As one of the 2,400 participants at the recent J Street conference in Washington, I was distressed to see that your article on this inspiring conference (“J Street Copes With Its Left Flank At Conference,” JTA, March 4) was filled with highly selective and skewed quotes and overgeneralizations. The reporter failed to inform his readers of J Street’s mission and purpose as a pro-Israel, pro-peace organization, which is to urge the American administration and Congress to take active steps to promote a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that will secure Israel’s future as a democratic Jewish homeland.
To that end, on the final day of the conference, 700 participants held more than 200 meetings with their senators and representatives to urge that they support full funding for aid to both Israel and the Palestinian Authority as part of the larger foreign assistance package. My experience at the conference demonstrated to me that J Street is an indispensable organization through which American Jews who love and support Israel can engage together with the complex issues involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
