Larry Stillman
The newly-formed SaddleBrooke Israel Friendship Club will hold its February meeting on Monday, February 20 at 7:00 p.m. in the Mesquite Grill.
The club is an education and advocacy group open to SaddleBrooke residents of all faiths and political orientations. Monthly meetings (through May) focus on topics that foster a better understanding of Israel’s contributions, challenges, opportunities and people.
Adding to the excitement each month is the planning of a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Israel for SaddleBrooke residents (Jews and Christians alike) in November of 2018, organized in conjunction with Tucson’s Weintraub Israel Center. At our first meeting on January 9, Oshrat Barel, the Center’s director, came to speak about the group’s wildly successful Israel adventure last year and to discuss plans for the 2018 SaddleBrooke trip.
At our next meeting on February 20, we’re proud to introduce a distinguished guest speaker, David Graizbord, Associate Professor of Judaic Studies at the University of Arizona. He will offer a non-polemical presentation entitled The Arab-Israeli Conflict: A Historical and Thematic Overview. By focusing on the establishment of the State of Israel from the late 19th century until its 1948 independence, he will help to deepen our understanding of the various factors that helped to form present day Israel. It is a program you won’t want to miss.
The club has more exciting speakers lined up for the coming months, including Professor Sharon Megdal, Director of the University of Arizona Water Research Center. She will speak on March 6 about Arizona’s water challenge and its connection to innovations in Israel.
Please join us for what promises to be a series of stimulating and thoughtful programs. For further information about the SaddleBrooke Israel Friendship Club, please contact Seth Basker at [email protected].