By: Abram Shanedling

Pro-Israel student groups across the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest region are hard at work and already making quite a difference.

University of Georgia:

Under the leadership of Leslie Herskowitz and Lauren Light, Dawgs for Israel is planning several opportunities for UGA students to experience Israel and learn how/why to support the country. Upcoming events in the works include a Krav Maga (Israeli martial arts) training seminar, an annual dinner reception, and a current events/Iran update by Hasbara Fellowships in October!

Johns Hopkins University:

After a former opinion editor at the Johns Hopkins News-Letter published this bias and out-of-context column about the situation in Gaza, Hasbara Fellow and President of the Coalition of Hopkins Activists for Israel (CHAI) Aliza Fishbein quickly mobilized and had published an extremely thoughtful response.

“Those who doubt Israel's commitment to peace ultimately undermine the very process of achieving that true and lasting peace that Israel seeks,” Fishbein writes.  “At a leading academic institution like Johns Hopkins it is our responsibility to support those who share our values of democracy and human dignity; it is our duty to support Israel.”

Next week, I’ll be visiting Hopkins to help out CHAI as the group plans to table in support of Israel.

George Washington University:

This week the Student Alliance for Israel (SAFI), with Hasbara Fellows Rachel Goldrich, Emily Alloy, Lindy Wisotsky, and Rebecca Abramson are treating GW students to two unique learning experiences about Israel.

The first, Monday evening, was an intimate discussion in the Succah with three Ethiopian Israeli teenagers who discussed their lives as Ethiopian Jews living in Israel. And Tuesday night, SAFI, in partnership with the GW Interfaith Action and the OneVoice Movement hosted an interactive session with two youth leaders– Palestinian Ahmad Omeir and Israeli Danny Shaket – about the promotion of dialogue and coexistence.

Michigan State University:

Up in the mitten state, Hasbara Fellow Jackie Schwartz and President of Spartans for Israel Ziev Beresh are working hard to plan several new programs for MSU students, including bringing in representatives from Our Soldiers Speak to discuss the moral dilemmas and split second decisions IDF soldiers face on a daily basis in the field.