Presented by Meretz USA and the World Union of Meretz
The Israel Symposium is an intense one-week trip to Israel that allows participants to meet, learn from and build bridges with progressive Israelis, Jewish and Arab.
It is a perfect experience for someone who cares not only about the security of Israel's people, but about the moral character of its society as well.
Israel faces complex challenges. The Israel Symposium won't dictate the solutions. But it will provide you with new perspectives - ones that you normally don't get in the mainstream media - and encourage you to pose the tough questions that need to be asked.
From Dr. Irving Peyser: Meretz USA 2009 Israel Symposium Participant*
Whereas I have been interested in Israeli politics for many years, and I have visited Israel numerous times in the past, I never had the opportunity on those occasions to critically examine the problems and challenges facing Israel. But by joining all of you for the past week on Meretz USA's unique and fascinating Israel Symposium, I believe I have achieved these goals and more.
The timing of the Symposium could not have been better planned, following on the heels of the Israeli elections. The theme, for the most part, was the peace process and the prospects for peace, and this, too, was right on target for this most critical time in the lives of both Israelis and Palestinians.
I have just returned from a very intensive 12-day stay in Israel, most of it in the framework of Meretz USA's annual seminar in Israel, the "Israel Symposium". It will probably require another few weeks to sort out the many and diverse perspectives that I heard, and synthesize them into a full and organized report, but - with so many raw impressions fresh in my mind - I would like to use this column to share with you a set of initial thoughts.
First, the political context: I arrived in Israel less than a month after the elections that voted a clear right-wing majority into Israel's Knesset, and that dealt a severe body blow to both the Labor and Meretz parties. And it was less than two months since the end of the Israel-Hamas war, a military action that was supported by 96%(!) of Jewish Israelis. An even more telling statistic: 65% of Israel's Jews continue to believe that the government ended the war too soon, and that it should have "finished the job" of eradicating the Hamas in Gaza, regardless of the political and human costs.
Understandably, I encountered an Israeli left that was still in a state of shock and disarray. Nonetheless, amid the pessimism, and perhaps because of it, some on the Left have already begun to address how the peace and human rights camp can redefine and reorganize itself to take up the challenges of the 21st century.
Meretz USA, in cooperation with Ameinu, invites you to take part this coming March 14-21, 2009 in a most unforgettable travel and learning experience:
The Meretz USA Israel Symposium.
Meretz USA President Larry Lerner was recently interviewed by the New Jersey Jewish News. He relates his impressions following his visit to Israel and Palestine in the framework of Meretz USA's Israel Symposium. Read the interview.
The 2008 Israel Symposium ran from Saturday, January 12th through Saturday, January 19th. Below, Meretz USA Executive Director Ron Skolnik reports on what the 30 participants saw and learned.
After spending most of January in Israel, Palestine and Jordan as part of Meretz USA's annual "Israel Symposium", I'm now back in the States and it's both my duty and my pleasure to report back on what I learned.
The Israel Symposium is an intense one-week trip to Israel that allows participants to meet, learn from and build bridges with progressive Israelis, Jewish and Arab.
Meretz USA, in cooperation with Ameinu, invites you to take part this coming March 14-21, 2009 in a most unforgettable travel and learning experience:
Meretz USA President Larry Lerner was recently interviewed by the New Jersey Jewish News. He relates his impressions following his visit to Israel and Palestine in the framework of Meretz USA's Israel Symposium. 
The 2008 Israel Symposium ran from Saturday, January 12th through Saturday, January 19th. Below, Meretz USA Executive Director Ron Skolnik reports on what the 30 participants saw and learned. 