'We are not afraid': US university students arrive in Israel as antisemitism rocks campuses
"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,” Josh Shain, Columbia University student and delegation member, remarked.
A delegation of pro-Israel Jewish student leaders from universities embroiled in campus anti-Israel activity has arrived in Israel to develop strategies to combat antisemitism and anti-Israel propaganda on their campuses.
The two dozen students from the group hail from universities such as Columbia, Rutgers, New York University, Western Ontario University, and the University of Texas, among others.
The student leaders are scheduled to engage with top Israeli officials, hear first-hand testimonies from survivors of the October 7 massacre in the south of Israel, meet with family members of hostages held in Gaza, and visit the Southern Gaza border communities, including Kibbutzim, affected by the terrorist attacks.
"We are here, as Jewish and Zionist student leaders, to educate ourselves and to send a message of solidarity,” Alan Levine, executive director of Hasbara Fellowships, explained.
Hasbara Fellowships, along with IsraelAmbassadors.com, sponsored the mission.
“We are not afraid to come to Israel, and we will not be afraid to stand with Israel on our campuses,” Levine continued.
“By meeting Israeli leaders, families of hostages, and heroic IDF soldiers on the front lines, we are sending a message to the haters on campus and to our fellow Jewish students: we are not afraid,” Levine added.
MK Danny Danon welcomes the delegation
Likud MK Danny Danon welcomed the delegation upon their arrival.
“We deeply appreciate your commitment to standing up for Israel and opposing antisemitism on campus," the MK and former Ambassador to the United Nations 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," he added.
“I am scared for the future of my University because of the recent events on campus. Students no longer feel safe. 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,” Josh Shain, a Columbia University student and delegation member, remarked.
Columbia University has faced widespread criticism due to the president's handling of antisemitism on campus and its handling of its campus's anti-Israel encampments. The university's president, Minouche Shafik, already appeared before a US House hearing on how the administration is handling the antisemitism across campus.
Jack Landstein, a student at the University of Michigan, commented, “With the rise of antisemitism after October 7, I 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.”
In the Anti-Defamation League’s antisemitism report card, designed to track antisemitism on US college campuses, the University of Michigan received a D, citing recent anti-Zionist student government activity.
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