Jewish and Israel-related groups have ramped up virtual events amid this week’s Democratic National Convention with the main daily event consisting of prime-time programming from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Time with discussions throughout the day.
The American Jewish Committee (AJC), J Street and the Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI) each has a programming series throughout convention week. (The Jewish Democratic Council of America has virtual phone banks scheduled during the week.)
Monday
Ahead of opening night, AJC hosted an event titled “The Future of the U.S.-Israel Relationship: Challenges and Aspirations for a Vital Alliance,” featuring Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), former Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.) and Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA) executive director Halie Soifer.
J Street hosted an event about what last week’s U.S.-brokered peace agreement to normalize relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates means for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The conversation was moderated by J Street Israel director Adina Vogel-Ayalon with Haaretz reporter Noa Landau and University of Maryland professor and Brookings Institution nonresident senior fellow Shibley Telhami.
Tuesday
Ahead of the second night, when one of the DNC’s daytime events includes meetings for certain demographics, including the Jewish American community from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. EDT. That night, former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will be formally nominated as the 2020Democratic presidential nominee.
Outside of the official convention programming, AJC is scheduled to host an event at noon EDT titled “Where We Go From Here: U.S. Policy Toward Iran, Negotiation Prospects and Ongoing Threats to Peace,” featuring former Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) and Bahraini Ambassador to the United States H.E. Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa.
DMFI is scheduled to host Rep. Max Rose (D-N.Y.), and Kathy Manning and Ritchie Torres, each of whom are Democratic congressional candidates in North Carolina and New York, respectively, for a discussion at 1 p.m. EDT about the next generation of pro-Israel Democratic leaders.
J Street is scheduled to host a conversation from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. EDT with panelists including Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) in partnership with other left-wing groups, including the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, Foreign Policy for America, Truman National Security Project, Oxfam America Action Fund, National Security Action, MoveOn and Council for a Livable World.
Wednesday
Ahead of the third night, when Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) will be formally nominated as Biden’s running mate, DMFI will host Biden campaign pollster and strategist John Anzalone and Minyon Moore, who was White House director of political affairs for U.S. President Bill Clinton, for a discussion at noon EDT titled “Looking Ahead to the November Election.”
AJC will host an event, also at noon EDT, titled “American Identity: Integration and Immigration,” featuring Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) and Daisy Khan, executive director of Women’s Islamic Initiative for Spirituality and Equality.
Thursday
Ahead the final night of the convention, when Biden is expected to accept his party’s nomination for president, AJC will host a discussion at noon EDT with Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) about maintaining U.S. leadership abroad.
The roster began on Sunday with J Street hosted an event with Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.); Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.); Democratic nominee in North Carolina for the U.S. Senate, Cal Cunningham; and former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro.