American student leaders engage in a discussion with Ohad Ben Ami, a survivor of Hamas captivity
In a bid to equip student leaders with the necessary knowledge and tools to become effective voices for Israel on their campuses, a diverse delegation of students from 24 major US universities recently embarked on a 10-day activist mission to Israel.
The purpose of this intensive mission was to expose these students to the realities of recent wars, the impact of terrorism, and the challenges posed by global misinformation campaigns against Israel. The mission aimed to provide these students with firsthand knowledge, strategic tools, and personal encounters that would empower them to become effective pro-Israel activists.
During the trip, student leaders engaged in deeply impactful experiences. They met with former Hamas hostage Ohad Ben Ami, connecting with families of hostages at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, and received security briefings at Israel's northern border. The students also visited places affected by terror, including towns scarred by war and historical sites like the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron and Mount Herzl. These encounters were designed to provide emotional and factual context about Israel’s security situation and the brutality faced during episodes like the Nova Festival massacre.
The impact of this mission is that these students return to their university campuses as informed, passionate advocates. Armed with the truth and the ability to refute misinformation, they aim to combat antisemitism and anti-Israel propaganda, upholding proud Zionist narratives and supporting Israel’s legitimacy with moral clarity and a strengthened voice.
Alan Levine, CEO of Hasbara Fellowships, stated that the mission is about shaping the future by empowering student leaders with truth, context, and tools to lead with confidence and integrity. Sam May from the University of Texas expressed the importance of learning the truth firsthand to fight against antisemitism.
The trip, organized by Hasbara Fellowships in partnership with IsraelAmbassadors.com, concluded with a communications summit featuring experts such as journalist Gil Hoffman, scholar Khaled Abu Toameh, and media trainer David Olesker. The student leaders will return not only with firsthand knowledge but with a renewed commitment to share Israel's story with clarity and conviction.
This mission represents a strong investment in informed, principled leadership in response to escalating antisemitism and polarization on college campuses and beyond. The student leaders will be ready to refute lies and propaganda against Israel on campus when they return to their campuses as proud Zionists.
In the pursuit of becoming effective advocates for Israel, these student leaders gained a deeper understanding of war and conflicts, politics, general news, crime and justice, and education-and-self-development. The experiences on the mission equipped them with the truth, context, and tools necessary to combat antisemitism, anti-Israel propaganda, and misinformation, playing a significant role in the fight against escalating polarization on university campuses and beyond.
