ver 200 students (Gray Academy of Jewish Education, St. Johns Ravenscourt, Grant Park High) and special guests attended the Raoul Wallenberg Day Student Conference on Monday, January 18, 2010 on Human Rights in Iran organized by the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg and Gray Academy of Jewish Education. Plenary speakers included: the Hon. Irwin Cotler, Iranian pro-democracy blogger Sayeh Hassan and Shimon Fogel, CEO of Canada-Israel Committee.

The CIC's Shimon Fogel (top row, third from left) spoke to students at the Raoul Wallenberg Day Student Conference on Human Rights in Iran.

DF COLONEL Bentzi Gruber was hosted by the Kingston Jewish community from May 6-8. He spoke about his recent experience commanding Israeli soldiers in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead to a variety of audiences in a lecture entitled, "Ethics in the Field: An Inside Look at the Israeli Defense Forces."

Col. Gruber spoke to a large group of cadets at the Royal Military College, was interviewed in the local newspaper, and also held an emotional evening with the community at the Beth Israel Synagogue.

Col. Gruber shows a video at the Beth Israel Synagogue. Kingston, Ontario.

MBASSADOR Miriam Ziv made her visit to British Columbia March 3-6, 2009. The Canada-Israel Committee hosted and arranged several meetings for her, including briefings with senior lay leadership in both Vancouver and Victoria; a lunch briefing with past CIC mission participants from the Vancouver area; several editorial board meetings and one live radio interview.

In addition, together with both Vancouver and Victoria Federations, CIC arranged community lectures which were extremely well attended in both cities. Ambassador Ziv had the opportunity to meet with Hillel staff and students at University of British Columbia and Hillel students were out in force at the community event in Victoria. The Ambassador also spent a day holding protocol visits with the Lieutenant Governor and various ministers and staff, discussing future opportunities for collaboration between Israel and the province.

Ambassador Miriam Ziv and CIC meet with Hillel students at UBC, March 3, 2009.

Ambassador Ziv spoke to about 125 people who gathered at the Jewish Community Centre on March 5 to hear about Israel's relationships with Canada and its provinces, and the ongoing issues in the Middle East. Pictured: Answering tough questions, the Ambassador (left) with Joel Fagan, Federation President, and Judy Zelikovitz, Canada-Israel Committee.

Pictured from left: Janice Loomer Margolis, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, Dr. Michael Elterman, Canada Israel Committee, Ambassador Ziv and Bernard Pinsky, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver.

ONSUL GENERAL Amir Gissin and CIC recently joined TSN's Italo Labignan of "Canadian Sportfishing" to film a segment of the fishing show on the beautiful Bay of Quinte, Ontario. The show will air in late 2008 and will feature some of the fishing success of the day along with conversation about Israel.

In November, CIC is taking Italo and his crew to Israel to film several segments of the show that will feature fishing in a variety of Israel's waters and many of Israel's historic and modern points of interest. The shows will be part of the 2008/09 season.

In addition, Gissin was an in studio guest on the Belleville talk radio show, "The Lorne Brooker Show." Click here to listen to the interview.

Posing with their catch, from left: Yehuda Alcaslasy, Italo Labignan and Amir Gissin.

EMBERS OF the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg Community Relations Committee, including CIC Board members David Kroft and Hymie Weinstein, met in June to discuss some of the community initiatives and support systems in place to enhance the efforts of the pro-Israel advocacy community. In addition, Judy Zelikovitz, Canada-Israel Committee National Manager, Community Services, provided advocacy workshops at Congregation Shaarey Zedek and to Winnipeg Federation senior staff and leadership of community organizations.

While in Winnipeg, the CIC's Judy Zelikovitz was interviewed by The Jewish Post & News. Click here to download the interview in PDF format.

Members of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg Community Relations Committee met to discuss Israel advocacy efforts (left). Pictured, at right, the CIC's Judy Zelikovitz conducted several advocacy workshops in Winnipeg.

ETER KENT, Conservative Candidate for Thornhill, hosted a lunch with special guest Laureen Harper. CIC Board member Donna Holbrook was in attendance.

Pictured from left: Donna Holbrook, Laureen Harper, Peter Kent and Tami Refaeli.

ERB KEINON, chief diplomatic correspondent at the Jerusalem Post, spoke at the King David High School in Vancouver. An audience of over 250 turned out for Keinon's lecture, titled "Terrorized: How Terror Has Changed Israel, Its Politics, the Zionist Dream, and the Path to Peace." The event was sponsored by the Canada-Israel Committee Western Region, along with King David High School, Jewish National Fund of Canada and the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver.

A large crowd was on hand to hear the Jerusalem Post's Herb Keinon speak in Vancouver.

SRAEL@60 COMMITTEE of the Windsor Jewish Federation and Community Centre's first program of the year took place January 24. "Israel Advocacy Workshop - The Language and Skills Necessary for Effective Advocacy" was conducted by Judy Zelikovitz, Canada-Israel Committee National Manager, Community Services and Jordan Kerbel, Canadian Jewish Congress, National Director of Public Affairs. More than 20 community members, including representatives from the University of Windsor, participated in the interactive program.

In Windsor, over 20 community members participated in the Israel Advocacy Workshop (left). Pictured, at right, from left to right: Bill Tepperman, President-Elect, Windsor Jewish Federation; Jordan Kerbel, Canadian Jewish Congress, National Director of Public Affairs; Judy Zelikovitz, Canada-Israel Committee National Manager, Community Services, and Gary Katz, Past-President, Windsor Jewish Federation.

AVID WEINBERG, Director CIC Israel Office, visited several cities on a cross-Canada speaking tour. In Kingston, Ontario, he provided a "Mideast Strategic Overview" at Queen's School of Policy Studies. This was followed by a community lecture at Beth Israel Synagogue titled "A Crystal Ball on 2008: Israel, the Palestinians, and Peace."

In St. John's, Newfoundland, David was interviewed on CBC radio, spoke to a group of students at Mt. Pearl Senior High School, and gave a public lecture on "The Situation of Christianity in the Middle East" at St. Thomas' Anglican Church.

David concluded his visit as Shabbat Scholar-in-Residence at B'nai Torah Congregation in Toronto, Ontario.

In St. John's, David Weinberg spoke to high school students (left) and parishoners at St. Thomas' Anglican Church.