Jewish Organizations Work Together to Seek Recognition of the Rights of Jewish Refugees from Arab Lands

International Society for Sephardic Progress partners with Justice for Jews from Arab Countries in their international campaign to seek recognition of the rights of Jewish refugees from Arab lands.

New York, NY (PRWEB) December 1, 2005 -- The 'International Society for Sephardic Progress' (ISFSP) is pleased to announce that it has partnered with 'Justice for Jews from Arab Countries' in their international campaign to seek recognition of the rights of Jewish refugees from Arab lands.

In 1945, there were more than 870,000 Jews living in Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, Iran, Iraq and Yemen. Many of their communities dated back over 2,500 years. Throughout 1947-48 Jews were persecuted and killed, their property and belongings confiscated. The dispossession of these Jews is among the most significant yet little known injustices against humanity of the past century.

This issue, little known outside of the Jewish community, was brought to the forefront when Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) introduced House Resolution 311 calling on the international community to recognize Jewish refugees who, as the resolution states:

“Fled Arab countries because they faced a campaign of ethnic cleansing and were forced to leave behind land, private homes, personal effects, businesses, community assets and thousands of years of their Jewish heritage and history.”

Justice for Jews from Arab Countries has been active in obtaining international declarations recognizing the rights of these Jewish refuges and preparing a comprehensive historical and legal dossier on this issue for review by the Quartet (United States, United Nations, European Union and the Russian Federation).

The ISFSP will be joining Justice for Jews from Arab Countries’ coalition in their continuing efforts to acknowledge and compensate Jewish refugees from Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, Iran, Iraq and Yemen.

In March of 2006, the International Society for Sephardic Progress will be assisting in the global campaign that Justice for Jews from Arab Countries will be launching in 14 nations. The ISFSP will facilitate in the documentation of first-hand accounts of Jewish experiences in Arab countries, and the ISFSP will act as a liaison to Sephardic communities in Southern and Central America for Justice for Jews from Arab Countries.

Stanley Urman, executive director of Justice for Jews from Arab Countries invited the ISFSP to join the coalition, and in addition, invited Rabbi Nissim Elnecave, co-director of the ISFSP, to serve as a member of the Justice for Jews from Arab Countries Rabbinical Committee.

Justice for Jews from Arab Countries is a coalition of Jewish communal organizations operating under the auspices of various Jewish groups including the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, American Jewish Congress, and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs.

Editor’s Note: The International Society for Sephardic Progress is a Jewish cultural organization committed to both the living Sephardic community that progresses with each generation, as well as perpetuating Sephardic history and culture through educational programs. The organization was founded as a national Sephardic organization with the unique intent to also focus on the international community. Activities of the organization are centered on projects and issues both in the United States and abroad.

Points of contact: Shelomo Alfassa 347-350-7695 / Stanley Urman 973-669-9788

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