Guest Speakers: European Leadership Network

During Shabbat Services

The Right Honorable Joan Ryan was a Member of Parliament of the U.K. for 17 years and served in the government of Prime Minister Tony Blair. She has served as the UK's Special Representative to Cyprus and was appointed to the Privy Council by Her Majesty the Queen. Ryan famously resigned from the Labour Party in 2019 to protest its "culture of antisemitism" under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership. She is now Executive Director of ELNET's U.K. office which opened in London in 2021. 

Ambassador David Siegel was Chief of Staff to three Israeli Ambassadors to the US and the Consul General of Israel to the Pacific Southwest region, among other senior Israeli diplomatic positions, in . During his tenure in LA, David developed deep ties to the VBS community. He is President of ELNET-US, a 501c3 that supports the global work of ELNET, and he is based in New York.

A little bit about ELNET (European Leadership Network)... ELNET was cofounded by Larry Hochberg (who is with us here today) and Newt Becker in 2007 to be “the AIPAC of Europe.”  As Israel's largest trade and innovation partner, Europe is also critical to Israel’s security.  European defense platforms are essential to Israel's qualitative military edge, including German-made submarines key to Israel's strategic deterrence. Europe, the world's largest democratic bloc, dominates the U.N. Security Council and key global institutions that impact Israel. ELNET-US is a 501c(3) that supports the work of ELNET's offices in six major European capitals and in Israel.