By Carl Zebrowski
Editor

John Spencer, combat veteran, award-winning scholar, and leading global expert on urban warfare and military strategy, is coming to the JCC on Monday evening, January 12, to talk with our community about the Gaza war and set the record straight.

“John is a voice of moral clarity and a respected military expert who has been a steadfast ally in articulating and defending Israel’s actions in Gaza,” says Aaron Gorodzinsky, director of the development for the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, host of the event. “He has consistently lent his expertise across major media platforms to ensure that the true nature of the war in Gaza is accurately communicated.”

“In a media landscape often marred by misinformation and half-truths, we are honored to host John, who brings integrity, expertise, and truth to the conversation.”

Spencer has been one of the most articulate voices in the media explaining Israel’s military operations in Gaza and elsewhere after the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023. He’ll provide our audience with expert insight into Israel’s efforts to defend itself and offer his well-informed view of what may follow as the war comes to its end.

He brings decades of first-hand military experience to his task. His 25 years of U.S. Army experience, including elite units and two combat deployments, along with his ongoing work training military leaders and developing the world’s only course on large-scale urban operations, boldly underscore his reputation. 

Academically, he’s chair of urban warfare studies at West Point’s Modern War Institute, where he regularly distills complex military and political information into clear, actionable insights for varied audiences, whether covering operations in Ukraine, Israel, or Gaza, or potential confrontations involving China or Russia. He’s done more than a decade of groundbreaking field research, written three influential books, and had over 140 analyses published in major outlets.

Then there’s the endorsement of influential American Jewish organizations. “We are proud to stand alongside the Jewish Federations of North America, America Jewish Committee, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Anti-Defense League, and American Israel Political Action Committee in welcoming John Spencer to our community,” says Gorodzinsky. 

Spencer’s presentation will begin in the JCC at 7 p.m. Registration is required at jewishlehighvalley.regfox.com/israel-in-focus.