quebec Street, NW Washington, DC www.adasisrael.org Mark your calendars for December 7th and register now for a conference that will inspire and reinvigorate you! Among the highlights of the conference are the following plenaries:

• "Zionism, Israel and Human Rights" with Avram Burg, author and former Speaker of the Knesset, Paula Hyman, Lucy Moses Professor of Modern Jewish History, Yale University, and Sari Nusseibeh, President of Al Quds University. This panel will be moderated by Kathleen Peratis, Board Member Emerita of Human Rights Watch. (Sunday night)
• "The Abrahamic Religions and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights" with Dr. Arnold Eisen, Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary, Dr. David Gushee, founder of Evangelicals for Human Rights, and Imam Yahya Hendi, founder of Imams for Human Rights and Dialogue, moderated by Rabbi Nancy Fuchs-Kreimer, Director, Religious Studies Program, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. (Monday)
• "Renewing America's Commitment to Human Rights" with Linda Gustitus, Chair, National Religious Campaign Against Torture, Sammie Moshenberg, of the National Council of Jewish Women, and Michael Posner, President of Human Rights First, moderated by Mary Ann Stein, President, Moriah Fund. (Tuesday)

Other highlights include:

• Special Concert with musical sensation Pharaoh's Daughter, a band that brings world beat fusion to traditional Jewish and Middle Eastern melodies. Find out more at www.pharaohsdaughter.com. (Monday night)
• A Land Twice Promised: A compelling piece on Israeli and Palestinian women's stories with Noa Baum.  For more information see www.noabaum.com. (Sunday afternoon)
• A Luncheon honoring the 20th anniversary of Rabbis for Human Rights-Israel (Monday)
• Study Sessions with leading Jewish scholars and teachers on Jewish texts and values related to human rights
• Study Sessions with human rights experts on issues in Israel and North America
• Opportunities for communal prayer and song and modeling ways to incorporate human rights concerns into prayer in your community

The registration fee for the conference includes admission to the Second Raphael Lemkin Human Rights Awards Dinner honoring Peter Edelman and Rabbi Gerry Serotta, followed by a concert with Pharaoh's Daughter. (Monday evening).  Also included are breakfast and lunch on Monday and Tuesday and snacks each day.

On International Human Rights Day last year we launched K'vod Habriot, a Jewish Human Rights Network of Rabbis, Communities and Individuals dedicated to the human rights of all. This conference will be an opportunity for rabbis and congregants to partner with one another in advocacy for human rights and to learn how to organize support for human rights in our communities. At the conference there will be special workshops and training and study sessions devoted to this goal.

We are offering an early registration discount for participants who register by September 15, 2008 and a new discount for Rabbis and Congregants attending together. If a Rabbi attends with one or more congregants, each of them receives a 10% discount. There are two ways you can register. We encourage you to register online, but if you prefer, print out the registration form and mail it to us with your payment.

Special note to musicians: Singer/Composer Rabbi David Shneyer will enhance the conference with his beautiful melodies. He welcomes other musicians to bring their instruments and join in.

If you have any questions, please contact Judy Salosky, our Conference Coordinator at conference@rhr-na.org or 508-696-8763. We look forward to seeing you in December.

Mark your calendars for Sunday, December 7 - Tuesday, December 9, 2008 and register now for a conference that will inspire and invigorate you!

Register Now.

Co-sponsored by Human Rights Watch & Center for Constitutional Rights