The Jewish Community Relations Council & Women's Philanthropy of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, the Jewish Federation Association of Connecticut (JFACT) and the World Affairs Council of Connecticut held a luncheon with Amal Elsana Alh'jooj, Director, Arab-Jewish Center for Equality, Empowerment and Cooperation, titled "Arabs & Israelis Unite For Change".

The luncheon took place on Friday, November 7, 2008, 12:00-1:30PM EST at the Christ Church Cathedral, 45 Church Street, Hartford 06103

For more information contact Jeff Rudolph at JFACT: 860-727-5771 or jfact@mcmgmt.com

Amal Elsana Alh'jooj is the director of AJEEC - the Arab-Jewish Center for Equality, Empowerment and Cooperation - a division of NISPED. Amal was born in Laqiya, an Arab Bedouin village in the northeastern Negev, to a family with 13 children. She began her career as a community organizer when she was 14, and at the age of 17, established the first Arab Bedouin women's organization. Amal completed her high school education in the village of Tel Sheva and went on to study social work at Ben Gurion University of the Negev. She received her M.A. in Community Development from McGill University in Montreal, Québec, Canada.

Amal is one of the key shapers of public opinion in the Arab community, in Israel in general and in the Negev in particular, regarding the status of the Arab minority and the status of women in Israel. She is a sought-after lecturer and participant in numerous conferences devoted to these issues in Israel and abroad, and has received a number of awards:
2005: Candidate for Nobel Peace Prize within framework of "One Thousand Women" submission
2004: WASME - World Association of Small and Medium Businesses - Special Honor Award
2004: Israel Women's Network: Citation, "Advancement of the Status of Bedouin Women"
2004: Israel Small & Medium Enterprise Authority: "Initiative of the Year" Award
2003: Lady Globes "Career Women of the Year" Award