Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad hosted a two-day Holocaust denial conference with the aim of questioning the genocide without what he calls the obstacle of supposed Western taboos. There he repeated calls that Israel will one day be "wiped out."

World leaders condemned the conference, while an important, scholarly daylong conference in Berlin addressing "The Holocaust in Transnational Awareness" was held simultaneously. A White House press release called the conference "a platform for hatred."

Jewish groups protested outside the Iranian mission to the United Nations as the conference opened Dec. 11

Read also:

• A special message from Chicago's Israeli Consulate concerning the conference
• An offensive conference by an offensive regime, Telegraph editorial
• An address by Ehud Olmert
• When words are futile by Robert Rozett, director of Yad Vashem libraries
• Is resistance to Iran futile? Chicago Tribune editorial
• Holocaust denial is no joke by Anne Applebaum

Former President Jimmy Carter acknowledges that the title for his book -- Peace Not Apartheid -- was going to be controversial. As the title indeed comes under attack, so too are major parts and premises of the book itself. Meanwhile, amidst a veritable media blitz of attention, the former President's defense of his book is also problematic, invoking allegations that Israel's supporters reject all criticism and are successful in preventing others from speaking or publishing any criticisms.

See also:

• Carter's book is a disservice to peace by David Makovsky
• What would Jimmy do? by Jeffrey Goldberg
• It's not apartheid by Michael Kinsley
• Adviser to Jimmy Carter resigns
• A book length smear on Israel by Alan Dershowitz

India and Israel plan to further expand bilateral trade and investment relations, building on the strengths of their respective economies. Eli Yishai, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor, visited India with a large Israeli business delegation and met with Shri Kamal Nath, India's Minister of Commerce and Industry. The discussions between the two countries have lead to the consideration of a cooperation agreement between India and Israel in the field of Standards, Technical Regulations and Sanitary Measures.

Meanwhile, Israel's counter-terrorism unit on Wednesday warned against travel to the Indian state of Goa, saying it had "concrete" intelligence that Al Qaida was planning a terrorist attack there during the New Year celebrations.

During the two week post-election Veto Session in November, the Illinois General Assembly focused on a critical issue to the Jewish Federation and its Affiliate Agencies - a provision to increase various youth services line items in the FY07 Department of Human Services budget by 3 percent. This rate change would be the first for programs and services funded by these line items in at least five years. Read also about what the recent midterm elections mean to Illinois.

Learn more about Federation's Government Affairs Program and the Washington or Springfield offices. If you have any questions regarding a state matter, please contact LeonardLieberman@juf.org. For questions regarding a federal matter, contact AmyYork@juf.org.

Ehud (Udi) Goldwasser, Eldad Regev and Gilad Shalit, the three Israeli soldiers who were abducted during last summer's crisis, are still being held captive by Hezbollah and Hamas. E-alert encourages its readers to make their voices heard and do all they can to help return the kidnapped soldiers to their families.

• Urge President Bush to press the incoming U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and the international community to make every effort to secure the release of the Israeli soldiers by demanding the full implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 (which requires Hezbollah and the Lebanese government to release Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev unconditionally) and seeking Gilad Shalit's release from Hamas.
• Sign and distribute the UJC petition directed to Ban Ki-Moon that demands the release of the three Israeli soldiers.

A 22-year-old man's alleged plot to stage a deadly terrorist attack in Rockford days before Christmas was marked by violent intentions but no chance of success, according to federal charges released Friday. A Muslim convert intent on "jihad," Derrick Shareef plotted to use hand grenades and a pistol to kill shoppers at the CherryVale Shopping Center outside of Rockford, authorities charged. Throughout the plot, Shareef was recorded spewing hatred for Jewish people and the American justice system, authorities allege.

JCRC Chairman Alan Solow applauded and congratulated the FBI for their solid work that identified this alleged threat and acted decisively before it could be carried out.

Be part of a creative exploration of Israel in a one-of-a-kind art exhibit, "Israel Is." The exhibit will be shown at Israel Experience Programs Day on Sunday, January 28, 2007, at Ezra Habonim Niles Township Jewish Congregation. Teens are invited to submit photography, artwork, a poem or essay showcasing what Israel means to them. The winning entry in each category (creative writing and visual arts) will be published in JVibe Magazine and the winners will each receive a $250 gift certificate toward any approved Israel Experience program.

Contest Rules:

• Submissions must be received by Friday, January 5, 2007
• Open to Jewish high school students in grades 9-12
• Essay Maximum: 800 words
• Poem Maximum: 50 lines
• All submissions must be the original work of the person submitting
• You may submit even if you have never been to Israel

Submit online to: IsraelExperience@juf.org or send a hard copy to: Israel Is...30 S. Wells St., Rm 5035, Chicago, IL 60606.

In time for Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, JUF's Jewish Community Relations Council is asking the Jewish community to add a modern-day twist to their holiday celebration by switching from regular light bulbs to energy efficient, cost effective compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. This contemporary Hanukkah celebration is part of a larger climate change campaign, "A Light Among the Nations," launched by the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA). JCRC also suggests other ways to be environmentally conscious.

JCRC's Domestic Affairs Commission met on Monday to discuss the Jewish interest in environmental issues. Speakers included Rabbis Herbert Bronstein, Emeritus Rabbi at North Shore Congregation Israel and Brant Rosen, rabbi at the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation in Evanston--who's building the nation's first "green" synagogue." Illinois State Representative Elaine Nekritz, a leader in the state legislature on environmental issues, provided insight into possibilities to improving environmental practices at the state level. The last speaker, Joe Shacter of the Environmental Law and Policy Center, discussed the economic benefits that accompany improving environmental standards.

If Israel falls, the West follows by Saul Singer
Tell James Baker: Arab nations don't care about the Palestinians by Lisa Beyer, Time Magazine
A tryst with destiny by Yehuda Avner
Hamas' lesson from the cease-fire by Ze'ev Schiff
Reverse both the linkage and the logic by Yossi Alpher