In the face of recent protests and unrest across many campuses in North America, a delegation of pro-Israel Jewish student leaders from across prominent universities have arrived in the Jewish State on a mission to “Take Action for Israel”.
The trip, involving more than dozen students hailing from universities such as Columbia, Cornell, UPenn, Brandeis, Berkeley, Rutgers, New York, Western Ontario and Texas among others, is sponsored by Hasbara Fellowships and IsraelAmbassadors.com.
The student leaders are scheduled to engage with top Israeli officials, gather first-hand testimonies about the devastating October 7th massacre, meet with hostage families and visit the southern border communities, including kibbutzim, that are affected by the terror attacks.
In response to escalating tensions in the US and around the world, officials, residents and peers are helping the students develop innovative strategies to combat antisemitism and anti-Israel propaganda while creating impactful messages to share on campus.
Upon their arrival, the students were welcomed by Israeli Knesset member and former Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, who thanked the young leaders for standing up against antisemitism, and emphasized the importance of their advocacy.
“We deeply appreciate your commitment to standing up for Israel and opposing antisemitism on campus,” Danon told the students. “It’s essential for emerging leaders like yourselves to see and hear firsthand the realities faced by the people of Israel. Your experiences will be instrumental in advocating for Israel and spreading awareness when you return to the US.”
Josh Shain, student at Columbia university expressed fear for the future of his school due to the recent pro-terror events on campus. “Students no longer feel safe,” he noted. “I hope that this visit to Israel gives me the tools to share the truth with those on campus who defend mass rape and murder, and who are uninformed or misinformed about events in Israel.”
Jack Landstein, a student at Michigan University added that with the rise of antisemitism after October 7, he “felt it was imperative that I visit and expand my own “Israel toolkit” so that I can share the truth about Israel and counter antisemitic rhetoric to better protect other Jewish students on campus.”
