Date and time: Thursday, June 11, 2020, 11 am Pacific Daylight Time (UTC-7) | 2 pm Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4) | 9 pm Israel Daylight Time (UTC+3)
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Explore efforts to pursue recognition, justice, and redress for Jewish refugees from the Middle East and North Africa.
In the 20th century, and until today, nearly one million Jews from the Middle East and North Africa fled anti-Semitic persecution in lands their ancestors lived in for over 2,000 years. As Jews fled as stateless refugees, they were forced to leave behind private and communal property that in today’s value is estimated to be nearly $200B. Ancient Jewish communities, cultures, and families that were torn apart as a result of the mass exodus of Jews from Arab lands never received compensation or official acknowledgment of their monumental losses.
With expert, Dr. Stanley Urman, we invite you to join us as we explore the history of efforts to pursue recognition, justice, and redress for former Jewish refugees from Arab countries and Iran. Where are we today and where are we going as we work to pursue policy and official recognition for the losses of Jewish refugees from the Middle East and North Africa?
Dr. Stanley A. Urman is the executive vice president of Justice for Jews from Arab Countries, an international coalition seeking rights and redress for Jews displaced from Arab countries. Since 2002, Dr. Urman has made formal representations on rights and redress for Jews forced to flee Arab countries to Members of Congress, and to senior Administration officials in the United States, Belgium, Canada, France, Great Britain, Italy, Russia, and the European Union.
In Israel, Dr. Urman made numerous political representations, urging Israeli government action, to President Moshe Katsav, Prime Ministers Yitzhak Rabin, Ehud Barak, and Ariel Sharon); Foreign Ministers Shimon Peres, Shlomo Ben Ami, Benjamin Netanyahu, Silvan Shalom, and Tzipi Livni; Justice Ministers Yossi Beillin, Tommy Lapid, Meir Sheetreet, and Daniel Friedman; other ministers including Natan Sharansky; and senior officials.
He has testified at public hearings before the Canadian Parliament, the House of Lords in London, and the US Congressional Human Rights Caucus. He has contributed to the development of two congressional resolutions on the rights of former Jewish refugees from Arab countries, one of which was unanimously passed (H.Res. 185) in April 2008 and another currently being considered by the US Senate.