'J Street' setting up shop in Eugene | Events

Press release

J Street, the political voice of the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement, is setting up shop in Eugene.  Its official public launching will be celebrated  Thursday, February 4th at 7pm at Temple Beth Israel, 1175 E. 29th Ave in Eugene. The kick-off  event will feature simulcast remarks by J Street’s executive director, Jeremy Ben-Ami.
 
J Street has sparked conversation in political and Jewish community circles across the country, as it asserts that  Israel’s future as a democratic Jewish homeland depends on achieving a two-state resolution with the Palestinian people. 

The Eugene kick-off will coincide with dozens of similar events in other cities,  all simultaneously launching J Street's new national grassroots field program.  As other communities are doing as well,  J Street Eugene will integrate the city’s Brit Tzedek v’Shalom chapter, and also aims to draw new supporters from J Street’s substantial netroots base in the area.
 
Joshua Shulruff,  new leader of the J Street "local," states, "By growing the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement in Eugene, we aim to create the political space in our community for a vibrant discussion of how we best secure Israel’s future as a democratic homeland for the Jewish people."  Jeremy Ben Ami adds,  “We’re thrilled that local leaders and activists in Oregon will enhance J Street’s grassroots advocacy for strong US efforts to achieve peace and security in the Middle East.”
 
J Street, billed in a feature story by the New York Times Magazine as “The New Israel Lobby,” was founded in April 2008 to promote meaningful American leadership to end the Arab-Israeli and Israeli-Palestinian conflicts. Its new national grassroots program and field operations fall under the auspices of the J Street Education Fund, Inc, an educational nonprofit that educates targeted communities about the need for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, raises the visibility of a mainstream pro-peace, pro-Israel presence within the American Jewish community, and promotes open, dynamic and spirited conversation about how to best advance the interests and future of a democratic, Jewish Israel.

The J Street family of organizations also includes J Street and J StreetPAC. J Street, a nonprofit lobby, uses online organizing, advocacy and education to build political and popular support for American leadership to achieve peace and security in the Middle East.

JStreetPAC, a legally independent political action committee, works to demonstrate that there is meaningful political and financial support available to candidates for federal office.  It draws this support from large numbers of Americans who believe a new direction in American policy will advance U.S. interests in the Middle East and promote real peace and security for Israel and the region.