FOUNDER

Richard Hellman is an experienced Washington lawyer who graduated from Canisius College, Buffalo, New York, and Georgetown Law School, Washington, D.C. He is a distinguished veteran of the Vietnam War, having received the Bronze Star as a captain in Army counterintelligence. He also served his country as a member of the U. S. Government’s first Management Intern Program for the Federal Aviation Agency, where he was a senior Management Analyst. As the first Legislative Counsel of the Environmental Protection Agency, he created the Legislative Counsel’s Office under William D. Ruckelshaus, EPA’s first administrator. Appointed Minority Counsel of the Senate Public Works and Environment Committee by Sen. Howard H. Baker of Tennessee, he wrote much of America’s environmental legislation. While he was serving in that position, the State of Israel invited him to come to Jerusalem to write environmental laws for Israel and as models for the surrounding countries. Upon completion of this project, he was named by Israel to be the Chief Environmental Advisor on the District Planning and Building Commission for the rebuilding and restoration of Jerusalem. After seven years in Israel, Richard Hellman returned to Washington, D.C. to establish first, the Middle East Research Center, Limited (MERCL), and then, in 1989, the Christians’ Israel Public Action Campaign (CIPAC), the only Christian lobby registered with the U. S. Congress on behalf of biblical Israel.

Current Advocacy Efforts

CIPAC seeks to advance a better solution than giving territory to terrorists as a means of solving the Mid-East Arab – Israeli Conflict. We call upon Congress to re-evaluate past U.N. resolutions and other documents that require an exchange of land for peace or would create a Palestinian state. This is critical in light of the continuous terrorist attacks on Israel and the lack of anything that can be called real peace after Israel already has relinquished more than 90% of the land they regained in 1967.

We ask Congress to re-evaluate the Palestinian leadership that has not acted against terror or shown any willingness to unite and build a true democracy based on tolerance and liberty, or even a viable economy, despite vast amounts of U. S. and other foreign aid. Congress should recognize that the Palestinian Authority has not produced a Constitution advocating real peace and acceptance of the Jewish State.

In line with recognition of Israel as the sole sovereign nation West of the Jordan, CIPAC advocates an end to foreign aid for the PLO and other terrorist entities, placement of the U. S. Embassy in Israel’s capital, Jerusalem, closure of the UNRWA Palestinian Arab refugee camps, and full rights for Israel in the United Nations.

Through CIPAC’s lobbying efforts, policymakers receive the message that U. S. support for Israel is a Christian privilege and responsibility, as well as being in America’s best interest. The Bible clearly states that God still has wonderful plans and purposes for Israel and the Jewish People. CIPAC welcomes your participation with us as we watch these purposes being fulfilled.