Terror is now an everyday occurrence – in Israel and all around the world. An unprecedented wave of murderous and barbaric terrorist violence in Israeli cities has commenced. Social media is being used to escalate that terror on a frightening scale. Global attacks against Israel are escalating. At the same time the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has moved into high gear, threatening to delegitimize the Jewish State. Jewish communities worldwide report daily attacks menacing their security. In response to these dangerous challenges, the Tel-Aviv based civil rights non-profit, Shurat HaDin-Israel Law Center, is organizing attorneys and other supporters of Israel around the world to fight back. The group’s second annual “Activist Lawyer’s Training Seminar”, is to be held March 6 to March 13 in Jerusalem and offers attorneys at least 15 continuing legal education (“CLE”) credits. The Lawyer’s Seminar will be an intensive week-long training course designed to give attorneys the opportunity to learn skills and strategies to combat Israel’s enemies on the new emerging battlefields being utilized by terrorists and the hate groups. It will mix dynamic lectures and legal workshops with cutting edge field trips to the frontline of Israel’s conflict with neighboring enemies. The kosher Lawyer’s Seminar program will provide five star Israeli hotel accommodations and local cuisine.
According to Shurat HaDin director Nissan Darshan-Leitner, “We decided to initiate the Activist Lawyer’s Training Seminar to teach attorneys how they can use their legal skills to help defend the Jewish State. The Israeli government alone can no longer fend off all the vicious threats to our existence and the private sector, especially lawyers, need to get involved and join the battle. We are bringing in some of the best attorneys, professors and officials involved in confronting Israel’s enemies globally to teach the participants the skills they need to play a vital role.”
Last year’s Lawyer’s Seminar participants have already joined Shurat HaDin in the trenches. They have organized rallies and speakers. They participate in a group chat that actively discusses problems facing Israel and the Jewish people and proposes action. They have drafted and published articles and papers on such topics as BDS under US law and a legal summary of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. And, one Lawyer’s Seminar participant drafted and filed with Shurat HaDin a National Labor Relations Board complaint accusing the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) of violating the US National Labor Relations Act when it endorsed a BDS resolution in mid-August.
Shurat HaDin is uniquely qualified to host the summer’s training course for lawyers. For the past twelve years, the law center has become known for its use of innovative legal strategies utilized to combat global terror financing and to seek justice for terror victims in courtrooms around the world. Shurat HaDin has made a reputation using creative legal tactics to staunchly defend the State of Israel and the world Jewish communities against the growing tide of anti-Israel activism and anti-Semitism through calls for boycotts by the BDS movement. The group has taken the lead in by going on the offensive to defend IDF officers and Israeli officials against accusations of war crimes in different international tribunals. The Lawyer’s Seminar was specially crafted to meet the needs of lawyers from around an international array of countries who have expressed an interest in learning about Shurat HaDin’s work and methods and getting involved as legal activists on behalf of the State of Israel and the Jewish people. Over the years, Shurat HaDin has developed expertise in developing quality and fun educational programs through its highly successful “Ultimate Missions to Israel,” which the group has been running since 2003, and its summer and winter internship program for law students.
Now Shurat HaDin also directs its educational programming to practicing lawyers. The Lawyer’s Seminar offers an incredible program filled with lectures and intensive workshops by renowned attorneys and Israeli officials, including Canadian MP Irwin Cotler an Israeli Supreme Court Justice and field trips to Israeli agencies and institutions that are inaccessible rarely by the general public, including the military courts, Israeli security agencies, IDF bases and border crossings. In addition to the opportunity to travel in and enjoy Israel, participants will receive practical training in advocacy on Israel’s behalf on issues such as terror victim litigation, Israel in international law, the anti-Israel BDS movement and lawfare.
Darshan-Leitner stated: “This is a wonderful opportunity for concerned lawyers to learn about the up to the minute human rights and legal challenges facing Israel while networking with other likeminded professionals and earning CLE credits in their jurisdictions – all at the same time. It will help harness all this passionate concern and commitment so many attorneys have expressed to us about wanting to fight on Israel’s behalf. We envision that the ALTS will be an important new resource and legal network to combat Israel’s enemies.”
The Seminar will be held on March 7 to March 13 in Jerusalem and Northern Israel. Registration has already begun.
More information about Shurat HaDin and The Activist Lawyers Training Seminar is available here.