Wednesday, May 1, 7 pm
Since January, community members have gathered in four different area synagogues, watched four different films about Israel, and have had four very distinguished rabbis lead them in discussions about what they had just seen and heard.
The fifth and final movie in the Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Step Up for Israel Film and Discussion series will be shown at Congregation Beth El in Norfolk.
Speak Up for Israel is the culmination of a course produced by JerusalemOnlineU. com that stimulates viewers to become educated, motivated and be better advocates for Israel—goals that mirror the CRC’s.
“The people who have come to the first four movies enjoyed them and took a lot away from what they saw and the discussions that followed,” says Miriam Seeherman, chair of the CRC.
“This last film offers effective techniques for advocates of all ages and faiths to learn how to better educate others about Israel, in a very relatable, easy and memorable way.”
Seeherman says it is not necessary to have seen the previous four films to attend the event on May 1. Just as the four other host synagogue rabbis have, Beth El’s Rabbi Jeffrey Arnowitz is planning a lively discussion to follow the screening.
Highlights in the upcoming movie include the ABC’s of how to speak up for Israel: answering adverse claims people make about the nation, bridging the arguments to give perspective, and closing with a positive message about Israel and the Israeli people.
As with all of the previous Step Up for Israel films, Speak Up for Israel is free and open to the community.
Congregation Beth El is located at 422 Shirley Ave., Norfolk. RSVP to jjohnson@ujft.org. To find out more about Step up for Israel, the CRC and other upcoming events, visit www.jewishva.org/crc.
by Laine M. Rutherford