Hollywood, CA

Friday, June 01, 2012

The annual Israel Day Parade, an event that seeks to celebrate the Jewish State, is again going to allow a number of groups seeking to diminish Israel by Boycotting, Divestment and Sanction. These so-called BDS Groups include organizations with seemingly innocuous names like New Israel Fund, Rabbis for Human Rights and B'Tselem. Doris Wise Montrose, founder of Children of Jewish Holocaust Survivors, has countered these groups by enlisting a number of young people who, during the parade, will pass out flyers about her new website, MyEretz.com, an online marketplace for small Israeli businesses that would be the victims of these radical groups.

JCC Watch.org, an organization whose motto is Holding Jewish Communal Groups Accountable, has issued the following press release about this and the outrage that it has sparked from not just Doris Wise Montrose but millions of Israel supporters from all backgrounds. One of Montrose's calls to action is for people to visit MyEretz.com and see and buy the Israeli products that come from businesses that are small enterprises which are vital to health of the Israeli economy. Supporters of Israel can actively show their support for the Jewish State right from their own computers by doing the exact opposite of what these anti-Israel groups are calling for.

Here is the complete Press Release from JCCWatch.org

Israel Day Parade Alert!

Parade Date: June 3, 2012

Pro-IsraelParade@JCCWatch.org

BDS Financial Backers Gloat About Participating in the Israel Day Parade

Dear fellow parade participants,

You have spoken up loud and clear that you do not want groups that support Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel to be included in the Celebrate Israel Parade. You have sent emails, letters and made phone calls to the UJA-Federation and the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), telling them that you do not want to march alongside radical anti-Israel groups like New Israel Fund, B'Tselem and Rabbis for Human Rights.

New Israel Fund and its allies actively promote economic warfare against Israel through Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions, and are funded by the European Union for the express purpose of undermining Israel. Yet, despite all your brave efforts, John Ruskay and UJA-Fed refuse to listen. They insist that New Israel Fund and its allies march in the Celebrate Israel Parade on June 3rd, thereby legitimizing their radical anti-Israel views.

"It is shameful that the UJA Federation and the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) are supporting the New Israel Fund in their efforts to delegitimize and fund Boycotts, Divestment, and Sanctions against Israel," said Richard Allen, active member of the Pro-Israel Parade Committee. "It's time the UJA Federation stop supporting radical groups that work for BDS against Israel"

We need to redouble our efforts in the next few weeks to prevent this travesty. If the BDS supporting groups are allowed to march, we will call for posters and leaflets on the day of the parade.

Let's Not Forget the Facts and Make our Voices Heard Today!

-Last year, the New Israel Fund (NIF) was allowed to march in the parade. Other groups marched with the New Israel Fund, displaying their individual banners, including B'Tselem, Partners for Progressive Israel and Rabbis for Human Rights.

-This year, New Israel Fund is slated to march again, and we expect B'Tselem and the other groups will once again join NIF, displaying their banners.

-New Israel Fund finances numerous Israeli NGOs (non-governmental organizations), some of which promote Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel.

-For instance, five grantees of the New Israel Fund (Machsom Watch, Coalition of Women for Peace, Women Against Violence, Social TV, and Mossawa) signed a letter to the Norwegian Government Pension Fund, urging it to divest from Israel.

-Partners for Progressive Israel (also known as Meretz USA) prominently displays on its website, under the heading "boycott these Settlement products sold in the US, " a list of Israeli products that it wants Jews to boycott. These products include Ahava cosmetics, SodaStream products, and wine from nine Israeli vineyards.

-The chair of B'Tselem's board, Oren Yiftachel, has publically called for "effective sanctions" against Israel. B'Tselem is a major grantee of the New Israel Fund.

-B'Tselem produced the video that was shown at the infamous "Israel Apartheid 2012" events held at Universities and Colleges worldwide.

-Despite the New Israel Fund's stated opposition to Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), their continued funding of these groups shows their actions are not in line with their statements.

For media interviews contact Promotion in Motion at 323-410-7511 or brad@promotioninmotion.net

Brad Butler

Hollywood, CA

323-461-3921