Who We Are

Why Israel? Why Palestine? is the product of an ongoing collaboration among the Cordoba Initiative,
CLAL – The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, and ASMA - the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

The Cordoba Initiative is a multi-faith organization whose objective is to heal the relationship between the Islamic World and America. Working through civil dialogue, policy initiatives, education, and cultural programs, the Initiative focuses on Thought, Action and Outcomes. Its goals include: Increasing intercultural understanding, tolerance and respect, both in Muslim societies and in the West; improving the nature of the discourse about Islam in America and about America in the Muslim world; stimulating fresh thinking about peace in the Middle East; and, addressing the root causes of international terrorism and helping to prevent the horrors of another September 11. Visit the Cordoba Initiative’s website at: www.cordobainitiative.org.

CLAL - The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership was founded in 1974. A think tank, leadership training institute and resource center, CLAL’s activities are dedicated to building a Jewish life that is spiritually vibrant and engaged with the intellectual and ethical challenges of the wider world. Visit CLAL's website at: www.clal.org.

The ASMA Society, founded in 1997 in New York City, is an Islamic cultural and educational organization dedicated to fostering an American-Muslim identity and building bridges between American Muslims and the American public. ASMA's philosophical objective is to strengthen a culturally American expression of Islam based on tolerance and on cultural and religious harmony and to foster an environment in which Muslims can thrive within a pluralistic society without compromising their essential values and beliefs. Visit ASMA's website at: www.asmasociety.org.

The UCI Difficult Dialogues Project is aimed at promoting academic freedom and constructive dialogue on campus. The Project will develop and launch three new courses designed to educate students about contemporary issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, traditions of religious conflict and religious tolerance, and peace building. In addition, the university will develop a series of teaching seminars to increase the ability of faculty and graduate teaching assistants to facilitate dialogue in existing courses that deal with sensitive topics. Visit the Difficult Dialogues website at: http://www.vcsa.uci.edu/projects/DifficultDialogues.

The UCI Center for Citizen Peacebuilding (CCPB) helps citizens seek realistic ways to improve human conditions locally and globally. CCPB activities aim to prevent violent conflict and, if violence occurs, to promote reconciliation and sustainable peace. The CCPB engages in research, education, and action supporting citizen participation in public peace processes. The integration of all three is especially important to CCPB in promoting knowledge about positive models for change and fostering constructive public debate." Visit CCPB's website at: http://www.socsci.uci.edu/~cpb.

Hillel Foundation of Orange County is the center for Jewish life on campus. Hillel offers students the means to explore and celebrate their Jewish identity in a dynamic and comfortable environment. Each year, Hillel connects students to their community, their peers and their heritage through an array of social, cultural, leadership and Israel programs. Visit the Hillel Foundation at http://www.ochillel.org/

The UCI Society of Arab Students works to promote awareness of Arab culture, social heritage, politics, language, and music. Along with increasing understanding of Arab society and community, SAS offers opportunities for students to get to know their Arab-American fellow citizens. For more information about UCI's Society of Arab Students contact them at ucisas@gmail.com.

The UCI Middle East Studies Student Initiative is a board of students dedicated to the development of an inter-disciplinary Middle East Studies Program at the University of California, Irvine. With the support of faculty, administration, and students it hopes to develop a comprehensive curriculum and academic forum in order to engage in dialogue regarding the political, economic and social issues of the region. Visit the Middle East Studies Student Initiative at http://clubs.uci.edu/messi/

The Irvine Dialogue May 7, 2006
	Who We Are Why Israel? Why Palestine? is the product of an ongoing collaboration among the Cordoba Initiative, CLAL – The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, and ASMA - the American Society for Muslim Advancement. The Cordoba Initiative is a multi-faith organization whose objective is to heal the relationship between the Islamic World and America. Working through civil dialogue, policy initiatives, education, and cultural programs, the Initiative focuses on Thought, Action and Outcomes. Its goals include: Increasing intercultural understanding, tolerance and respect, both in Muslim societies and in the West; improving the nature of the discourse about Islam in America and about America in the Muslim world; stimulating fresh thinking about peace in the Middle East; and, addressing the root causes of international terrorism and helping to prevent the horrors of another September 11. Visit the Cordoba Initiative’s website at: www.cordobainitiative.org. CLAL - The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership was founded in 1974. A think tank, leadership training institute and resource center, CLAL’s activities are dedicated to building a Jewish life that is spiritually vibrant and engaged with the intellectual and ethical challenges of the wider world. Visit CLAL's website at: www.clal.org. The ASMA Society, founded in 1997 in New York City, is an Islamic cultural and educational organization dedicated to fostering an American-Muslim identity and building bridges between American Muslims and the American public. ASMA's philosophical objective is to strengthen a culturally American expression of Islam based on tolerance and on cultural and religious harmony and to foster an environment in which Muslims can thrive within a pluralistic society without compromising their essential values and beliefs. Visit ASMA's website at: www.asmasociety.org. The UCI Difficult Dialogues Project is aimed at promoting academic freedom and constructive dialogue on campus. The Project will develop and launch three new courses designed to educate students about contemporary issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, traditions of religious conflict and religious tolerance, and peace building. In addition, the university will develop a series of teaching seminars to increase the ability of faculty and graduate teaching assistants to facilitate dialogue in existing courses that deal with sensitive topics. Visit the Difficult Dialogues website at: http://www.vcsa.uci.edu/projects/DifficultDialogues. The UCI Center for Citizen Peacebuilding (CCPB) helps citizens seek realistic ways to improve human conditions locally and globally. CCPB activities aim to prevent violent conflict and, if violence occurs, to promote reconciliation and sustainable peace. The CCPB engages in research, education, and action supporting citizen participation in public peace processes. The integration of all three is especially important to CCPB in promoting knowledge about positive models for change and fostering constructive public debate." Visit CCPB's website at: http://www.socsci.uci.edu/~cpb. Hillel Foundation of Orange County is the center for Jewish life on campus. Hillel offers students the means to explore and celebrate their Jewish identity in a dynamic and comfortable environment. Each year, Hillel connects students to their community, their peers and their heritage through an array of social, cultural, leadership and Israel programs. Visit the Hillel Foundation at http://www.ochillel.org/ The UCI Society of Arab Students works to promote awareness of Arab culture, social heritage, politics, language, and music. Along with increasing understanding of Arab society and community, SAS offers opportunities for students to get to know their Arab-American fellow citizens. For more information about UCI's Society of Arab Students contact them at ucisas@gmail.com. The UCI Middle East Studies Student Initiative is a board of students dedicated to the development of an inter-disciplinary Middle East Studies Program at the University of California, Irvine. With the support of faculty, administration, and students it hopes to develop a comprehensive curriculum and academic forum in order to engage in dialogue regarding the political, economic and social issues of the region. Visit the Middle East Studies Student Initiative at http://clubs.uci.edu/messi/
c. 2006 WhyIsraelWhyPalestine.org

The Irvine Dialogue May 7, 2006

Who We Are

The Irvine Dialogue
May 7, 2006