Shlucha at Florida Convention

By SunSentinel.com and COLlive.com

A conservative Jewish audience voiced its support for Israel and its displeasure with the Obama administration’s Israel policy Sunday at the Florida Pro-Israel Conference 2010 in Fort Lauderdale.

Joe Kaufman and the Americans Against Hate and Young Zionists organizations presented the three-hour conference that was taped by C-SPAN.

Congressman-elect Allen West (R-Plantation) received the Young Zionist’s “Protector of Zion” award for his support of Israel.

West said he was only protecting a U.S. ally, Israel. He said it is his duty to “stand up and defend Israel.” And in defending Israel, West said, he will be “a staunch defender of the United States of America.”

He said something is wrong when the United States has a national conference on global warming but does not have a conference on Islamic terrorism. “You can definitely count on me to be this voice,” West said.

Another speaker was Mrs. Rochel Holzkenner, co-director of Chabad of Las Olas, who spoke of the Rebbe’s message on being a positive influence on people worldwide and making a Kiddush Hashem.

The Chabad Shlucha added that “the way to merit to true peace is by doing acts of goodness and kindness.”

Alan Bergstein of Boca Raton said the program was a wake-up call to local Jews. They need to talk to their rabbis who sit down with Muslim imams, he said.

“We have to be on guard with the message to the media,” said Carol Flatto of Miami Beach, chairman of the South Florida chapter of Americans for a Safe Israel. Flatto said people have to filter out a lot of what they hear in the media and help to disseminate the facts.

Elchonon Helinger, a bochur who owned ThriftyComputer.com, attended the conference as a representative of Chevron Shliach Danny Cohen.

Helinger congratulated Congressman West on his recent win, thanking him for his unbending support for Israel.

The 25 year-old Lubavitcher discussed with West the Rebbe’s position that there should be no territorial concessions and even peace talks if they put Jewish life’s at risk.

“The Congressman agreed with the Rebbe’s words, and reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring Jewish property growth while opposing any peace that puts Jewish life’s at risk,” a friend of Helinger told COLlive.com.

While discussing Congressman West’s pre election visit, they reportedly spoke of Chevron, city of the Jewish nation’s forefathers, the Lubavitch history there and how the Chevron community is rejuvenating with life, growth and nostalgia.

With the rest of the area made up of Arab villages and towns, today the visitors that visit Chevron, have no idea about Chevron and its roots in the psyche of the Jewish people from Abraham’s footsteps through today’s headlines.

Helinger related about the restoration project of the Jewish Chevron which is done in cooperation with the Chevron Jewish Community and its representative Noam Arnon.

Mark Cohen of Miami says, “This project is very important it is about standing firm against the tide and being proud to be Jewish, because of our heritage, our roots.”

For more information contact Hellinger at [email protected]