On Campus

Balloons, filled with helium stolen from Gaza hospitals, are equipped with bombs, grenades and other flammable materials, and then sent flying into the air, which the Arabs hope will incinerate Israel. How one Israeli High School attempts to tackle the problem

The American Jewish community is rightly concerned about Israel’s standing among college students, especially among college students who identify as Jews. Community leaders reason that the attitudes towards Israel that develop among college students today will shape the way America and the American Jewish community relate to Israel tomorrow.

Today, students come to study in Israel for many reasons, including professional advancement, academic requirements, personal growth, international experience, an alternative to the classroom and, of course, a connection to their Jewish heritage.

UN vote reactions. BDS efforts. Anti-Israel Conferences. Gilad Shalit’s release. Social media advocacy. Failed and successful collaborations.

Anti-Israel lies, incitement, and hate speech are often tolerated under the banners of academic freedom and free speech.

A careful look at the BDS movement shows not legitimate criticism but a movement that is racist and anti-Semitic. Why? BDS clearly targets Israel. Its stated goals vary but all include the "right of return" for Palestinian "refugees." The effort is cloaked to give the impression that ending specific Israeli policies would also end efforts to ostracize Israel. Yet their maximalist demand -- a flood of refugees, which would spell the end of Israel as a Jewish state -- is carefully hidden.

In past years, students turned to the people they knew for advice or strived to build creative plans on their own. While these approaches can yield strong results, imagine what could be achieved with a nationally networked resource that provides the best of all worlds -- tested, proven programming ideas and step-by-step details of best practices for impacting the campus environment.

Avi Gordon, executive director of Alums for Campus Fairness, continued, But what happened at Virginia Tech is extra vile because of how it happened and it was unanimous … and it happened rapidly.

It is clear to me and others that there has been a concerted effort to limit Jewish hires at CUNY, especially when it comes to Orthodox and openly Zionist Jews, Lax told The Jewish Press.

As they look back at the recently completed academic year, many campus Israel activists can point to examples of apartheid walls and walkouts, but these instances do little to ruffle their optimism. As they look ahead to the upcoming academic year, they focus on improving the campus Israel environment and building a stronger community commitment to peace and coexistence.

Though still a minority, many women are changing the landscape and breaking new ground for future female leaders. Pro-Israel organizations StandWithUs and The Israel Project both were established by females.

If campus Israel activists spend much of the school year planning activities, building coalitions and spreading information, summer offers the chance to step back from the tactical realities of daily activism and take a longer, more strategic view of the situation.

Many campus Israel groups have brought Israeli soldiers to speak at their schools in recent years because they value the insights and perspectives IDF veterans bring to the campus Israel dialogue. But some people who have had life-changing experiences serving in the Israel Defense Forces later earn their college degree in the United States. These students offer a unique view on Israel, based on their experience, and their advocacy on campus conveys that.

As college seniors approach graduation and questions about their "next step," they are faced with the difficult reality of a tight job market and a slow economic recovery. These facts have prompted a small but significant number of students to explore the professional benefits, as well as the Zionist fulfillment, that might flow from life in Israel.

Of course the very texts of the scrolls confirm a fundamental historical Jewish connection to the land.

Summer break brings countless ways to become a more skilled advocate for Israel. Many organizations, including The David Project, StandWithUs, Hasbara Fellowships, the Israel on Campus Coalition and others offer students opportunities to learn how to strengthen their skills on campus.

As students prepare for the new academic year, the campus Israel community is stocking up with new ideas for attracting participants.

Brandeis professors' emails reveal disdain for America, “Obomber” and “Israelists.”

J Street U groups should be showing "The J Street Challenge"

He said, Even though there are these issues… I would not say to Jewish students or Israeli students not to come here… I think they will have an amazing experience. There will be some tough times, but I think it will happen at almost every university in the U.S., sadly.

If the word “Summernary,” is not familiar, don't bother looking it up in your dictionary. It is a term coined to describe a one-week women’s learning program now in its second year.