Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat, former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union and Deputy Secretary of both Treasury and State, visited Tidewater on Monday, Nov. 18 to discuss his new book The Art of Diplomacy – How American Negotiators Reached Historic Agreements that Changed the World. His talk was part of the Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival and the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, all area synagogues, and community partners’ 14th annual Israel Today series.
Eizenstat is also the author of President Carter: The White House Years, The Future of the Jews: How Global Forces are Impacting the Jewish People, Israel, and Its Relationship with the United States, and Imperfect Justice: Looted Assets, Slave Labor, and the Unfinished Business of World War II.
Eizenstat explained to the more than 120 people in attendance why he felt the need to write this book, emphasizing the impact of U.S. involvement in historic global affairs and how it contributed to a better world. He also outlined the essential requirements for a successful negotiation and how they apply to the current situation in the Middle East. Drawing on insights from more than 130 interviews he conducted for the book, Eizenstat offered a unique perspective on international diplomacy.
Following his talk, City Councilman Joash Schulman engaged in a conversation with the Ambassador. Among the topics Schulman asked about were the complexities of Middle East peace efforts, what is required in addition to diplomacy for both the wars in Israel and Ukraine, and the potential roles of the U.S. and NATO in tackling the threats by Russia and Iran. Shulman also highlighted some of Eizenstat’s diplomatic victories and got an inside look at what Ambassador Eizenstat thought and felt in those moments.
“It was a profound honor to welcome Ambassador Eizenstat to Virginia Beach,” says Schulman. “Hearing him share firsthand accounts of some of history’s most significant international negotiations, including the establishment of reparations for Holocaust victims and their families, was both enlightening and inspiring.”
This event was a reminder of the enduring relevance of diplomacy, continued engagement, and dialogue in creating a more secure and more peaceful world.
To learn about upcoming Israel Today events, visit JewishVA.org/IsraelToday or contact Nofar Trem at ntrem@ujft.org.
