Israel and Overseas Committee (IOC)

The mission of the Israel and Overseas Committee (IOC) of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples is to educate about, engage with, and advocate for Israel and global Jewry.  The Committee provides opportunities for our community to experience Israel and Jewish life around the world through a variety of events, lectures, cultural programs, and missions.

The Israel Advocacy Committee (IAC), which was the name prior to this new iteration, served the Naples community for many years under the most recent leadership of Dr. Ed Ezrine and Harvey Cohen.  It fulfilled its mission with a diverse array of programs, as you can see below.  The IOC will continue to focus on Israel, as well as bring programs of interest about other Jewish communities around the world.  This is an exciting change to me and I hope to you as well.  Like many of you, I have visited global Jewish communities in my travels over the years (Cuba, Ukraine, China, Myanmar, Morocco).  This has given me an enriched and deeper sense of belonging to the Jewish Peoplehood.  I’m certain that our committee endeavors will bring that feeling to Naples, building an even more engaged Jewish community.

To become a member of the Israel Advocacy Committee, contact Myra Benedikt at: myra.benedikt@gmail.com

2022-2023 Events

Donations are always accepted.

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make a donation.

Previous Events

2021-2022

Monday, September 20, 2021, the lead off program will present Mark Werner, President of Volunteers for Israel, aka Sar-El, the organization that enables Mark and thousands of Americans to have served as civilian volunteers on IDF bases in Israel. Mark will speak about his latest book, A Passion For Israel: Adventures of a Sar-El Volunteer, describing his 14 volunteer experiences on IDF bases. Please register for this free Zoom program.

The second program, Monday, October 25, featured Dina Kraft, journalist, editor, and educator, Dina is host of the Hadassah Hospital sponsored podcast. These podcasts delve deeply into the personal lives of Israelis and Arabs as they live in conflict and in community.

This Zoom program is presented in conjunction with Collier/Lee Hadassah, and open to the entire community. The cost is $18 per household. Tickets can be purchased via www.jewishnaples.org.

On Sunday, December 5, Beth Tikvah and IAC present in person, Andrew Warren. Warren is Florida State’s Attorney for Hillsborough County and speaks passionately about the disturbing and increasing trend in anti-Israel and anti-Semitism attitudes. He is a rising star in Florida government. Look for further information about registering for this program.

On Wednesday, March 23, 2022 Middle East security expert, Avi Melamed will join us at Beth Tikvah for a live presentation. Melamed was stationed in numerous Arab nations and brings a critically informative perspective on the complexity of security for Israel and her neighborhood. 

For information about all IAC events or to suggest future topics for programs, please contact Harvey Cohen, chair of the Israel Advocacy Committee at The Jewish Federation of Greater Naples at hwcohen@gmail.com

2020-2021

Israel Advocacy Committee- Year in Review

By Jeff Margolis, IAC Committee Member

In what has proven to be a most challenging year, the Israel Advocacy Committee of Greater

Naples has provided the community with a diverse and stimulating series of events.

This past December, the IAC was honored to present a Zoom program featuring Ambassador Dennis Ross and Professor David Makovsky. Their presentation featured an insightful look into

Israel’s domestic and foreign policy as well as its’ future role in Middle East affairs. They provided cogent analysis of the search for a one or two state solution.

Our January featured speaker was Galit Peleg, the Interim Counsel General for the Consulate General’s office in Miami. In her dialogue with viewers, Peleg spoke about the changing landscape of Israel.

IAC Member Goldie Wetcher provided the community with a unique insight in to the natural

history of Israel. On March 23, community viewers were treated to a “Virtual trip to the

Wonders of the Negev.” The program featured Deborah Goldman Golan, co-founder and president of Atid Bamidbar in Yeroham. Those who Zoomed in to the program were able to see rare birds, scorpions, and other indigenous life.

The concluding program for the season featured a Zoom concert featuring Rick Recht.

In celebration of “Yom Ha’atzmaut,” Rick and friends provided an upbeat Zoom concert broadcast around the country.

The Israel Advocacy Committee of Greater Naples is in the process of planning programs and events for next season. If you have a suggestion for a program, please contact Harvey Cohen,

IAC chair at hwcohen@gmail.com

2019-2020 Programs

Previous Events from 2018 & 2019

IAC Events from 2017-2018

Why we made the documentary "Hate Spaces"?

by: Avi Goldwasser, Producer and Director

We’ve been observing the increased hostility toward Jewish students on campus for the past decade. As you may recall, we produced a film called Columbia Unbecoming in 2004 which documented the intimidation by professors of Jewish students who supported Israel. We thought that the film would be a wakeup call for the Jewish community and the people of New York. Sadly, despite getting significant attention, the power structure in the universities prevailed and the hostility continued.

Today, the situation is much worse and more pervasive.  Most people do not realize how the hostility is being institutionalized, made fashionable by a combination of forces including radical faculty, radical student organizations, and an enabling university administration.  While many anti-Jewish incidents and the BDS campaign are reported by the media, few are willing to connect the dots and report on the underlying ideology and extremist organizations that are inciting the hostility.

We feel that there is a need for a more comprehensive public understanding of the problem in order for the problem to be dealt with effectively. We hope that this film will provide such an understanding, and that good and decent people will be mobilized to address this outrageous scandal that has marginalized Jews like no other minority on campus. All we ask is that Jewish students be treated equally and be provided the same protections afforded other minority students.

As is noted in the film, on college campuses today the TRUTH does not matter much, ideology and narrative trump the truth.  Power rules and those who speak truth to power are punished.  We want to reach people in leadership positions both civic and political leaders. They have the power to bring change. We also want to energize the public to demand that our leaders in the community and on campus live up to their stated values. What is happening on campus is contrary to American values, to values of decency. As President Obama has often stated “This is not who we are”.

Change and hope is coming. The current situation is simply not sustainable, clearly Jews are not the only students affected.  There will be a growing coalition of groups demanding fairness on campus. And because university leadership has failed, legal and political actions will be required and change will come.

Editor’s note: "Hate Spaces" will be screened at Temple Shalom on Thursday, April 6, 2017. See the ad in this issue for details.

This event is co-sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Collier County and Temple Shalom.

Alan Dershowitz, Lawyer, jurist, author and Harvard professor

“Hate Spaces” is a wake up call to the Jewish community and to civil society in America about the institutionalization of bigotry on college campuses. 

Ruth Wisse, Professor of Yiddish Literature and Professor of Comparative Literature at Harvard ...

"Hate Spaces" is a film every American needs to see. It is alarming to see the tolerance of anti-Semitism in higher education.

Tammi Rossman-Benjamin, UCSC Lecturer

  "Hate Spaces is an exceptional film that brings to life the hostile environment for Jewish students on campus, and the failure of university leadership to live up to its proclaimed values.” 

Daniel Pipes, Historian, writer, commentator and president of the Middle East Forum

Hate Spaces is a powerful and insightful documentary that should waken all Americans to end the campus' Judeophobic problem before tragedy strikes. 

Andrew Pessin,
Professor of Philosophy, Connecticut College
Campus Bureau Editor, The Allgemeiner

"HateSpaces" is an essential and timely film.  Responding to this phenomenon requires  a deep and honest  analysis of its causes. "HateSpaces" does this meticulously, thoroughly, and grippingly. A must-see for all those concerned about the worsening situation on campus.

Ken Marcus, President & General Counsel
The Louis D. Brandeis Center for 
   Human Rights Under Law

 The great thing about Hate Spaces is not just that it is a compelling  documentary but more importantly that it is a powerful tool.  ….to reach new audiences and to recruit new allies. This is critical to gain the support that we need on the Hill, in the Executive Branch, in the statehouses, and even in the courts.