Special to WJW

Israel must reform its treatment of refugees, Palestinians and Israeli Arabs, and must find a solution to deal with populations whose rights are compromised by Orthodox control of civil law, according to an organization that seeks to further democratic change within Israel.

Those were identified on Wednesday of last week as some of the challenges facing Israeli society today as the New Israel Fund launched its second annual NIForum 2007 series in the District.

"Israel needs to analyze itself objectively as it approaches its 60th birthday," said Rachel Liel, executive director of the New Israel Fund's Shatil program, to the crowd of about 40 people gathered at the Washington DC Jewish Community Center for the start of NIForum 2007. Shatil, a Hebrew word that means seedling, is the organization's Israel-based "action arm."

NIF executive director Larry Garber joined Liel at the event, which is part of a national series of discussions about issues that Israel faces relating to human rights, social justice and religious pluralism. Stephen Stern, the Washington DCJCC's director of dialogues and public affairs, moderated the roundtable discussion.

Garber said part of the reason that NIF created ‹ and now expanded ‹ the annual forum is because it is important that American Jews remain informed about the "complexity of Israeli life."

This year, NIForum consisted of roundtable discussions in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, Seattle and Toronto, as well as a full-day symposium in New York and half-day one in San Francisco.

At the D.C. event, Garber said that "for better or worse" the recent releases of The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt and the "Beyond Distancing: Young Adult American Jews and their Alienation from Israel," report by sociologists Steven Cohen and Ari Kellman are "framing the discussion."

American Jews should define their role vis-a-vis the context of this discussion as members of a proud democracy in a globalizing world, who have multiple interests like other minorities in this country, Garber said.

He argued that American Jews should have a "nuanced view" that "Israel, like all democracies, suffers from political and social inequities, and those who care about the country should try to help overcome the real challenges confronting Israeli society."

After describing some of the challenges facing Israeli society, which include poverty and the treatment of Israeli Arabs, Liel spoke about Shatil's work in Israel, which includes helping with the execution of ideas that pertain to civil society improvement.

"When you have a good idea to help Israel socially, vision is not enough; you need the know-how," Liel said, adding that she finds it "very inspiring" to meet so many passionate people with big ideas. "I have not had one day of boredom," she said.

During the question-and-answer period, Garber and Liel discussed wide-ranging topics including environmental activism, neighborhood integration, the nature of exchange between American Jews and Israelis, as well as the ways that NIF is making a difference in the lives of Israelis.

It is this exchange about NIF's work that could elicit a positive response from people attending NIForum 2007, according to Naomi Paiss, NIF's communications director. "We think there will be an enthusiastic response from the many North Americans who are interested in building a better Israel, and who also believe that many American Jewish organizations are more right wing than the community really is," she said.

Willie Blacklow, 65, has given money to NIF in the past, but until Wednesday evening's discussion, he had never attended an event sponsored by the organization. The Chevy Chase resident said he was pleased that he came, noting that Liel's words about getting involved in NIF's programs and "getting down in the trenches" really appealed to him.

"I don't know if they can use me, but I am definitely interested," he said. "The old model of simply giving money just doesn't work," he said.

Some people, however, are not as enchanted with NIF's work. Gerald Steinberg, executive director of the Jerusalem-based NGO Monitor, which has analyzed NIF's projects in the past, said, "NIForum is a timid response to the growing dissatisfaction and criticism from NIF donors," adding that the forum "pretends to provide the missing transparency, accountability and public debate, but the lineup of speakers is 'the same old same old' who are part of the NIF power structure."