Helping Israel on College Campuses

Updated 3/22/04

(The date in red is the date posted; the date following the title is the date--where appropriate--of the activity.)

For organized trips to Israel, click here

(11/21) Pro-Palestinian Propaganda on College Campuses
An example of what Jewish and pro-Israel students face on a regular basis

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(3/22/04) Israel Program Center's Student Leadership Training Seminar (8/1-10)
This program will take place from August 1 to August 10, 2004.

Departure:

The group will depart on Sunday, August 1, 2004.

Seminar’s Goals:

o Become acquainted with many programs offered for students in Israel.
o Learn leadership development skills to help engage students on campus and market Israel programs.
o Tour Israel, meet Israelis and olim, and have fun.

First preference will be given to any student attending one of our summer programs in Israel. Please visit www.IsraelPrograms.org

Requirements for Registration:

1. Students must have at least one more year before graduating.
2. Previous experience on any program in Israel.
3. Commitment to implement marketing assignments on campus during the upcoming academic year.
4. A letter of recommendation from a local Shaliach of the Jewish Agency.

Fees:

$300 - includes airfare and all expenses.

Admission:

All applicants must apply online at www.IsraelPrograms.org/seminar0804.htm and provide a recommendation from their local Shaliach no later than March 28, 2004.

Letters of acceptance will be sent by April 2, 2004.

We Wish you all Good Luck, and hope to see you in Israel this summer.

Sincerely,

Eytan Peer
Executive Director

Israel Program Center

Contact Person: Orly Rashkes
212 339 6920
orlym@jazo.org.il

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(3/22) Campus Action for Israel
Student Perspectives on Israel Advocacy

The goal of this bulletin is to provide Bergen County high school students and their parents with direct reports from college campuses about the problems facing pro-Israel students and xamples of successful response. Local youth will thereby, gain awareness of “what is really going on at colleges” so that they will understand what they are in for upon heading off to school, and, at the same time, be provided with strategies, ideas, and action plans for positive and effective pro-Israel activism. As result, they will feel empowered and inspired to stand up for Israel. All submissions are made by students or staff from Bergen County and the surrounding area, demonstrating what students from the same background and the same community have done, and, by implication, what the next generation of college students from our area can do.

To read the entire Campus Action for Israel bulletin online in PDF format, click here.

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(2/13) Beta Version of Daily Alert for College Students
See http://jcpa.org/campus/

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(2/13) The Truth About Israel
We know about Israel's image problem on many American campuses today. We also know that it makes life more difficult for Jewish students today. In some cases the problem is largely ignorance about Israel, but on certain campuses activists foment outright hostility toward Israel. Jewish students feel uncomfortable, but do not have the knowledge or confidence to respond. In recognition of this problem AZM has partnered with a group of individuals to launch the "Truth About Israel" Project, a campaign to bring positive, truthful information about Israel to American campuses. A series of six advertisements has been prepared and positive feedback is already streaming in from students who have seen the ads and from parents who want to see positive information about Israel on campus. For each student whose story is told there is a full page ad available to be run in campus newspaper.

Let us know if you can help get the Truth About Israel out to our college campuses by sending an email to info@azm.org. To get an idea of what the campaign is like, visit our preview page

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(11/21) Tools for the Israel Student Activist : AJC
The American Jewish Committee encourages students to log onto the
website www.ajc.org and click onto "On the Campus" or log onto
www.takeACTIONnow.org.

**** These sites are loaded with helpful, accurate info. on the
Middle East conflict, the various peace accords, current updates and
briefings, talking points and suggestions for responses to both anti-
Israel rhetoric and anti-Semitism. There are sample letters and ads
that can be reproduced for campus newspapers.

**** On Long Island and Westchester, we have student response kits
with much of this information. We will sent this out to college
students free of charge. Just email israelsone@ajc.org and we will
send this out. We also have speakers available for campuses.

**** Special training sessions are available for high school seniors
who may be confronting this situation very soon.

Call AJC- Long Island at 516-942-2651. We are here to assist you.

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(11/20) Caravan for Democracy
Caravan for Democracy is the American vehicle that drives constructive dialogue on college campuses throughout the United States by featuring different speakers from Israel to discuss the challenges Israel faces as the only democracy in the Middle East. Caravan for Democracy provides access to resources and opinions to encourage critical thinking about the issues affecting Israel, how it is covered in the media and its unique role in the region.

Caravan for Democracy is hosting a lecture series featuring prominent Israeli figures that represent a spectrum of political and philosophical thought. Speakers will address students and answer their questions, and will be available for briefings with faculty and campus media. Caravan for Democracy will target 20 campuses per semester and is sponsored by Jewish National Fund, Hamagshimim, and MediaWatch International.

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(5/26) Israel Advocacy
The World Union of Jewish Students has a web site at http://www.wujs.org.il/activist/features/campaigns/hasbara.shtml on the topic of Hasbara: Israel Advocacy. There is also a PDF version of this at http://www.wujs.org.il/activist/wujs/publications/hasbara_handbook.shtml which is 131 pages long.

The chapter headings include:

o Principles of Israel Advocacy
o Skills for Israel Advocacy
o Israel: Accusations and Rebuttals
o The Future for Israel Advocacy
o Develop your hasbara skills
o Student Activism
o Information on Israel

An article on Israel and the International Community explains why Israel is reluctant to see the conflict internationalized, why the UN is biased against Israel and what the key UN resolutions on Israel mean. It also looks at the issue of the European Union in relation to Israel. http://www.wujs.org.il/activist/features/campaigns/israel_and_the_un.shtml

http://www.wujs.org.il/activist/features/campaigns/jewish_right_to_a_state.shtml
An explanation of why accusations made against Israel, and attempts to claim that Zionism is racism, are wrong

http://www.wujs.org.il/activist/features/campaigns/arabs_in_israel.shtml
An explaination of the position of Arabs in Israel, including an outline of the differences between those in Israel proper and those in the territories. Answers for attempts to label Israel an 'apartheid' state.

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The Ambassador Program
http://www.jacontact.org/ambassador
Jewish students, educators and community leaders in the Diaspora face many challenges as a result of the growth of terrorism in Israel. Many of us -- students, community leaders, and others -- are called upon to explain Israel's policy, often to a hostile audience. To meet this challenge, the Department of Jewish Zionist Education of the Jewish Agency in partnership with The Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs has developed, Ambassador, a unique online course. Ambassador will teach you the facts, give you the tools to understand Palestinian propaganda/media bias, and teach you how to advocate Israel. Click here for more information

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