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Message: <br /><br /> If you are having trouble reading this email, you may view this article online at: http://www.jweekly.com/18052/full/18052/launching-a-one-man-lunch-hour-lobby-for-israel/ <br /><br /> <b>Launching a one-man, lunch-hour lobby for Israel</b> <br /> Friday, June 28, 2002 | by <p>ALEXANDRA J. WALL </p> <br /><br /><p>Walk through Palo Alto's Lytton Plaza at lunchtime on a weekday, and you may see a guy at a table handing out information about Israel.<br /><br /> His name is Dan Milgram, and he's not there on behalf of any organization. He's there simply motivated by the belief that one person can make a difference.<br /><br /> Milgram, a 31-year-old computer consultant who recently moved to San Jose but works in nearby Mountain View, chose the table because of its dense foot traffic.<br /><br /> And since August, he has stood there once a week, handing out articles of his choice, to whoever will take them. He clips articles from newspapers, or briefings from AIPAC. He also has a PowerPoint presentation, if people have the time to watch.<br /><br /> "At the core, I have a deep love for Israel," said Milgram. "I grew up with it."<br /><br /> And by doing this, he hopes to "expose what is the truth as opposed to what is biased propaganda."<br /><br /> There is so much misinformation about Israel, Milgram believes, and he is trying to counter it by giving out information he trusts.<br /><br /> "A part of my message is that post-Sept. 11, democracies need to support each other. If we want to foster the free world that Americans treasure, then we should continue to do something about it."<br /><br /> It was after a meeting of the Jewish Community Relations Council last summer that Milgram got the idea. "This is something I could do to make me feel I'm doing something for the pro-Israel cause," he thought.<br /><br /> Milgram attended one workshop sponsored by AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, on how to deal with the media Then, armed with articles of his choosing, he went out to educate the Palo Alto masses.<br /><br /> "People don't like pushy pamphleteers," he said, explaining his philosophy. "A short, quick blurb is better, let them walk away with that in their mind."<br /><br /> Milgram said 80 percent of the people who come by support his pro-Israel stance, though occasionally he deals with some who don't agree.<br /><br /> People often show their support by honking their horns, though he has been yelled at on occasion.<br /><br /> "It's nice to see at least people are capable of reading and the message is getting out there."<br /><br /> Milgram said the most heated arguments he has experienced have been with other Jews, who do not support his position.<br /><br /> While he is sometimes asked whether he is Jewish, Milgram answers that he is, but "that this is not just a Jewish issue. Pro-Israel is pro-America, and the logic and reason behind it is that we must support countries that support those same freedoms."<br /><br /> While Milgram has been approached by others who share his enthusiasm, he said it has been too much trouble for him to coordinate other volunteers. But one man has been inspired by Milgram and has started up a table of his own outside the public library in Foster City.<br /><br /> "I got the idea from Dan," said Scott Abramson, 55, a San Mateo physician. "I went out with him and saw what he did and started doing it myself."<br /><br /> Abramson, who is "on call" for Israel generally on Wednesday afternoons, also puts out a box of cookies, as a lure.<br /><br /> While Abramson is a member of AIPAC, as well as the Israel action committees at the two synagogues where he is a member, he stressed that he, too, is putting up a table as an individual.<br /><br /> "I feel like if one person that doesn't know much about this conflict, or had views that were perhaps anti-Israel, if I can have them rethink their position, or change it or understand more what Israel is up against, if in one hour and a half, if one person picks this up, I'm happy."<br /><br /> Abramson said once in awhile, he feels like he really makes a difference. A few weeks ago, one man picked up everything he had.<br /><br /> According to Abramson, he was a fifth-grade teacher who said, "'This will be great material for my kids.' That's 25 kids in fifth grade who will get pro-Israel information."<br /><br /> Like Milgram, Abramson said his hardest sell has been to Jews.<br /><br /> Two who stopped by thought "the reason for this whole intifada was the occupation, that that was the cause. Their knowledge was so shallow, they had no knowledge that since before '67 the Arabs still wanted to destroy Israel."<br /><br /> When asked how long Milgram would continue standing at his post, he said he wasn't sure.<br /><br /> "Until it's no longer necessary. God willing, there will be peace."<br /><br /> He added, "When Israelis feel they can live in peace, that's when I will stop."</p> <p> </p>

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