With the start of the new school year, anti-Israel activists on college campuses from Columbia to Michigan have wasted little time in resuming activity which, last year, led to one of the most disruptive and fraught school years on campus since the Vietnam War.
To name just a few incidents…
A student at the University of Michigan was assaulted after being asked if he was Jewish and answering yes.
At Cornell, a professor who publicly celebrated the Hamas invasion ended his voluntary leave and is now back in the classroom.
The Drexel University Chabad Jewish Center was vandalized with the message “Free Palestine! Stop arming Zionist Genocide!”
National Students for Justice in Palestine announced a Week of Rage on college campuses nationwide from October 7-11, 2024.
The list goes on. And on.
Teen Israel Leadership Council
Against this backdrop, 21 high school juniors have begun a two-year Israel advocacy program. Their goal? To become influential Jewish leaders at their future colleges. Now in its 23rd year, the Teen Israel Leadership Council (formerly, Write On For Israel) has never been more important. Today’s students need to learn about Jewish history in Israel and connect with pro-Israel communities on campus. Regardless of their stance, they need to have the tools to combat hate.
The Only Program of Its Kind
TILC is funded by generous donors who have long understood the importance of preparing the next generation of Jewish leaders. This groundbreaking program is the only one of its kind in the country.
Our teens meet for monthly seminars to ask tough questions, grapple with difficult ideas, and engage in respectful civil discourse. All while acknowledging that not all that Israel has done is beyond questioning or reproach. By addressing events honestly and critically, our fellows head to college with a level of confidence and commitment rarely seen in students their age.
Moreover, through meeting with experts and educators (both in the US and Israel), students receive up-to-the-minute briefings on current events. Here, they learn the dynamics of pro and anti-Israel activity on campus. Specifically, the importance of building coalitions among diverse communities to generate support. Another vital piece of our work is helping them develop effective arguments. This ensures that no matter where they’re confronted (classroom, dorm room, or on the college green) they can address complex issues calmly and intelligently.
Lobbying Congress in Washington, DC and Visiting Israel
In May, we will be taking our fellows to Washington, DC to lobby members of Congress to support the US-Israel relationship and to vote in favor of continued US aid.
The culmination of the program is a study mission to Israel during their senior year of high school. During the trip, our teens meet with thought leaders, journalists, diplomats, IDF officers, and everyday Israelis on the frontlines of the conflict.
This year’s cohort is comprised of students from 10 different high schools, representing the diversity of our Jewish community. As a result, friendships blossom between students of vastly different backgrounds, united by their love for Israel.
What Teen Council Graduates Have Accomplished
Our (close to 1,000) graduates have achieved so much at college! They’ve taken up positions of leadership in pro-Israel organizations at schools like Columbia, Cornell, Wisconsin, NYU, University of Pittsburgh, Michigan, Harvard, Wash U, and others. Several have used their writing skills to advocate through campus and online publications. We love how they’ve become the voices of the pro-Israel community. Others have joined student government or used their passion for progressive causes to bring a pro-Israel voice to environmental, women’s or LGBTQ tables.
For all our graduates, the program has informed their understanding of complex issues around Israel and its place in the region. Each of them has moved on with the confidence to intellectually engage peers and professors alike. But most of all, they’re continuing to deepen their connection to Israel and Jewish peoplehood during their formative years at college, and beyond.