Media Advisory: The Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford Applauds Upcoming Lecture Featuring Shimon Peres, Former Prime Minister of Israel

The Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, a resource for issues relating to the State of Israel and the Middle East, is available to comment further on this upcoming, high profile lecture at Central Connecticut State University

WHO:   The Robert C. Vance Distinguished Lecture at Central Connecticut State University to feature Shimon Peres, former Prime Minister of Israel on April 14th.

WHAT: Rabbi Daniel R. Allen, Executive Vice President of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, praises CCSU and is available to further comment, analyze and react to Shimon Peres arrival and upcoming lecture.

Rabbi Daniel Allen is one of the National Jewish Federation systems leading experts on Israel. He is the past President of the Masorti Foundation for Conservative Judaism in Israel. Allen is the Executive Vice President Emeritus of the United Israel Appeal, the American sponsor of the Jewish Agency for Israel and parent body of the United Jewish Appeal. He is the father, son, brother and uncle of Israelis.

WHY:   A voice for peace in Israel, Shimon Peres initiated and conducted the negotiations that led to the signing of the Declaration of Principles with the PLO in September 1993 - which won him the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize, together with Rabin and Arafat. Further negotiations with the Palestinians brought about Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and some areas of Judea and Samaria and the establishment of limited Palestinian autonomy, as decided in the Interim Agreement . In October 1994, the Treaty of Peace with Jordan was signed. Peres subsequently strove to promote relations with additional Arab countries in North Africa and the Persian Gulf - part of his vision of a "New Middle East."

Shimon Peres' second term as Prime Minister came in the wake of the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin on November 4, 1995. Peres served as Prime Minister for seven months, until the general elections held in May 1996. During this trying period, Peres strove to maintain the momentum in the peace process, despite a wave of terrorist attacks by Palestinian suicide bombers against Israeli civilians.

HOW:   For future comments and interview requests, contact Jeffrey Berman at (860) 231-6448 or jberman@jewishhartford.org

#     #     #