Yom Ha’atzmaut 2012: Celebrating a Year of Activism in Israel

This event has been canceled. We have issued refunds to all ticket holders.

Join the New Israel Fund and 92YTribeca to celebrate a year of exciting activism in Israel. Yom Ha’atzmaut reminds us to consider the values and vision enshrined in Israel’s Declaration of Independence 64 years ago and rejoice in the progress Israel has made since.

This past year has seen an incredible expression of social activism in Israel. Israelis have taken to the streets, and work hard every day to uphold the founding principles of equality and democracy.

After opening remarks from Daniel Levy and special guest Anat Hoffman, Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center, hear from activists on the ground, and explore and support their work on the following issues at interactive booths:

• Women’s rights
• Socio-economic justice
• Freedom to marry
• Future of Jerusalem
• Combatting extremism

Tickets: $25 including drink ticket and light refreshments.

Brief Bio:

Daniel Levy is a New Israel Fund board member and co-director of the Middle East Taskforce at the New America Foundation. He is also a senior fellow at both the Century Foundation and the European Council of Foreign Relations, and an editor of the Middle East Channel at foreignpolicy.com. During the Barak Government, he worked in the Prime Minister's office as special adviser and head of the Jerusalem Affairs unit under Minister Haim Ramon. He also worked as senior policy adviser to former Israeli Minister of Justice, Yossi Beilin. He was a member of the official Israeli delegation to the Taba negotiations with the Palestinians in January 2001, and previously served on the negotiating team to the “Oslo B” Agreement from May to September 1995, under Prime Minister Rabin. Daniel was the lead Israeli drafter of the unofficial Geneva Initiative. He is also a founding member of J Street.

Anat Hoffman is a major leader for social justice in Israel. She is perhaps best known for never giving-up, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Anat was born and raised in Jerusalem and she served on the Jerusalem City Council for 14 years, leading the opposition to the right wing and ultra-Orthodox administration. She was a founding member of Women of the Wall and continues to be a tireless advocate for freedom of religion and women’s rights. In 2002, Anat Hoffman became the Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), the legal and advocacy arm of the Reform Movement in Israel. IRAC’s goals are to promote the values of religious pluralism, human equality, social justice and religious tolerance in Israel and to strengthen the public standing of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism (Reform Judaism), its congregations and institutions and to protect their rights.