Chikli’s meeting in DC will take place, despite cancelation of the organizer

Israeli media reported that Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli's Thursday meeting in Washington DC with the American Jewish leaders early Thursday morning, was canceled. The meeting will actually take place as planned but in a different and secret location, with heads of major Jewish organizations on a local and national level, a spokeswoman of the minister told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday.

The local Washington DC Jewish Federation has decided not to host this event, presumably because of the planned protests by anti-judicial-reform Israelis and Americans, but according to Chikli’s spokeswoman, all of the participants will show up, except for the members of the local Federation.

Who will participate in the meeting?

The Post has learned that rabbis from the different streams of Judaism, some of which head national Jewish organizations of their streams, will participate in the meeting later on Thursday.

Chikli said in a statement “contrary to the false publication, the minister's meeting with the heads of the communities and organizations in DC will take place. The meeting will be attended by senior Jewish leadership representing all of American Jewry, along with rabbis and heads of local communities.

This comes after US-based groups voiced their intentions to protest the event and similar meetings with Economy Minister Nir Barkat in Boston and Innovation, Science and Technology Minister Ofir Akunis in Los Angeles were also canceled. 

Earlier on Thursday, the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) tweeted that the “Jewish Federations were proud to convene and host a series of productive meetings this week with Israel's Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli.” JFNA added that the meetings with the minister were alongside organizations such as the Anti Defamation League, the Orthodox Union and other organizations that deal with security for Jewish institutions. “We briefed the minister on how we are working to secure the North American Jewish community. In a separate meeting, we advanced exciting initiatives in Jewish education alongside Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools and Mosaic United. As always, we look forward to working productively to strengthen the bonds between the US and Israel.”