Coordinating Council on Jerusalem
Encyclopedia
The Coordinating Council on Jerusalem is a lobbying group. It was officially launched on October 23, 2007, for the purpose of uniting American Jewish organizations on behalf of a secure and unified Jerusalem. The creation of political strategist Jeff Ballabon
, it was founded to provide a united public front of Jewish American organizations towards the principle of keeping Jerusalem united. Initial funding was provided by Rabbi Pesach Lerner, Executive Vice President of the National Council of Young Israel. It has been endorsed by hundreds of Jewish leaders in the Diaspora
and Israel
.
with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas
and United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
, ministers of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
’s government put forth their view that Jerusalem was negotiable and opened the door to concessions of parts of Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount
, which is considered by many to be Judaism’s holiest site. Following his ministers’ remarks, Olmert himself questioned the value of maintaining Jewish sovereignty over certain Jerusalem neighborhoods. As a result, many Jewish leaders around the world who held to a policy of not publicly challenging decisions of Israel's government, have chosen to coalesce around the position: opposing Israeli negotiations which include any discussion of ceding sovereignty over part or all of Jerusalem.
Through his reading of the significance of negotiating on Jerusalem, Rabbi Lerner asked Jeffrey Ballabon, a nationally experienced strategist with expertise in issue campaigns, crisis management and government relations to recommend and execute a broad-based international strategy to ensure continued Israeli sovereignty over all of Jerusalem. As a first step, the two called for the creation of a body to coordinate and leverage efforts in Israel and the Diaspora to secure Jewish interests in Jerusalem’s future.
The formation of the Coordinating Council for Jerusalem marks the first time since the establishment of the State of Israel that a significant group of American Jewish organizations have created a broad united front to pursue a policy directly involving Israel that is based on an explicit principle that supersedes deference to the sitting Israeli government. Notably, many of the organizations on the Coordinating Council are among the State of Israel’s most loyal and active supporters.
Within hours of the announcement of their intent to create the Coordinating Council, Lerner and Ballabon were contacted by many groups, within the U.S. and Israel, which also had decided to coordinate their efforts against any Jerusalem negotiations.
In coordination with CCJ's efforts, a majority of the Israeli Knesset signed on to a letter declaring that they would not support any division of Jerusalem. Subsequently, the Knesset passed a law requiring a two-thirds supermajority of Knesset in order to make any changes to the borders or status of Jerusalem.
CCJ also announced from the outset that it would be working closely and coordinating efforts with major Christian Zionist organizations and leaders.
CCJ and CCJ member organizations have held meetings to press their position with U.S. national leaders, including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, President George W. Bush
's National Security Adviser
Stephen Hadley
and Deputy National Security Advisor Elliott Abrams, to inform them of the opposition to any negotiations that would cede any part of Jerusalem. Olmert has stated that American Jews and Jewish groups have no right or place to interfere with Israel's government matters.
The Coordinating Council on Jerusalem includes Americans for a Safe Israel
, Association for Jewish Outreach Programs
, Emunah of America, Hineni
, Jerusalem Reclamation Project, National Conference of Synagogue Youth
, National Council of Young Israel, One Israel Fund
, Poalei Agudath Israel of America
, Rabbinic Alliance to Save Jerusalem, Rabbinical Alliance of America
, Rabbinical Council of America
, Religious Zionists of America
, Russian Jewish Community Foundation, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations (OU)
, Unity Coalition for Israel, Young Israel Council of Rabbis, and Zionist Organization of America
.
In January 2008, Coordinating Council on Jerusalem publicly announced a strategic alliance with Natan Sharansky
's One Jerusalem
.
Jeff Ballabon
Jeff Ballabon is an American media executive and formerly a lobbyist, a lawyer, and political and Orthodox Jewish community activist....
, it was founded to provide a united public front of Jewish American organizations towards the principle of keeping Jerusalem united. Initial funding was provided by Rabbi Pesach Lerner, Executive Vice President of the National Council of Young Israel. It has been endorsed by hundreds of Jewish leaders in the Diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
History
In preparation for the Annapolis Peace summitAnnapolis Conference
-Attendees:U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice organized and hosted the conference. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and U.S. President George W. Bush attended the meeting...
with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
and United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
, ministers of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
Ehud Olmert
Ehud Olmert is an Israeli politician and lawyer. He served as Prime Minister of Israel from 2006 to 2009, as a Cabinet Minister from 1988 to 1992 and from 2003 to 2006, and as Mayor of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2003....
’s government put forth their view that Jerusalem was negotiable and opened the door to concessions of parts of Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount
Temple Mount
The Temple Mount, known in Hebrew as , and in Arabic as the Haram Ash-Sharif , is one of the most important religious sites in the Old City of Jerusalem. It has been used as a religious site for thousands of years...
, which is considered by many to be Judaism’s holiest site. Following his ministers’ remarks, Olmert himself questioned the value of maintaining Jewish sovereignty over certain Jerusalem neighborhoods. As a result, many Jewish leaders around the world who held to a policy of not publicly challenging decisions of Israel's government, have chosen to coalesce around the position: opposing Israeli negotiations which include any discussion of ceding sovereignty over part or all of Jerusalem.
Through his reading of the significance of negotiating on Jerusalem, Rabbi Lerner asked Jeffrey Ballabon, a nationally experienced strategist with expertise in issue campaigns, crisis management and government relations to recommend and execute a broad-based international strategy to ensure continued Israeli sovereignty over all of Jerusalem. As a first step, the two called for the creation of a body to coordinate and leverage efforts in Israel and the Diaspora to secure Jewish interests in Jerusalem’s future.
The formation of the Coordinating Council for Jerusalem marks the first time since the establishment of the State of Israel that a significant group of American Jewish organizations have created a broad united front to pursue a policy directly involving Israel that is based on an explicit principle that supersedes deference to the sitting Israeli government. Notably, many of the organizations on the Coordinating Council are among the State of Israel’s most loyal and active supporters.
Within hours of the announcement of their intent to create the Coordinating Council, Lerner and Ballabon were contacted by many groups, within the U.S. and Israel, which also had decided to coordinate their efforts against any Jerusalem negotiations.
In coordination with CCJ's efforts, a majority of the Israeli Knesset signed on to a letter declaring that they would not support any division of Jerusalem. Subsequently, the Knesset passed a law requiring a two-thirds supermajority of Knesset in order to make any changes to the borders or status of Jerusalem.
CCJ also announced from the outset that it would be working closely and coordinating efforts with major Christian Zionist organizations and leaders.
CCJ and CCJ member organizations have held meetings to press their position with U.S. national leaders, including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's National Security Adviser
National Security Advisor (United States)
The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor , serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues...
Stephen Hadley
Stephen Hadley
Stephen John Hadley was the 21st U.S. Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs , serving under President George W. Bush....
and Deputy National Security Advisor Elliott Abrams, to inform them of the opposition to any negotiations that would cede any part of Jerusalem. Olmert has stated that American Jews and Jewish groups have no right or place to interfere with Israel's government matters.
The Coordinating Council on Jerusalem includes Americans for a Safe Israel
Americans for a Safe Israel
Americans for a Safe Israel is an American Jewish group that opposes all territorial withdrawals by Israel. It supports the Israeli settlement movement and campaigned against the Oslo Accords and the evacuation of settlers from Gaza....
, Association for Jewish Outreach Programs
Association for Jewish Outreach Programs
The Association for Jewish Outreach Programs also known by its abbreviation AJOP The Association for Jewish Outreach Programs also known by its abbreviation AJOP The Association for Jewish Outreach Programs also known by its abbreviation AJOP (originally officially called the Association for Jewish...
, Emunah of America, Hineni
Hineni
Hineni was, as a result of a speech given at the Madison Square Garden by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis on November 18, 1973, "one of the first Ba'al Teshuva movements...
, Jerusalem Reclamation Project, National Conference of Synagogue Youth
National Conference of Synagogue Youth
NCSY is an Orthodox Jewish youth group sponsored by the Orthodox Union. Founded in 1954, it has members in the United States, Canada, Israel, Chile, and formerly also in Ukraine. Its slogan is Inspiring the Jewish Future...
, National Council of Young Israel, One Israel Fund
One Israel
One Israel was an alliance of the Labor Party, Meimad and Gesher created to run for the 1999 Knesset elections.-Background:One Israel was formed by Labor leader Ehud Barak in the run-up to the 1999 elections with the aim of making Labor appear more centrist and to reduce its secularist and elitist...
, Poalei Agudath Israel of America
Agudath Israel
Agudath Israel can refer to any of several related organizations, including:*World Agudath Israel, an international movement*Agudath Israel of America, an American organization*Agudat Yisrael, an Israeli political party...
, Rabbinic Alliance to Save Jerusalem, Rabbinical Alliance of America
Abraham Hecht
Abraham Hecht born on April 5, 1922 in Brooklyn, New York; is an American Orthodox rabbi affiliated with the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, and is president of the Rabbinical Alliance of America - Igud HaRabanim....
, Rabbinical Council of America
Rabbinical Council of America
The Rabbinical Council of America is one of the world's largest organizations of Orthodox rabbis; it is affiliated with The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, more commonly known as the Orthodox Union, or OU...
, Religious Zionists of America
Religious Zionists of America
The Religious Zionists of America is an American based organization that serves as the official body for those, mostly Modern Orthodox Jews who identify with Religious Zionism and support the goals of the general Mizrachi movement in America, Europe and Israel.Most rabbis...
, Russian Jewish Community Foundation, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations (OU)
Orthodox Union
The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America , more popularly known as the Orthodox Union , is one of the oldest Orthodox Jewish organizations in the United States. It is best known for its kosher food preparation supervision service...
, Unity Coalition for Israel, Young Israel Council of Rabbis, and Zionist Organization of America
Zionist Organization of America
The Zionist Organization of America , founded in 1897, was one of the first official Zionist organizations in the United States, and, especially early in the 20th century, the primary representative of Jewish Americans to the World Zionist Organization, espousing primarily Political Zionism.Today,...
.
In January 2008, Coordinating Council on Jerusalem publicly announced a strategic alliance with Natan Sharansky
Natan Sharansky
Natan Sharansky was born in Stalino, Soviet Union on 20 January 1948 to a Jewish family. He graduated with a degree in applied mathematics from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. As a child, he was a chess prodigy. He performed in simultaneous and blindfold displays, usually against...
's One Jerusalem
One Jerusalem
One Jerusalem is an organisation with the stated mission of "maintaining a united Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel". It was founded as a response to the Oslo Peace Process, specifically, out of a concern that the settlement might lead to Palestinian sovereignty over Jerusalem's Temple...
.