FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
H. Glenn Rosenkrantz, UJC Media Relations
212.284.6572  glenn.rosenkrantz@ujc.org

Erica Barton, UJC Media Relations
212.284.6593  erica.barton@ujc.org

Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bill Frist to Address United Jewish Communities Washington 14 Conference

U.S. Senators Join Roster of Political, Media and Community Figures Speaking at March 21 – 23 Event

NEW YORK -- January 30, 2004 -- Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) will address attendees of the United Jewish Communities (UJC) Washington 14 Conference, taking place March 21-23 in the nation's capital.

Washington 14, sponsored by the UJC Young Leadership Department, is expected to attract nearly 2,000 young Jewish leaders from across the continent who will hear from top American, Israeli and Jewish political, media and community figures, meet other socially involved Jews, and discuss critical issues affecting the Jewish community with their representatives on Capitol Hill.

The conference theme, We Can Make a Difference, underscores the power of the next generation of Jewish leaders, collectively and individually, to create positive social and political change, and to practice tikkun olam, repair of the world.

"We are honored and proud that two of the country's most senior political leaders will address participants of Washington 14," said conference Co-Chair Jonathan A. Mayer of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and a member of the UJC National Young Leadership Cabinet. "As majority leader, Senator Frist is the highest ranking member of the Senate, and Senator Clinton's leadership and reputation speak for themselves.

"Their support over the years for issues of concern to the Jewish community is a testament to the strength of our involvement in the political process, and underscores the theme of Washington 14, We Can Make a Difference, both politically and socially," he continued.  "It is also an indication of the unparalleled level of speakers and programming that will be showcased at the conference." 

Elected in 1994, Senator Frist is the first physician to serve in the Senate since 1928. He became Senate majority leader in 2002 and will speak at the closing session of the Washington 14 conference on March 23.

Senator Clinton, who in 2000 became the only First Lady ever elected to the Senate, is recognized around the world as an advocate for democracy, religious tolerance and human rights, and as a champion of women.

Senator Clinton will speak to Washington 14 attendees on March 23 about the imperative of taking action to make a difference locally, nationally, and internationally.  Her appearance immediately precedes visits by conference delegates to Capitol Hill, where they will meet with lawmakers about key issues of concern to the Jewish community.

"Participants of Washington 14 will not only have the chance to hear from the nation's top decision makers, but they will have the opportunity to speak with them as well," said conference Co-Chair Judith T. Sydney of the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston and a member of the UJC National Young Leadership Cabinet.  "During visits to Capitol Hill, attendees will be representing the Jewish community in both spirit and action.

"We want to re-engage people in the political arena by educating them about the critical issues before the conference, giving them the chance to help shape policy during the conference, and allowing them to continue their political activism after the conference," she continued.  "Washington 14 will provide attendees with exposure to the tools that will enable them to be effective political motivators."

Conference programming will include major plenary sessions, workshops, and interactive breakout sessions designed to inspire and empower attendees.  Washington 14 sessions will focus on such issues as anti-Semitism, terrorism, Israel's image in the media, domestic violence, and social justice.

Other guest speakers include: political satirist Al Franken; Daniel Ayalon, Israeli ambassador to the United States; Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism; Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-Nevada); Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Virginia); Steven Emerson, award-winning author and commentator specializing in national security, terrorism and Middle East affairs; Rabbi Shoshana Gelfand, vice president and acting director of the Wexner Heritage Foundation; Rabbi Irwin Kula, president of CLAL - The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership; Dr. Deborah Lipstadt, Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish and Holocaust Studies at Emory University in Atlanta; Dennis Prager, radio talk show host on KABC, Los Angeles; and Dr. Sabi Shabtai, internationally recognized authority on terrorism.

Washington 14 program and registration information is posted at www.ujc.org/w14.  The registration deadline is March 1.

United Jewish Communities (UJC) represents 156 Jewish federations and 400 independent communities across North America. Through the UJA Federation Campaign, UJC provides life-saving and life-enhancing humanitarian assistance to those in need, and translates Jewish values into social action on behalf of millions of Jews in hundreds of communities in North America, in towns and villages throughout Israel, in the former Soviet Union, and 60 countries around the world.