Submitted by the Cincinnati Coalition for Israel
On August 18th, the newly constituted Cincinnati Coalition for Israel had their first public event at the Kinneret Grill. The turnout was standing room only. The mission of the CCI, to advocate for the security and safety of Israel and address antisemitism and anti-zionism in Southwestern Ohio, was reviewed. As a group of Jews and Gentiles sharing a common love for Israel, CCI will seek to increase local awareness of Israel as a free and democratic state in the Middle East and to inform the public about the positive cultural and economic impact Israel has had in the Middle East and the world in general. A key goal is to enhance education about the strategic importance of Israel, our most important ally, and how this essential relationship guarantees our national security. With the rise in antisemitism, CCI will support efforts to confront public harassment and discrimination against Jews.
We heard from Ronald Maag, former member of the Ohio State Legislature, and attorney Ben Rodriquez, who discussed a current bill proposed in Columbus to codify a legal definition of antisemitism and provide legal recourse for Ohio citizens and students experiencing personal anti-Semitic offenses. Attendees were encouraged to review the bill and provide feedback to Senator Terry Johnson, the main sponsor of this bill.
Among other speakers, Orlanda Sonza, running for the first district congressional seat as a Republican, spoke about his support for restoration of a much stronger Middle East policy, including restoration of economic pressure on Iran and no permanent ceasefire with Hamas until all hostages are returned. The United States must continue to be a strong ally and provide all necessary military and material support to Israel in its battle against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. The CCI is particularly interested in monitoring anti-Jewish activities on local college campuses. Rabbi Creeger, Chabad rabbi serving local campuses, provided an update.
The CCI plans to expand by recruiting more like-minded individuals supporting our mission. We seek to build a large interfaith coalition of friends sharing common Judeo-Christian values.
