Middle East Discussion Group

Make your voice heard in an enriching, provocative and fun discussion with fellow Club members as you weigh in on events shaping the face of the Middle East. Each month, the Middle East Member-Led Forum hosts an informal roundtable discussion on a topic frequently suggested by recent headlines.  After a brief introduction, the floor will be open for discussion. All interested members are encouraged to attend. There will also be a brief planning session.

MLF: Middle East
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. program
Cost: FREE
Program Organizer: Celia Menczel

President Truman and Israel

Riva Gambert, Director, The Partnership for Israel of the Jewish Federation of the East Bay
Joe Epstein, President, Sierra Steel Trading LLP; Member, Commonwealth Club Board of Governors - Moderator

Gambert will tell the fascinating story of how President Truman came to support the creation of the state of Israel on the heels of World War II despite the long-standing objection by the U.S. State Department.

MLF: Middle East
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program
Cost: $20 standard, MEMBERS FREE, students free (with valid ID)
Program Organizer: Celia Menczel

Middle East Discussion Group

Make your voice heard in an enriching, provocative and fun discussion with fellow Club members as you weigh in on events shaping the face of the Middle East. Each month, the Middle East Member-Led Forum hosts an informal roundtable discussion on a topic frequently suggested by recent headlines.  After a brief introduction, the floor will be open for discussion. All interested members are encouraged to attend. There will also be a brief planning session.

MLF: Middle East
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. program
Cost: FREE
Program Organizer: Celia Menczel

Reform in Morocco: Evolution, not Revolution

André Azoulay, Senior Advisor to King Mohammed VI of Morocco

Well known in Europe and Africa for his work in business development, Azoulay was a leading architect of the remarkable economic reforms and growth Morocco has experienced over the last three decades. He is also a respected advocate of pluralism and inter-religious dialogue. He will discuss Morocco's constitutional reforms and election following the Arab Spring and share his views on the future of Morocco and North Africa.

MLF: International Relations
Location: SF Club Office
Time:  5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program
Cost: $20 standard, $8 members, $7 students (with valid ID)
Program Organizer: Norma Walden
Also know: In association with the NorCal Peace Corps Association

President Obama and Iran

Trita Parsi, Ph.D., Author; Founder and President, National Iranian American Relations Council

Philip Yun, Executive Director, the Ploughshare Fund - Moderator

As we enter a new year and a reconfigured Obama administration, our relations with Iran loom large. Parsi, a noted expert on U.S. and Iranian relations and the Middle East, will discuss his latest book, A Single Role of the Dice, which received the Foreign Affairs Award for best book of 2012 on the Middle East.

MLF: Middle East
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program, 1 p.m. book signing
Cost: $20 standard, MEMBERS FREE, students free (with valid ID)
Program Organizer: Celia Menczel
Also know: In association with the Ploughshares Fund

Women in Emerging Economies

La Vonn Schlegel, Director, Indiana Institute for International Business
Linda Calhoun, Vice Chair, International Relations Forum; Executive Director, Careergirls.org – Moderator

Schlegel will discuss the changing roles, situations and opportunities for businesswomen in emerging economies with a focus on the Middle East and North Africa. She will explore the role women play in transitional economies, the challenges of balancing social customs with economic freedom and how technology and education are changing the futures of girls and women in the regions.

MLF: Middle East/Business & Leadership
Location:  SF Club Office

Time: 11:30 a.m. check-in, noon program
Cost: $20 standard, $8 members, students free (with valid ID)
Program Organizer: Celia Menczel

Middle East Discussion Group

Make your voice heard in an enriching, provocative and fun discussion with fellow Club members as you weigh in on events shaping the face of the Middle East. Each month, the Middle East Member-Led Forum hosts an informal roundtable discussion on a topic frequently suggested by recent headlines.  After a brief introduction, the floor will be open for discussion. All interested members are encouraged to attend. There will also be a brief planning session.

MLF: Middle East
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. program
Cost: FREE
Program Organizer: Celia Menczel

Middle East Discussion Group

Make your voice heard in an enriching, provocative and fun discussion with fellow Club members as you weigh in on events shaping the face of the Middle East. Each month, the Middle East Member-Led Forum hosts an informal roundtable discussion on a topic frequently suggested by recent headlines.  After a brief introduction, the floor will be open for discussion. All interested members are encouraged to attend. There will also be a brief planning session.

MLF: Middle East
Location: SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. program
Cost: FREE
Program Organizer: Celia Menczel