A delegation of influential American Latino leaders from across the United States is currently in Israel with Project Interchange, a non-profit institute of the American Jewish Committee, which regularly brings prominent figures to Israel for week-long educational visits. The group will gain exposure to various dimensions of Israeli society, and in particular, to Israel’s highly diverse and technologically savvy citizenry, which has helped fuel and sustain the country’s rapid economic growth.
Israel National News spoke to project chair Bob Peckar.
"The purpose of the trip is to give them [the Latino leaders] a fair and not-propagandized experience of the beauty of Israel," said Peckar. "They will come home to the U.S. with a real appreciation of Israel and will share that with their constituents."
"The Latino community in the U.S is a extremely important," Peckar said. "They are the largest minority in the U.S. For them, being in Israel is about learning how Israel is a country of immigrants. I was taken by the way they said they felt such a strong affinity with Israel. What really impressed them was seeing first-hand how the Israelis embrace their immigrant communities and how open Israeli society is."
"Today, there visited an absorption center. They were blown away by the way Israel welcomes immigrants to overcome language and financial challenges. And that resonates with them. These people can have a great influence on how their community views Israel."
Peckar noted how a group of Turkish journalists who came to Israel on Project Interchange earlier in the year was positively influenced about Israel: "When the flotilla incident occurred, and there was so much bad press about Israel, these journalists wrote to their Turkish papers that people shouldn't judge Israel so harshly and should reconsider the issue. We feel that was due to their visit here."
The Latino delegation will meet with top government officials for discussions on human and women's rights, as well as models for educating dispersed populations about their cultural and religious heritage – a challenge similarly faced by the Latino and Jewish communities. The group will also be briefed on ongoing Israeli humanitarian efforts in Latin America, mainly in Haiti, and will meet with various Latin American and United States diplomats stationed in Israel. These and other topics, including the status of the peace process, Palestinian politics and society, and Israel’s strategic position with regard to Iran and other regional players, are intended to expose the group to a wide range of complex issues facing Israel.Participants in the Project Interchange Seminar for Latino Leaders include lawyers, academics, businessmen, and social action leaders. The program will run through September 6, and is Project Interchange’s second this year for influential American Latinos. The first, in March 2010, was designed specifically for women.
Project Interchange, a non-profit institute of the American Jewish Committee, develops and conducts educational seminars in Israel for current and emerging United States and international leaders. Founded in 1982, Project Interchange has brought over 5,000 influential figures to Israel from more than 60 countries, offering them broad exposure to the complex issues facing Israel and the region. Project Interchange is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with an office in Jerusalem.