It’s hard to be an activist in a vacuum, and interaction with other activists can lead to better activism. Students on large campuses might get that interaction every day, but if your school is small and far from a major city, opportunities to network with other pro-Israel students are rare.
Conferences can be expensive and in hard-to-get-to locations. With these factors in mind, the Hillel Jewish University Center of Pittsburgh and The David Project brought together over 70 students for a weekend Shabbaton all about Israel, called “Talk About Israel” last weekend.
Participants hailed from 11 campuses in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio. Although The David Project has hosted regional Israel advocacy Shabbatons before, this was the first time they helped coordinate one in the Midwest.
Students participated in two training tracks: one for new advocates and the other for campus leaders. In addition to receiving advocacy tips from David Project professionals, participants had the opportunity to network with students from different campuses, and discuss advocacy techniques that they have employed in the past. Students also collaborated to devise new program ideas to implement on their individual campuses later in the semester.
Carly Adelmann, the Assistant Director of Jewish Student Life at the Hillel JUC of Pittsburgh, and one of the coordinators of the weekend, said she hoped that the program would “bring leaders and new advocates together, and provide a shared foundation for Israel advocacy on campus.”
Adelmann said she was glad that students had the chance to learn new tools for advocacy on campus, as well as discuss specific anti-Israel activities on their individual campuses.
Student participants agreed. “It was very helpful to learn about Israel through the organized activities,” said Penn State junior Sarah Hochberg, a leader at the Hillel on her campus. “I also learned how students at other schools incorporate Israeli culture and education into their events, as well as how they deal with conflicts. I will use this knowledge to plan meaningful events at Penn State.”
Organizers expressed the hope that the program will be a model for future collaborative efforts, and that the relationships developed between the campuses will lead to joint advocacy initiatives throughout the region.
• Samantha Vinokor, ICB Reporter