Branding Israel to the Outside World

CCAR Convention - Day 6

Today I was one of 10 colleagues chosen to attend a special closed seminar at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (meeting in the same place that only hours later would host Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her visit). We had a fascinating session with two of the Foreign Ministries leading experts on advocating for Israel in the rest of the world.

Among the most fascinating findings of their recent research was their finding that 7 of 10 non-Jewish Americans strongly support Israel, but only 1 in 10 has an impression of Israel as inviting or welcoming. They shared the effort now underway to transforms peoples impression of Israel from a place of conflict to a place of creative energy, highlighting Israel's gifts in the areas of high tech, environmental efforts, the arts and recreation, in addition to the role she plays for many faiths.

The day ended with a discussion of Israel's challenges and her hopes and visions for the future. I left the sessions with a sense of renewed optimism and dedication to continued support for our homeland and the important role she plays in our lives as American Jews.