Six members from three opposing parties of the Israeli Knesset spoke yesterday evening at a town hall meeting in the Levin Ballroom about Israel's relationship with the American Jewish community and Israel's role in the world and in global politics as part of the inaugural Ruderman Fellows Program.The six members in attendance represented three of the parties of which the Knesset, the legislative branch of the Israeli government, is comprised.

Eitan Cabel and Daniel Ben-Simon represented the Labor Party.

Avi Dichter and Ronit Tirosh represented the Kadima Party.

Tzipi Hotovely and Carmel Shama were present for the Likud Party.

Shama is also the chairperson of the Finance Committee, and Hotovely is the chairperson of the Committee on the Status of Women.

The Ruderman Family Foundation and the Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program co-sponsored the event.

This is the first year of the Ruderman Fellows Program, which as described in the program distributed at the event, "brings members of the Israeli Knesset to America to learn about American Jewish life and to deepen the bonds of understanding between Israeli leaders and the American Jewish community." The six Knesset members are the first fellows in the program.

Prof. Ilan Troen (NEJS), the moderator of the event, said the goal of the program is for Israelis to learn about America and to determine on which lessons from American life the six Knesset members will focus. "Small countries in particular ... often seek models in larger and more powerful countries. What is worth taking back to Israel, and no less important, what is not?" Troen said.

Troen explained at the beginning of the event that, to maintain a balanced event, questions were submitted beforehand via the Internet and that students were selected to ask questions representative of the most common submissions.

Troen asked the Knesset members to speak about what they hope Americans understand about Israel.

Hotovely said that because Americans and Israelis "live in totally different worlds," she believes it is important for American Jews to experience life in Israel rather than learn about Israel through the media.

She encouraged the American Jewish community to legitimize Israel as a Jewish state by "speak[ing] about Israel's historical and Biblical roots."

Tirosh said that she wanted Americans to know that "Israel is seeking ... peace [and] a quiet life like you have here" and that Israelis are "sick of bombs, terror, wars, threats," emphasizing the shared democratic values that Israel and the United States share.

She noted that despite supporting the United States' intentions to bring democracy to other states in the Middle East, she is "not sure that [these states] are prepared to bear democracy."

Ben-Simon added that "Israelis agree on the principle of peace but not on price," encouraging the U.S. to continue to understand and support Israel's "divisions" within its own legislation and among its own political parties.

Aaron Weinberg '14 asked about the role of J Street in the American-Israel relationship.

According to its website, J Street is an organization that "gives political voice to mainstream American Jews and other supporters of Israel who, informed by their progressive and Jewish values, believe that a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is essential to Israel's survival as the national home of the Jewish people and as a vibrant democracy."

Ben-Simon said that he "think[s] J Street is totally kosher" and that the group's "voice should be heard."

Ben-Simon continued by saying that the organization represents a concern for the future for Israel and that "it is better to care than to be indifferent; indifference is death."

Tirosh and Hotovely responded by saying that they are against J Street's policy because J Street supports measures that "delegitimiz[e] the most basic rights that Israel has to defend itself," Hotovely said.

Liza Behrendt '11 then posed a question regarding Israel's ability to balance its role as both a Jewish and a democratic state.

Ben-Simon responded by saying that Israel strives "to allow the Other to be part of the society" and that he hopes the Israeli Supreme Court will be able to "safeguard this kind of democracy."

Jonah Cohen '13 asked how Israel would respond to the United Nations declaration of Palestinian statehood.

Approximately 10 members of the Brandeis Students for Justice in Palestine then stood and accused Dichter, in English and Hebrew, of war crimes.

According to a press release from BSJP, the protesters yelled in Hebrew, "Don't worry Avi Dichter, we'll meet you in The Hague." The students were escorted from the room by security.

In an e-mail to the Justice, BSJP member Elisha Baskin (GRAD), who participated in the interruption, said, "The disruption of the town hall meeting was to send a clear message to the [Knesset members] and the Brandeis community that war-criminals will be not welcomed on campus."

The disruption was directed at Dichter because he "iswanted for crimes against humanity and violations of the Geneva Convention," Baskin wrote.

Noam Lekach '14, who also participated in the protest, wrote in the press release from BSJP that, "Brandeis claims to promote social justice, but today they invited legislators who openly espouse racist attitudes towards Palestinians."

Dichter then addressed Cohen's question about Israel's response to the prospect of Palestinian statehood.

He remarked on the difficulty of determining which territory should be assigned to each state and saying that, despite both the United States' and Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu's support of a Palestinian state, "it will take more details" to work out an arrangement.

Following the event, Dan Tassone '13 said in an interview with the Justice that he was "as disappointed by the walkout by the group at this event as [he was] by the walkout at [the November talk given by] Noam Chomsky" because it indicates that "neither side is willing to listen to the other."

Avi Fuld '14, who was present at the event, said in an interview with the Justice that he felt the event was important because it showed the varying opinions among the Knesset members of different parties, reflecting that "Israel's democracy is very complex . [and] constantly in progress.