update - 3rd February 2008

Dear Members,

We are on the final countdown now for the 2008 Mervyn Elliott Memorial
Lecture.

At David Lloyds Leeds, Tongue Lane, Leeds LS6 4QW

"Israel at 60 – An Accomplished Adolescent or a Responsible Adult? The
Challenges Facing Israeli Society"

Speaking is Rachel Liel, Director of SHATIL, New Israel Fund's
Empowerment and Training Centre. This is taking place at the David
Lloyds Centre in Leeds Sunday February 3rd, from 17.30 - 19.00. We hope
to see many of you there at what we anticipate will be a thought
provoking talk. Please find the flyer attached.

Please also find attached an informative report written by Michael Reik
regarding the Zionist Federation's Lobby day at the House of Commons.
If you were at the lobby then please write and share your experiences
with us.

We have one article for you interest this week written by the Israel
Religious Action Centre regarding the issue of gender segregation on the
Manhedrin bus routes. Evoking images of Alabama in the 1950s, Rosa
Parks, and racial segregation, IRAC argue that this segregation has less
to do with the free expression of religion and more to do with masculine
identities. IRAC also implicate the role of the Ministry of Transport
and Egged bus company as not doing enough about the issue. If you have
any thoughts, comments or experiences regarding this issue or related
issues then please write to us.

Finally, we received a letter and slideshow from Mira Sasic, a former
treasurer of Pro Zion, that shows pictures and thoughts regarding the
devastating experience that residents of Sderot are currently going
through. Due to the size of the file, we did not attach it, however you
can find it on the Pro Zion website. We urge you to follow the link to
see the pictures and read the letter, and if you can pass it on to other
people.
http//www.prozion.org.uk/prozionblog/2008/01/welcome-to-israel-2008-moving-sderot.html

We hope to see some of you on Sunday evening.

Shabbat Shalom,

Charlie, Daniel and all at Pro Zion