By Will Minkin
On many college campuses today, the conversation around Israel has become confusing and contentious. The voices advocating for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism have grown louder.
College students who advocate for Israel may be ostracized for their views. Those who believe in and support progressive causes may be questioned about how they can support those ideals while also supporting Israel.
This concept of intersectionality can be confusing and distressful, particularly for students making the adjustment to life as a college freshman.
At the same time, there are approximately 500 anti-Israel events held on American college campuses in an average academic year, according to the Anti-Defamation league. And that does not take into account the ones that occur between students or between students and professors.
Even during the pandemic, the ADL has seen an increase in anti-Semitism and anti-Israel rhetoric.
It has become increasingly apparent that many freshmen entering college will face at least one instance of anti-Semitism and/or an anti-Israel confrontation. Unfortunately, too many do not have the knowledge, and thus the confidence, to respond. And so it is easier to simply walk away, and the seeds of apathy as well as alienation are planted.
In an effort to help Jewish students navigate this complex issue, The Associated’s Insight Israel Forum partnered with the Joseph and Sarah Weinberg Foundation and OpenDor Media – Media for the Jewish Future for the national release of an innovative six-part video mini-series, “The Israeli-Palestinian Context.” Our goal is to provide students with the knowledge, context and perspectives about the transition to campus life and the topic of Israel.
OpenDor Media has a creative approach of using YouTube/social media platforms, which young people view an average of 90 minutes daily. These videos — with intentionally provocative titles such as “Does Israel Act as an Apartheid State?” and “Is Israel an Occupying Power?” — include diverse viewpoints from a teen’s lens regarding Israel education.
Each of the six YouTube videos, approximately seven minutes in length, explore and explain complex, historical and modern issues for the whole Jewish community, although it is primarily targeted for students and young adults.
The OpenDor YouTube series plans to reach 20,000 students in 100 schools throughout the United States. By utilizing social media platforms, this project enables Israel education to be easily accessible to all by providing concise, objective information that is thought-provoking for Jewish teens as they continue on a journey of exploration and education.
As a parent of two teenagers and co-chair of The Associated’s Insight Israel Forum, I had the opportunity to participate in these virtual “Campus Conversations” sessions that included video clips and moderated panels facilitated by Dr. Neil Rubin and featuring Baltimore area Hillel directors, YouTube series director Dr. Noam Weissman, senior vice president of OpenDor Media, and project producer Ariel Nishli.
The discussion and discourse I heard reiterated the importance of what we are doing. I was impressed with the conversation and the teens’ differing viewpoints.
One of the students remarked that she admires and supports Israel greatly, but the Israeli-Palestinian conflict causes angst and frustration and conflicts with her Jewish values. Although not everyone was of the same opinion, the participants and the panel managed to have a civil, informative conversation that showcased multiple sides of the issue and provided both facts and skills to help the students respond.
During the first “Campus Conversations,” high school students and participants — including some from the Netivon and Achshav programs, along with their parents — viewed and then discussed the YouTube video, “Can you be a Zionist and a Progressive?”
Dr. Weissman unequivocally and proudly declared a resounding YES to the aforementioned question, and the ensuring discourse was provocative.
As a community, we all need to engage in more ongoing, meaningful and sometimes difficult conversations on the issues confronting us as Jews and Americans. If we do not engage now, apathy or misinformation become the norm.
Dialogue is key, and most important, actively listening to our teens enhances education about Israel while strengthening our global Jewish awareness and identity.
For information or questions, contact Jeffrey Blavatt, executive director of The Associated’s Insight Israel Forum, at jblavatt@associated.org.
Will Minkin serves as co-chair of The Associated’s Insight Israel Forum with Dr. Lisa Abrams and Atara Frankel.
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