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Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA)

Strategic Alliances for a Secure, Connected, and Prosperous Region
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Black American-Israel Leadership Initiative

 

The Jerusalem Center’s joint diplomatic-educational PEACE-Promise project, which includes diplomatic missions to Africa and Israel,  with the U.S.-based Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel (IBSI) engages young Black American and African leaders and influencers by educating and empowering them with political facts and historical context to combat antisemitism in the Black community and enhance understanding and cooperation between Blacks, Jews, and the Jewish state.

Black American-Israel Leadership Initiative

IBSI engages its ”ambassadors” Black community activists and pastors in a holistic educational approach that teaches authentic Black history, including the spiritual tradition of the Black church’s connection with Israel and Zionism. IBSI’s frontal and direct approach to controversial issues, such as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and Black-Jewish relations is pro-active and provides continuing education and advocacy support for its ambassadors in the United States, a feature which distinguishes “Promise” from other advocacy programs. JCPA’s Promise educational course is given by its experts via Zoom and continues into IBSI’s PEACE mission to South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Israel, where ambassadors meet face-to-face with our experts. PEACE provides ambassadors with firsthand experience of Israel’s cultural, religious, and ethnic diversity, its technological achievements, and its long-standing partnership with African states.

Dr. Dan Diker, Olga Meshoe Washington, Tirza Shorr


Pastor Dumisani Washington
Pastor Dumisani Washington – Founder, Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel (IBSI)
Pastor Dumisani Washington is the Founder and CEO of the Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel (IBSI). He formerly served as the Diversity Outreach Coordinator for Christians United for Israel (CUFI), where he organized multiethnic Christian support for Israel and helped launch CUFI‑Africa to engage Israel-supporters across the continent. Washington is the author of Zionism and the Black Church: Why Standing with Israel Will be a Defining Issue for Christians of Color in the 21st Century.
Joshua Washington
Joshua Washington – Director, Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel (IBSI)
Joshua Washington is Director of the Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel (IBSI) and a leader in educating and engaging the American Black community about Israel.
Olga Meshoe Washington
Olga Meshoe Washington – South African Attorney and Expert on U.S.-Israel Affairs
South African native Olga Meshoe Washington is an attorney and CEO of DEISI (Defend Embrace Invest Support Israel), and IBSI Board Member. She has worked in Israel advocacy for years in the U.S. and Africa. Her father, Reverend Kenneth Meshoe, is a leader of the African Christian Democratic party and a member of the Parliament of South Africa.

Black American-Israel Leadership Initiative