This week the largest pro-Israel extra-curricular academic program for visiting Chinese students in Israel kicked off its third consecutive year.
Run by Im Tirtzu, the program offers tours and lectures to visiting Chinese students aimed at turning them into goodwill ambassadors for Israel upon their return to China.
Now starting its third year at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the program has already brought hundreds of Chinese students to a variety of different locations across the country, including Jerusalem, Hebron, Sderot, Samaria, Gush Etzion, and the Negev.
This year, the program plans to expand to Tel-Aviv University as well.
On Sunday, dozens of Chinese students participated in the first event of the program for the 2019-2020 academic year, which visited Jerusalem. The students toured the City of David, Mount of Olives, Western Wall, Tomb of Absalom and other Jerusalem landmarks, and also learned about the current challenges facing the city.
Over the past few years, Chinese enrollment in Israeli universities has sky-rocketed, with thousands of Chinese students currently studying in Israel.
According to Im Tirtzu, ensuring that the Chinese students learn the truth about Israel and can effectively advocate on its behalf when they return to in China is an invaluable asset to Israel.
Tamir Baram, who oversees the project for Im Tirtzu, said that there is a strong desire among the visiting Chinese students to learn more about Israel.
“The strong connection between the Jewish People and the Land of Israel is something that resonates with the students,” said Baram, adding, “Our program allows the students to experience this connection firsthand and to learn more about Israel in a way that they would otherwise not have the opportunity to do so.”
“Thanks to this unique program, hundreds of Chinese students are becoming goodwill ambassadors for Israel in the world’s most populated country,” he added.