By David Plotkin

On March 22^nd from 10:30am to 3:00pm, the actively Zionist pro-Israel club on campus “McGill Friends of Israel” held a tabling campaign to promote democratic values and human rights.

Members of the MFI executive handed out information cards and diligently answered questions from curious McGill students. While McGill, the “Harvard of Canada,” is generally low key with regards to anti-Israel rhetoric, (perhaps in large part due to the diligence afforded our studies), the “Support Human Rights? Support Israel” campaign was a great tool to highlight the shared values of Canada and Israel.

One student came up to our table and inquired, with genuine curiosity: “Why do you support Israel?” After explaining to him the liberal democratic freedoms that Israel holds dear and highlighted Israel’s commitment to human rights, this student simply concluded: “Oh, then I guess I support Israel too!” While one could easily lament this student’s ignorance, I prefer to take a more flattering approach. This student was able to understand and appreciate the lowest common denominator – as Canadians, we have a moral responsibility to support Israel as a sister liberal democracy and a beacon of human rights in a region whose leaders kill their citizens in the streets for voicing their displeasure.

Kol Hakavod to Hasbara Fellows Zach Paikin, Michael Morgenthau, Russell Sitrit-Leibovich, Mikie Schwartz and soon-to-be Fellows Ivana Khadoury and Lainie Schwartz. As this semester winds down, and I approach my long-awaited graduation, I know that our club is in good, competent hands for the coming year.

Changing minds, changing attitudes.

One student at a time.