ELNET

The European Leadership Network (ELNET) is a non-governmental organization whose stated mission is to strengthen relations between Europe and Israel.[2]

European Leadership Network
FoundedOctober 22, 2007 (2007-10-22).[1]
Purpose"strengthen relations between Europe and Israel."
Websiteelnetwork.eu

ELNET was created in 2007 as a European pro-Israel advocacy group, to assist European partners become more active politically, in order to counter "widespread criticism of Israel in Europe".[3]

ELNET is registered in Israel, France, Belgium and Germany. The organization holds an additional US-based entity (as FELNET), solely concentration on fundraising for the entire network.

Aims and Activities

ELNET is a non-partisan organization, that works to improve strategic relations between Israel and European countries. ELNET has activity and presence in Germany, France, Spain, and Poland, as well as an office in Brussels.

The organization has interacted with European officials on numerous occasions:

"ELNET has hosted more than 50 European delegations of parliament members, top government officials, and other European policy leaders to Israel. ELNET has also held more than 20 strategic dialogues in Europe and has engaged more than 500 participants in its effort to enhance European-Israeli understanding and cooperation"[4]

ELNET's role was defined as "encouraging Jewish political activism".[5]

ELNET operated in Europe using similar means and mechanisms similar to the ones used by AIPAC in the U.S.:

In the United States, FELNET hosted Manuel Valls, a former French Prime Minister, in order to raise the awareness about the importance of France-Israel relations.[6]

Management

ELNET was founded by numerous people from Europe, Israel and the US.[1][3][4][7]

The American entity is being chaired by Larry Hochberg, a co-founder of Children's Bargain Town USA, a small chain of toy stores that operated in Chicago, as the Chairman and co-founder of Felnet.[8][9]

Additional board members of Felnet include Andrew S Hochberg (son of Larry Hochberg), Leonard Foxman, Joseph Feinberg, Kenneth A Ruby, Jerry Rosenberg, Carole Mostow (secretary) and Lee Rosenblum, who is the Executive Director of Felnet.

The organization's Advisory Board Members: US Senator Joseph Lieberman, US Senator Mark Kirk, Former US Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, Former US Congressman Howard Berman, Former US Senator Norm Coleman, and Former US Deputy National Security Advisor Elliot Abrams.

It also includes Dan Meridor, a former Israeli minister, and Pierre Dassas.[8]


See also

References
  1. "Federal Public Justice Service, Belgium" (PDF).
  2. The organization's Website
  3. "New European Pro-Israel Group Aims for Low Profile".
  4. "Non partisan network for Europe Israel Bonds".
  5. Eizenstat, Ambassador Stuart E. (2012). The Future of the Jews: How Global Forces are Impacting the Jewish People. Rowman and Littlefield. ISBN 978-1442216280.
  6. Torok</a>, BY <a href='http://jewishjournal.com/author/ryan-torok/'>Ryan (14 December 2017). "Moving & Shaking: Friends of ELNET, StandWithUs and More".
  7. "תעודת רישום 2010 - אלנט אירופה ישראל (ע"ר).pdf". www.guidestar.org.il.
  8. ELNET's website, leadership and staff
  9. "History of Sportmart, Inc. – FundingUniverse". www.fundinguniverse.com.
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