Mitchell Bard

The annual campus hate fests that attempt to tar Israel with a comparison to the discriminatory policies of the old South African regime have come and gone. On most U.S. campuses, they didn’t cause a ripple. They’ve become as predictable and ineffective as the forecasts of Punxsutawney Phil. Events attracted members of the anti-Israel choir and few others and most were eclipsed by “peace weeks” sponsored by pro-Israel groups. Much time and energy, however, was devoted to responding to the canard linking Israel and South Africa and too often Israel’s defenders played into the delegitimizers’ hands by repeating their language. It is time that pro-Israel activists banish the A- word from their vocabulary.

To the extent the delegitimizers have had any success it has been in putting Israel on the defensive. Israelis are essentially being accused of beating their spouses and we respond that Israelis don’t beat their spouses. Besides being put on the spot, this type of reaction repeats the libel and may stick in the mind of the listener. The anti-Semites want Israel to be linked with the A-word and every time we say Israel is not an A state, we remind people that Israel and the A-word are somehow associated.

A good example is a series of posters that I initially loved, which show pictures of Israelis from diverse backgrounds with tiny text explaining who they are and beneath it in large letters the A-word with a question mark. The message of diversity is a great one, but I fear that what sticks most in the mind is the word in large type, which, again, links that word to Israel.

Students did a great job this year writing op-eds in school papers addressing the issue and making clear the distinctions between Israel and South Africa. The problem is that they were almost always defensive and repeated the A-word.

The anti-Israel festivals also allowed Israel’s detractors to set the agenda on some campuses. Israel peace weeks were cast by some as a reaction to these events rather than as programs designed to promote dialogue, tolerance and peace. In the future, perhaps it will be better if the pro-Israel events are held at a totally different time so it is clearer that they are not counters to hate weeks.

More important, the pro-Israel students need to do more to set the agenda by having sustained programming throughout the year. They should not be submitting their first op-eds to defend Israel against the A-word; rather, students should write positive articles throughout the year. They should use the monthly themes in The Israel Calendar as guides for planning events throughout the year that create a positive, pro-Israel atmosphere on campus. Students should have a table in the main area of campus with an Israeli flag every day to stake out their claim that the campus is a place where supporters of Israel are proud, unafraid and asserting their right to present their peers with an accurate picture of the Jewish State and the people who live there.

If a steady drumbeat of positive and accurate information is dispensed throughout the year by pro-Israel students, there will be little danger that a week’s worth of hate speech directed at Israel will influence the campus. In fact, their negativity and vitriol will most likely backfire and expose the sponsors as extremists who have no interest in peace, tolerance or human rights.

Israel’s detractors have persistently used Big Lies to try to tarnish Israel’s image. The South Africa analogy is one of the worst of these lies and we need to be more careful that our responses do not inadvertently reinforce the liars’ message. Let’s resolve to restrict our use of the A-word to its proper historical context and never use it in any discussion related to Israel.

About the Author

Mitchell Bard is the Executive Director of the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise and author of The Arab Lobby: The Invisible Alliance That Undermines America’s Interests in the Middle East and Israel Matters: Understand the Past – Look to the Future.

Undergraduates can choose to spend a semester or year at RIS taking courses taught in English, learning the Hebrew language and joining fellow students in excursions around the city. The program includes an Ulpan, Hebrew and/or Arabic language instruction, and a wide variety of courses taught in English.

For more information about the study abroad program, please visit overseas.huji.ac.il/usap.

About the Hebrew University

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is Israel’s second-oldest university. The world’s largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J. Safra Givat Ram campus.

For more information about the Hebrew University, please visit www.huji.ac.il/huji/eng.

These include semester and summer programs for undergraduates and graduates alike. We offer courses in English mainly during the spring semester in fields of Engineering, Science, Business & Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development. You may choose from a list of courses or join more specific programs.

We also offer graduate students the following opportunities:

• American Medical School – designed for graduates of pre-med tracks with MCATs
• A variety of engineering and science graduate programs

For more information about Technion and its programs, please visit www.ise.technion.ac.il.

About Technion

A science and technology research university, among the world’s top ten, dedicated to the creation of knowledge and the development of human capital and leadership, for the advancement of the State of Israel and all humanity.

For more information about Technion, visit www.technion.ac.il/en.

Students will study academics at both Tel Aviv University and Assaf Harofeh Medical Center. Volunteer work will be in conjunction with Magen David Adom ambulance services after passing a First Aid training course. Students will also be invited to participate in medical research at Assaf Harofeh Medical Center.

For more information, visit the program page on the Tel Aviv University website.

About Tel Aviv University

Tel Aviv University is the country‘s largest academic institution, boasting a diverse and dynamic student body. Its faculty is comprised of nationally and internationally renowned scholars and scientists, many of whom are leaders in their fields. Tel Aviv University is a major center of teaching and research, comprising nine faculties, 106 departments, and 90 research institutes. Its origins go back to 1956, when three small education units – The Tel Aviv School of Law and Economics, an Institute of Natural Sciences, and an Institute of Jewish Studies – joined together to form the University of Tel Aviv.

Tel Aviv University offers an extensive range of study programs in the arts and sciences within its Faculties of Engineering, Exact Sciences, Life Sciences, Medicine, Humanities, Law, Social Sciences, Management and the Arts. The original 170-acre campus has been expanded to include an additional 50-acre tract, now being developed.

For more about Tel Aviv University, visit international.tau.ac.il.

Time off?

Take your Summer On.

If you’re young, wild, free, and between the ages of 18-30, life should be a beach…especially if that beach happens to be a few miles away from a fabulous internship, service, or study program. The best of all worlds is a place where fun meets future, East meets West, hi-tech meets history. A place where body meets soul, sand meets silicon chips, and your CV gets some serious love from right to left.

Yes, Israel.

For more information, visit www.myisraelsummer.com/.

Onward Israel – Yalla!

When you grow, so do your opportunities. Global experience gives you that extra competitive edge.

Our summer programs take you onward – personally and professionally – and allow you real networking opportunities with Israeli peers and an authentic taste of modern day Israel., whatever track you choose: internship, service learning, or study program.

Onward Israel is designed with the beginning in mind: The beginning of your success story.

Start up your future in Israel this summer. Yalla!

For more information, visit www.onwardisrael.com.

About the Jewish Agency for Israel

For over 80 years, the Jewish Agency has served as the link between the Jewish people and Israel, working to ensure the future of a connected, committed, global Jewish People with a strong Israel at its center. Together, we helped create and build the State and brought over 3 million Jews to Israel.

Today, we continue our work to secure the Jewish future. As we bring more olim and stand ready as the Jewish world’s first responder to crises both in Israel and around the world, the Jewish Agency is redirecting its primary focus toward the greatest challenge we currently face as a people – strengthening the Jewish identity of young Jews in both the Diaspora and Israel. Indeed, the solutions to local and overseas challenges facing Jews around the world depend on our revitalizing a strong sense of Jewish community, which has faded over the last generation.

For more information about JAFI, please visit www.jafi.org.il.

As an international student at BGU, you will study Hebrew language, in addition to choosing from a variety of courses taught in English that are designed to enhance and connect with your experience in Israel.

To complement your academic studies, you will be encouraged to participate in volunteer service, which will deepen your knowledge and exposure to Israel and its people.

You will live in dormitory apartments with Israeli students, providing you with the opportunity to practice your Hebrew and forge a genuine connection with Israelis.

You will also explore Israel on trips organized by OSP, where you will learn about the country’s history, landscape and diverse traditions. Finally, as a student at BGU, you will become a part of the University’s vibrant student body and gain a deep understanding of Israeli life from the “inside.”

For More Information

For information about applying for the overseas student program, please visit www.aabgu.org/osp.

About Ben-Gurion University

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev was established in 1969 with the aim to bring development to the Negev, a desert area comprising more than sixty percent of the country. The University was inspired by the vision of Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, who believed that the future of the country lay in this region.

Today, Ben-Gurion University is a major center for teaching and research, with campuses in Beer-Sheva, including the Marcus Family Campus, as well as in Eilat and Sede Boqer, where Ben-Gurion lived in his final years and is buried. More than 19,000 students are enrolled in the Faculties of Engineering Sciences, Health Sciences, Natural Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, the Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management and the Kreitman School of Advanced Graduate Studies. The University also includes major research institutes such as the National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research with its Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies and the Ben-Gurion Research Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism. New interdisciplinary degree programs are redefining the boundaries between the Faculties and attracting outstanding students. Its world-famous Joyce and Irving Goldman Medical School has become a model for community-oriented and global medicine, while social work and education degree programs supply Beer-Sheva and the region with the majority of its social service personnel.

For more information about Ben-Gurion University, visit in.bgu.ac.il/en.

For a list of these, download the this PDF of AIPAC Campus Training Opportunities.

About AIPAC

AIPAC is a 100,000-member grassroots movement of activists committed to ensuring Israel’s security and protecting American interests in the Middle East and around the world. AIPAC’s priority is to ensure that both America and Israel remain strong and that they collaborate closely together.

Described by The New York Times as “the most important organization affecting America’s relationship with Israel,” AIPAC advocates for U.S. cooperation with Israel on a wide range of issues. From promoting peace between Israel and its neighbors to facilitating U.S.-Israel exchanges of expertise and equipment for homeland security, defense and counterterrorism to collaborating on technology, science and agricultural products, AIPAC is there to encourage the close working relationship between the countries.

AIPAC is registered as a domestic lobby and supported financially by private donations. The organization receives no financial assistance from Israel, from any national organization or any foreign group. AIPAC is not a political action committee and it does not rate, endorse or contribute to candidates.

For more information about AIPAC, visit www.aipac.org.

Internship time line: August Summer training, September 2012 – May 2013 (could be extended according to organization need and intern performance)

The Benefits

• Paid internship
• A budget for programming on campus
• Free attendance to annual Young Zionist Leadership (YZL) Conference in Miami, FL.
• Priority registration for all other WZO events and conferences
• Access to dozens of pre-built Israel programs to run on your campus
• Entrance to a network of interns and professionals spanning the entire North American continent
• Resources and connections provided by one of the oldest and largest Zionist organizations in the world

Expectations

• Run AT LEAST two WZO events on campus per month (or more, depending on the size of your campus)
• Promote all WZO national events and campaigns
• Commit a MINUMUM of 5 hours per week to your internship activities
• Monthly conference calls with your WZO supervisor
• Participation in the summer training for all WZO interns
• Contribute to the Zionist activities and organizations already existing on campus
• Become an integral part of all Israel activity on programming on your campus
• Become the key resource for ALL things Israel (i.e. not just politics, advocacy, etc.)
• Spread Zionism and build a Zionist community on your campus

The ideal candidate

• Someone already involved in his or her campus’ Israel community, with preference to those who have experience planning events
• Someone who has demonstrated a serious commitment and interest to Israel and Zionism
• Someone who has also demonstrated a responsible nature in related activities
• Past participation in a Long Term Program in Israel (preferable but not a must).
• Someone willing to devote and commit themselves entirely to serious position that involves consistent activity, evaluation, and reporting to superiors
• Must be a current Freshman, Sophomore, or Junior

To Apply

Applications open Monday, March 26th, 2012 for Aug 2012-May 2013.

Contact Shoshanna Howard at shoshannah@wzo.org.il or (415) 742-0776.

About the World Zionist Organization

World Zionist Organization North America Department for Diaspora Activities is the branch of the WZO that works primarily to introduce Jews in the Diaspora to different aspects of Israeli culture, politics and society through quality educational content and programming.

WZO North America was created to encourage students and young professionals throughout the United States and Canada to continue and strengthen the relevance and importance of Zionism on campuses and in their everyday lives. Our goal is to work closely with youth movements, university students, and adults by creating programming that ensures Zionism remains an integral aspect of Jewish thought on campus and throughout North American communities. These programs include leadership seminars, conferences, networking events, on-campus activities and community-wide events.

For more information about WZO, visit www.izionist.org/na.

Responsibilities

• Assist in community outreach to monitor updates and aid in planning programs, campaigns and consultations.
• Writing content for IAN website, newsletters, memos, promotional programming and materials.
• Assist in maintenance and development of IAN website.
• Attend/take notes on/transcribe press/conference calls.
• Conducting research for ongoing projects, communications and field work.
• Helping with the production of documents and events.
• Assisting with correspondence, phone work and general office tasks as they arise.

Qualifications and Attributes

• Previous experience in the fields of community organizing, communications, marketing or similar.
• Knowledge of Middle East Affairs and/or the issues related to Israel de-legitimization and the BDS movement
• Outstanding communication skills, written and verbal, internal and external.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, Social Media Platforms web publishing and content management systems
• Detail oriented
• Strong team player
• Strong self starter
• Commitment to the mission of the Israel Action Network, Jewish Federations of North America and Jewish Council for Public Affairs.

To Apply

For more information or to apply, contact Emily Hochberg at emily.hochberg@jewishfederations.org or (212) 284-6559.

About the Israel Action Network

The Israel Action Network (IAN) is a strategic initiative of the Jewish Federations of North America, in partnership with the Jewish Council for Public Affairs to counter the assault on Israel’s legitimacy. Israel today faces an intensive and increasingly sophisticated assault on its right to exist as a sovereign democratic Jewish state. The IAN was created to educate, organize and mobilize the organized North American Jewish community to develop strategic approaches to countering these assaults and develop innovative efforts to change the conversation about Israel and achieving peace and security for two states for two peoples. Our work is grounded in building strong relationships with people of faith, human rights advocates, political and civic leaders, and friends and neighbors in our communities. With the help of these allies, we are developing a broader understanding of Israel and Israelis and are working together to address these issues.

For more information about the Israel Action Network, visit www.israelactionnetwork.org.

This is the premier leadership development and brotherhood bonding event of the year. The opportunity to share Fraternity in its truest sense with Brothers from around the world occurs at the International Convention.

Location

The Palmer House Hilton Hotel, 17 East Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603

Undergraduates

• Recruitment University: We will be hosting Recruitment University again this year! This is an intensive one-day training workshop on recruiting. It will begin Wednesday, July 25 (the day before Leadership School begins) at 2:00pm. It is free of charge but we will have a $50 deposit that will be fully refunded at the completion of the program. Register quickly because only the first 40 delegates will be accepted!
• Attendance Requirements: All Colonies and Chapters that have been opened for more than two years are required to send two Delegates. All Colonies opened for less than two years are required to send one Delegate. Additional Delegates are welcome to attend.
• The Second City: On Friday evening, we are offering tickets for $28 per person to the 8pm main stage show at The Second City Comedy Club. The Second City specializes in sketch comedy and improv and has been delighting audiences for over 50 years. Many SNL Comedians got their start at The Second City, including Horatio Sanz, Chris Farley, Tina Fey, and Jason Sudeikis. Purchase your ticket through this registration process.

Alumni

• Guest & Spouse Programming: Chicago is an amazing city full of notable museums, historic architecture, the famous Navy Pier, two major league baseball teams, and top notch shopping! Excursions will be coordinated to experience the Windy City!
• ZBT Career Fair: This year we are hosting a ZBT Career Fair on Saturday, July 28, 2012 at 3:30pm. The Career Fair will provide undergraduates the opportunity to network with alumni and alumni the opportunity to mentor undergraduates. The undergraduates will have the opportunity to visit the Career Fair to learn more about their desired profession and receive advice from alumni working in the field. If you are interested, please let us know on your registration.
• Volunteer Institute Program (VIP): For Chapter Advisors and Assistant Chapter Advisors, get the tools needed to work with today’s undergraduate students in the context of ZBT’s Ritual, Mission Statement and Credo. Space is limited so submit the application form as soon as possible. You will be notified by early April regarding your selection to attend VIP, so please hold of on registering for Convention until you are notified about your VIP application.
• Ronald M. Mankoff Alumni Panel: View who we currently have speaking on the Ronald M. Mankoff Alumni Panel.

For More Information

For more information or to register, please visit www.zbt.org/component/content/article/71.html.

About Zeta Beta Tau

The mission of Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity (ZBT) is to foster and develop in its membership the tenets of its Credo: Intellectual Awareness, Social Responsibility, Integrity and Brotherly Love, in order to prepare its members for positions of leadership and service within their communities.

Mindful of its founding in 1898 as the Nation’s first Jewish Fraternity, ZBT will preserve and cultivate its relationships within the Jewish community. Since 1954, ZBT has been committed to its policy of non-sectarian Brotherhood, and values the diversity of its membership. ZBT will recruit and initiate men of good character, regardless of religion, race or creed who are accepting of these principles.

For more about Zeta Beta Tau, visit www.zbt.org.