First North American Rabbinic Conference on Judaism & Human Rights December 10, 2006

More than 200 rabbis, cantors, rabbinic and cantorial students from every Jewish denomination will participate at this historic conference being held in conjunction with International Human Rights Day.

RABBIS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS-NORTH AMERICA, the only rabbinic association in North America dedicated to human rights for all and which represents more than 1,000 rabbis of every Jewish denomination across the U.S. and Canada, sponsors the conference.

Among the leading scholars and human rights experts who will present at the conference:
Scholar in Residence: Dr. Moshe Halbertal, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Special Guest Scholar: Dr. Alice Shalvi, Schecter Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem
Rabbi Saul Berman,Edah (Orthodox)
Rabbi Tzvi Blanchard, CLAL (Orthodox)
Rabbi Dan Ehrenkrantz, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (Reconstructionist)
Rabbi David Ellenson, Hebrew Union College (Reform)
Rabbi Art Green, Hebrew College (Conservative)
Rabbi Sue Levi Ellwell, Union of Reform Judaism (Reform)
Rabbi Edward Feld, Jewish Theological Seminary (Conservative)
Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Congregation Beth Simchat Torah (Reform)
Rabbi Michael Lerner, Tikkun (Renewal)
Rabbi Dov Linzer, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah (Orthodox)
Ruth Messinger, American Jewish World Service
Michael Posner, Human Rights First
Michael Ratner, Center for Constitutional Rights
Ken Roth, Human Rights Watch
Pamela Shifman, UNICEF
Rabbi Arthur Waskow, The Shalom Center (Renewal)

Events open to the public include:

December 10, 2pm
Shedding Light on Human Rights: A Ritual Celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Sunday, International Human Rights Day
Dag Hammerksjold Plaza at the United Nations
Second Avenue @ East 47th Street, adjacent to the United Nations, NYC

Sunday, December 10, 7:00-9:00pm
International Human Rights Day: A Dialogue on Judaism & Human Rights in Our Time, Conference Keynote Address
Delivered by Dr. Moshe Halbertal, Professor of Jewish Philosophy, Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Ken Roth, Executive Director, Human Rights Watch. Followed by discussion moderated by Ruth Messinger, President, American Jewish World Service.
UJA-Federation Conference Facility, 130 East 59th Street @ Lexington Avenue, NYC

Monday, December 11, 2:00-3:30 pm
Torture in Our Time: Panel Discussion
A panel discussion with a survivor of torture and those working to end it, including: Brigadier General Jim Cullen, retired US Navy; Elisa Massimino, Human Rights First; Sister Dianna Ortiz, Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International; and moderated by Michael Ratner, President, Center for Constitutional Rights.
UJA-Federation Conference Facility, 130 East 59th Street @ Lexington Avenue, NYC

Monday, December 11, 8:00–10:00 pm
To Do What is Just & Right, Inaugural Raphael Lemkin Human Rights Awards
A special benefit honoring: Rabbis David Forman, Ben Hollander, and David Rosen, Founders of RHR; B’Tselem: The Israeli Information Center on Human Rights in the Occupied Territories (Jessica Montell, Executive Director, will accept the award); Center for Constitutional Rights (Michael Ratner, President, will accept the award). Awards presented by Rabbi David Saperstein, Peter Edelman and Letty Cottin Pogrebin, and Hon. Elizabeth Holtzman. Master of Ceremonies: Leonard Fein. Musical Performance by renowned violinist Alicia Svigals.
Congregation Rodeph Sholom, 7 West 83rd Street @ Central Park West, NYC

Official Website: http://www.rhr-na.org