Dr. Matthew Eisenberg of Sea Bright attended the Washington 15 Conference in the national capital. The event was sponsored by United Jewish Communities. Photo by Jill Huber
April 08, 2008
When Dr. Matthew Eisenberg was preparing to attend the Washington 15 Conference, he looked forward to exchanging ideas and sharing information on current events with other like-minded Jewish men and women.
The March 16-18 conference in Washington, DC, did not disappoint, Eisenberg said; the three-day event, geared for young professionals from age 25 to 45, drew several thousand attendees who attended forums and seminars that focused on local, national, and global issues that affect the Jewish community.
The conference was sponsored by United Jewish Communities, and Eisenberg’s trip, along with that of his sister, Jodi, was sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Monmouth County.
“The conference was a stimulating, thought-provoking experience that increased my understanding of domestic and foreign issues that have an effect on Jews all over the world,” said Eisenberg, who lives in Sea Bright and maintains a dental practice in Freehold, Ocean Township, and Princeton. “And for many Jews, heightened awareness means more involvement and commitment.”
During an address by Madeleine Albright, former U.S. secretary of state from 1997 to 2001, she discussed her Jewish ancestry, which she discovered during the vetting process that followed her Cabinet nomination by former President Bill Clinton. Her acceptance of this newly discovered part of her identity resonated with Eisenberg.
“She told us she was raised as a Roman Catholic, and then, late in life, she found out about a whole family history that she had not been aware of,” said Eisenberg. “But examining your identity and learning about your past are things that many Jews go through in their quest to understand who they are and to determine the degree that religion plays in their lives and value systems.”
A forum on the Jewish response to the crisis in Darfur revealed how those value systems have motivated Jews to increase the world’s awareness of the genocide that is taking place in the Sudanese region, Eisenberg said.
“The Jewish belief in the sanctity of life, together with the memory of the Holocaust, are among the many strong forces that have galvanized Jews to speak out against the atrocities in Africa,” he said. “UJC, federations throughout the country, and individual Jewish activists have reached out to the Jewish community and urged its members and organizations to condemn these terrible acts.”
As a result, fund-raising efforts for the Darfur refugees and rallies protesting the genocide were organized by Jewish groups that have kept the focus on the Darfur situation, he added.
“The Jewish community can take a lot of credit for keeping this focus alive and for making sure we know what has happened and what continues to happen in Darfur,” said Eisenberg. “Maintaining that focus will continue to draw attention to inhumane conditions and a terrible loss of life.”
Continuing support for Israel by the United States was the subject of a roundtable session about the 2008 presidential election. Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer, a Republican, discussed the candidates’ positions.
“Fleischer said John McCain and Hillary Clinton have a track record of supporting Israel,” Eisenberg said. “But he added that [Barack] Obama is a question mark because his position on Israel is not well known and he has limited Senate experience.”
The threats posed by Iraq and Iran also dominated the discussion, Eisenberg said.
“The world won’t miss Saddam Hussein’s dictatorial regime in Iraq, but a terrible price has been paid in terms of loss of life,” he said. “You can’t put a value on that. But what will happen in Iran if the U.S. forces leave Iraq? And how will the possible nuclear threat posed by Iran affect Israel’s security and survival?”
To that end, Iran’s nuclear weapons proliferation must be curtailed, said Eisenberg.
“Those at the conference — the speakers and the attendees — agreed that we have to do everything we can to prevent Iran from developing nuclear capability,” he said. “Congress can support efforts that encourage divestment from companies that do business with Iran, and it can also support the call for stronger international sanctions.”
However, the U.S. presence in Iraq may keep Iran in check, he added.
“I came back from Washington 15 with a lot of things to think about, and I’ll be thinking about them on a deeper level,” Eisenberg said. “I think that’s the real value of a gathering like this. You can explore the reasons that have caused worldwide events to take place and you can recognize that many of the old issues that led to war are still here, but now they have different formats in different locations.”
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