December 21 2008

Broadcast Date: 
Dec 21 2008

The Free Gaza movement's ship Dignity completes its fifth voyage challenging Israel's blockade; Jewish philanthropies and schools hit hard by Madoff; and a childrens' vigil supporting domestic workers' rights.

Episode segments
  • Free Gaza Movement Challenges Israeli Blockade
    Israel/Palestine, Occupation
    Lubna Musawra is one of the organizers of the Free Gaza movement.  She was the delegation leader on Dignity's fourth voyage.  Lubna is a Palestinian living in Isael where she works for the Alternative Information Center and Al Quds University.
    Esther Kaplan and Marilyn Kleinberg Neimark

    The humanitarian crisis within Gaza continues, with Israel blockading all but what it deems essential humanitarian aid.  This past week a UN aid agency announced it was suspending food deliveries to 750,000
    Palestinians after Israel closed border crossings.

    One rare bit of hopeful news in recent months has been the activities of the Free Gaza Movement, whose ship, Dignity, just completed its 5th voyage bringing humanitarian aid along with a delegation of representatives from Qatar.

    We talk with Lubna Masawra who was the delegation leader on the Dignity's 4th voyage, which, after delivering its cargo in Gaza left with a eleven (just a few of the many) students who have been prevented from leaving Gaza to attend universities abroad.

  • Jewish Philanthropies and Schools Among Those Hard Hit By Madoff Scandal
    National Politics, Domestic Policy, Jewish Communities, Jewish
    Melissa Berman is President and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, an independent nonprofit orgniazation whose mission is to help donors create thoughtful, effective philanthropy throughout the world.
    Esther Kaplan and Marilyn Kleinberg Neimark

    Victims of the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme span the globe and include major banks, investment firms, prominent business executives and high-profile individuals and their family foundations. The Wall Street Journal tallys potential losses of close to $27 billion and media outlets talk of $50 billion.  Among those hard hit, the Jewish philanthropic world, a close knit social and economic network, within which Bernard Madoff was a prominent player.

    We talk with Melissa Berman about Madoff and the impact of his meltdown on Jewish philanthropies and their donors and donees, about how so many supposedly intelligent and wealthy individuals and their advisors were misled and why the SEC ignored 9-years of warnings about the Madoff operation.

  • Childrens' Vigil Calls for Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights
    Labor
    K.E. Feldman

    Beyond the Pale contributor, K. E. Feldman, brings us the voices of employers, employees and their children, at a December 8 rally calling on New York State to pass the Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights.  The rally was sponsored by Jews for Racial and Economic Justice and Domestic Workers United.