Perlow speaker to discuss Israeli-Palstinian conflict, peace hopes

Activist and Israeli-Palestinian expert Gershon Baskin to discuss the region’s history of conflict and hopes for resolution

Social and political activist Gershon Baskin will lecture on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and peace process at Skidmore College on Monday, Feb. 8.

The talk, titled "Rising Challenges from the Middle East: Living and Working for Peace between Israelis and Palestinians," will take place at 7 p.m. in Gannett Auditorium, Palamountain Hall.

Baskin, founder of the Israeli-Palestinian Public Policy Institute, was responsible for the secret back-channel negotiations between Israel and Hamas that ended in the release of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011. He has been involved in research and advocacy on social policy, environmental security, political strategy, peace education, economics and culture. He has also been active in the development of affordable solar projects with the goal of providing clean electricity for 50 million people by 2020.

The lecture is free and open to the public. It is part of Skidmore’s Jacob Perlow Event Series and is co-sponsored by the Office of Jewish Student Life, Hillel, Temple Sinai, and J Street Albany/Capital District. For more information, contact Lollie Abramson, coordinator of Jewish student life, at 580-5679.

The Perlow Series was founded with a grant from the estate of Jacob Perlow, a successful businessman deeply interested in religion and philosophy and committed to furthering Jewish education. The series presents annual lectures and presentations to the college and community on issues broadly related to Jews and Judaism.