“Israel and Peace in the Global Nuclear Age” Arnon Perlman to Speak at the University of South Florida

Contact: Nicky Spivak • Executive Director • Hillel Jewish Student Center of Tampa Bay • (813) 899-2788

October 22, 2007 -- Tampa, FL -- Arnon Perlman, former chief spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, will speak at the University of South Florida on Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.

Perlman will visit the USF campus as a speaker for Caravan for Democracy, an initiative of Jewish National Fund and Media Watch International that drives constructive dialogue on college campuses throughout the U.S. by bringing speakers representing a wide spectrum of political and philosophical thought from Israel to discuss the issues affecting Israel, how it is covered in the media, and its unique role as the only democracy in the Middle East.

This Caravan for Democracy program is sponsored by the Hillel Jewish Student Center of Tampa Bay and co-chaired by USF students Kara Shaw and Andrew Cohen.

Free and open to the public, Perlman’s lecture, entitled “Israel and Peace in the Global Nuclear Age,” will take place in the TECO Room at the College of Education at USF and will be followed by a question and answer session.  Attendees are encouraged to register in advance at http://www.caravanfordemocracy.org/.

“We are thrilled to have Arnon Perlman return to campus,” said Nicky Spivak, executive director of the Hillel Jewish Student Center of Tampa Bay.  “He was here several years ago when there was a heightened level of conflict between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian students on campus.  His message then was very well received by a majority of the 150 people in attendance.  I hope that his current topic will attract a similar response in attendance and thought.”

As a senior advisor and chief spokesman to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Perlman served as head of the Media and Communications Division of the Prime Minister's office and as the media advisor and communications emissary to Europe and the United States.

Since leaving the Israeli cabinet in 2004, Perlman has held numerous posts including representing Israel and managing the Vladimir Gusinski case.  In addition, he is vice chairman of the board of directors of Maariv daily newspaper, and member of the board of the Reut Institute, NEXTCOM, and LILIT.  He also works with the Economic Cooperation Foundation. 

In 1999, Perlman acted as the manager of the spokesmen's team for Prime Minister Ehud Barak's election campaign.  In the late 1990s, he was the campaign manager for the Minister of Health, and was the spokesman for the Tel Aviv-Yaffo Municipality and Mayor Roni Milo.

Perlman has also served as an economic journalist with the Telegraph newspaper, and was a chief reporter for Ha’aretz daily newspaper.  He began his career as an intelligence officer in the Israeli Navy, and currently lives in Tel Aviv with his wife.

For more information, please contact Hillel at 813-899-2788 or Hillel@hilleloftampabay.org.

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