RUTHFULLY YOURS

Herut North America and World Herut mourn the loss of pro-Israel activist leader Helen Freedman Z”L the longtime executive director of the New York based Americans For A Safe Israel (AFSI) organization.

“The need for the ideas of the great Zionist leader, Ze’ev Jabotinsky has perhaps never been greater in the US in the last 50 years than now,” said Karma Feinstein Cohen, the Executive Director of Herut North America. “And we will be forever thankful for the over two decades of work Helen Freedman put into making sure that there was a public Manhattan memorial for Jabotinsky each year presided over by the wonderful leadership of the late Herbert Zweibon, of AFSI, and the late David Krakow, of the Nordau Circle, the Jabotinsky Order. Helen brought amazing speakers to New York each year for the memorial and throughout the year.”

Karma Feinstein Cohen is a World Zionist Organization (WZO) representative on the Board of Directors of the “Council to Perpetuate the Memory of Ze’ev Jabotinsky” in the Office of the Prime Minister of Israel.

“Recently when Helen had AFSI join the American Zionist Movement as an affiliated organization, as the leader of a longtime constituent member of AZM, I was overjoyed,” said Feinstein Cohen. “AFSI’s commitment to Jabotinsky’s ideals is a cornerstone of its foundation and the Jabotinsky voice has always needed more representation in the various leadership organizations within the American Jewish community.”

“It is hard to forget Helen Freedman‘s protests against the Wye River summit in 1998 when Benjamin Netanyahu did so much to appease Yasser Arafat and Helen’s equally strong, principled stand against the Israeli “disengagement” from Gaza,” said Moshe Phillips, the National Director of Herut North America. “Helen, I am sure, would have been just as outspoken in her criticism of Netanyahu halting the plans to assume sovereignty over Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria as part of this new UAE agreement.”

“Helen Freedman was committed to the Jewish families in Judea and Samaria,” continued Phillips. “Whether it was Helen’s letters to the editor, tours to Israel, frequent street protests with hand-printed signs and her other trademarked activism, she never stopped showing her concern for Israelis in the heartland of Israel. It was my unique pleasure to serve on the board of directors of Americans For A Safe Israel with Helen and watch her at work. Recently AFSI updated its website and logo and Helen was there every step of the way. Helen was AFSI’s longest serving executive director. She held the position for nearly half of its 50 year existence and we pray to see the organization flourish in her memory.”

“To Helen’s family, loved ones, and comrades, we say: May Hashem console you among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem,” said Karma Feinstein Cohen. “Helen will be missed and will be remembered.”

Herut is an international grassroots movement for Zionist pride and education and is dedicated to the ideals of pre-World War Two Zionist leader Ze’ev Jabotinsky. More information about Herut can be found at www.HerutNA.org

END