AJC ACCESS

What is the ACCESS Summit?

⇒ THE LARGEST GATHERING OF YOUNG JEWISH ACTIVISTS

Only the ACCESS Summit allows you to be part of the largest global gathering of young Jewish activists. Previous conferences in 2011 and 2012 included hundreds of activists from over 30 countries. Among these participants are members of Jewish communities from practically every region in the world as well as hundreds of AJC ACCESS members, who together represent the next generation of Jewish leadership.

⇒ CREATING NETWORKS

Only by joining the ACCESS Summit will you be able to take advantage of a robust and diverse network of Jewish activists. The ACCESS Summit brings together leaders from the campus, trade-union, young professional, human rights, and media arenas who all share the common goals of engaging around issues of critical importance to global Jewry.

By joining this network, you are positioning yourself at the forefront of today’s critical challenges and creating links and connections with potential allies and partners around the world.

⇒ PRACTICAL SKILL BUILDING

The ACCESS Summit is targeted for people who are interested and engaged in some of today’s most pressing issues. From countering the campaign against Israel’s legitimacy, to combatting anti-Semitism around the world, to reaching out to inter-group and inter-ethnic partners, the ACCESS Summit tackles the relevant challenges facing the global Jewish community and helps build practical skill-sets in order to find solutions to many of them.

Throughout the ACCESS Summit, intimate workshops and breakout sessions are conducted by various professionals in order to provide participants a chance to learn from respected thought-leaders and opinion makers.

⇒ SHARING BEST PRACTICES

At the ACCESS Summit you aren’t simply an attendee – but rather a critical component of the program’s success. Participants come not only to learn but also to share. By working closely with AJC ACCESS staff prior to the Summit, participants make substantive program recommendations and then lead sessions and workshops during the Summit.

The ACCESS Summit prides itself on providing the most up to date approaches to advocacy, networking, social media campaigns, and raising issue awareness as well as many other issues and skills. In doing so, the ACCESS Summit puts the activists at the center of the conference and provides platforms for others to focus on wide-reaching campaigns and share best practices.

2013 Focus

In 2013, the ACCESS Summit will focus on educating and empowering attendees to be global ambassadors of change in three arenas of critical importance to the global Jewish community, as well as the global community at large.

#1 Creating a “legitimacy surplus” for Israel

While Israel and its allies have been successful on a number of fronts in containing the assault on its legitimacy, there remains a critical need to explore new and creative approaches to Israel advocacy and diplomacy. We will address the following questions: How we can we alter the discourse from one defined by conflict to one that encompasses a more holistic portrayal of the country, including its innovative culture and contributions to the world? – How can we mobilize the power of our existing networks and affiliations in exciting and creative ways in pursuit of a “legitimacy surplus” for Israel in the world? Through workshops and skill building with experts and thought leaders from the world of diplomacy, business, community relations, arts and culture, tikkun olam, and more, attendees will become more effective and efficient advocates for Israel.

#2 Latino-Jewish relations

The recent US presidential elections confirmed that the Latino community in the US is growing in political stature and clout in terms of its electoral, economic and social empowerment. Many of its members retain close ties to their countries of origin in Latin America, a region which is constantly attempting to grow its global profile and impact. We will address the following questions: What does this mean for the domestic and global agendas traditionally supported by US Jewry? – Will Latinos continue to be supportive of the strategic relationship and alliance between the United States and Israel? – What opportunities exist in our own communities for building bridges of mutual understanding and powerful Latino-Jewish alliances on issues of mutual concern? – Can Latinos and Jews come together to forge a more active and constructive US partnership with Latin America? We will dialogue with Latino leaders as well as Jewish community activists and top Latin American representatives blazing trails in this arena.

#3 Muslim-Jewish relations

AJC’s commitment to enhancing relations between Jews and Muslims is integral to the organization's commitment to promote interreligious understanding in the United States and around the world. Rejecting the "clash of civilizations", AJC has instead insisted on the possibility of a "community of civilizations" by encouraging dialogue with like-minded individuals and groups committed to fostering tolerance and cooperation. We will address the following questions: What steps can we take in our own communities to build bridges of understanding, civility and respect between Jewish and Muslim communities? – As events in the Middle East continue to unfold, what are the opportunities and challenges for advocates of peace in the Middle East and between Israel and her neighbors? – How do we keep the most sensitive issues from derailing these efforts? We will hear from Muslim leaders, organizations committed to interfaith dialogue, and global activists, and will explore, brainstorm and share best practices in this arena.

Service

A powerful way to building bridges between faith and ethnic communities is to come together around shared values. The value of community service or tikkun olam, is one such value. Summit participants will have the opportunity to take part in a joint service project on Sunday, June 2nd after the formal conclusion of the Summit along with members of partner faith and ethnic community members in the DC area. Space will be limited and please stay tuned for more details.

ACCESS Summit+ Global Forum