Elliot Chodoff at Yeshiva University/ Stern College!

At Yeshiva University's Weissburg Commons, Elliot Chodoff spoke to a packed crowd of over 200 students! Students from both the Stern and YU campuses came together for a night of insightful personal reflections into the events of this past summer in Gaza. Chodoff told the attentive crowd how he was welcomed into the Gush Katif community, the events that led up to the implementation of the disengagement plan, and about the days that followed. The crowd came together at 7:30 p.m. and were addressed by Mr. Chodoff as they ate falafel. Congratulations to Yael Schiller for undertaking the planning of this event, and to all the Hasbara Fellows for their help with the event!

Elliot Chodoff in Western Ontario!

Israel activities at the University of Western Ontario got off to a great start on September 21st with Elliot Chodoff speaking to a full lecture hall. In fascinating detail, Elliot described his experience as an IDF reservist serving in Gaza during the disengagement. Drawing from both his expertise in media analysis and his experience on the ground, Elliot illustrated how the news coverage of the disengagement painted a sensationalized picture of events. Elliot described the protest of Israel’s disengagement as one that took place within clear, self-imposed limits. Through describing coordination between Gush Katif community leaders and the IDF in implementing the disengagement in a safe and orderly manner, Elliot emphasized the anti-disengagement struggle as one within a society rather than between societies. Particularly poignant was Eliliot’s description of an impromptu ceremony held by residents and IDF soldiers at the edge of Gaza, enabling all to feel a sense of closure. Hasbara fellows Steven Buchalter, Tamar Krauss and Matt Fisher worked hard to ensure the event’s success. Look for more great programming coming from Western!

Campus Coordinator Gordon Brandt introducing Elliot Chodoff.

Elliot Chodoff addressing the group.

Elliot Chodoff addressing the group.

The Passing of Simon Wiesenthal (1908 - 2005)

The following is a very nice eulogy of Simon Wiesenthal written by Hasbara Fellow Josh Mann

BS"D

To all-

I wanted to send out this email in memory of Simon Wiesenthal. Simon Wiesenthal was an amazing man who passed away recently. He was a Holocaust survivor who made it his mission to bring Nazi murderers to justice and to raise awareness of the atrocities commited against our people.

One of the most important lessons we can learn from Mr. Wiesenthal is that it is our responsibility to always remember who we are and where we came from. As Jews, we all have a special connection to each other and to the State of Israel. Mr. Wiesenthal realized this and worked until the very end of his life to teach this lesson to others.

He began his mission a broken and battered refugee, a survivor, with no country and no possesions. He died knowing that his work helped to ensure that NEVER AGAIN will a Jew have no place to go. NEVER AGAIN will a Jew become a broken and battered refugee. He was laid to rest today in Israel, a place that early in life, he could only dream of.

May we all act with his courage and determination. May his work and the work he inspired be remembered forever so that NEVER AGAIN will the Jewish people be at the mercy of others. May we always remember who we are and where we came from. May we always protect and serve the State of Israel, the Jewish homeland, our homeland, because too many Jews have passed away without having had the oppurtunity to do so. May we never step down in the face of adversity and may we always have faith in Hashem and in our fellow Jew.

This Shabbos, please keep Mr. Wiesenthal and his family in your prayers and in your hearts. Please talk about who he was, what he stood for and what we can learn from him. Even though he has passed away, his spirit must live on within us. He passed the torch onto us and now it is our job to make sure that all Jewish people always remember our history, ancient and modern.

Am Yisrael Chai!

For more information on the life of Mr. Wiesenthal, please click the links below:

http://www.wiesenthal.com/site/pp.asp?c=fwLYKnN8LzH&b=242921

http://info.jpost.com/C005/Supplements/Wiesenthal


B'Shalom,

Joshua Zev Mann
Carnegie Mellon University

David Baker in Michigan!

On Monday evening, David Baker, the senior foreign press coordinator for Prime Minster Ariel Sharon, spoke to the students at the University of Michigan. It was the first mass meeting for Michigan's pro-Israel group AMI, American Movement for Israel and over 70 students were in attendance. Mr. Baker spoke about the challenges he faces dealing with the international media and importance of accurate reporting, regardless of whether it portrays Israel in a positive light or not. He also stressed the importance of building relationships with the media and being in constant contact with them. Mr. Baker then took questions from the audience which ranged from his role in disengagement to advice he could give to students on campus. A special thank you goes to the AMI board, especially co-chair Rachel Snyder who ensured that the evening ran smoothly and worked tirelessly to put the event on.

Great Boston Globe Article

Check out yesterday's fantastic Boston Globe column about Muslim anti-Semitism in Britain. The column deals nicely with the absurb comparison of the Palestinian situation to other past "genocides" in history, including the Holocaust.

West Coast

After a tiring but exciting week of traveling I am finally back in the office for a day before another trip to visit my amazing students at Carnegie Mellon University and University of Pittsburgh. This past week I had the pleasure of spending some time in Tucson, Phoenix, Boulder and Denver meeting with Hasbara Fellows, campus Israel activists, and Hillel staff professionals. University of Arizona students are on fire this year with Israel programming thanks to Hasbara Fellows and Hillel extraordinaires Erin Searle and Drew Alyeshmerni. They just put on an Israeli music concert and we are in the process of planning an Israel education program for the Spring semester. My next stop was at Arizona State University where I was delighted to learn that Hasbara Fellow 02’ Jonathan Berg is now the Hillel Programming Director. After spending some time catching up with ASU student and Hasbara Fellow, Jarred Elias, I was excited to add on another campus to our Teach Kids Peace Week coalition in late October. University of Colorado was not only in beautiful pit-stop in Boulder but I was able to put on a rousing presentation of “Communicating for Israel” for a small group of Hillel activists on campus.



A week on the road and still going! All the best to my California students who are just starting school this week!





Rachel Svinkelstin

Campus Coordinator

Disengagement as an Engagement Tool

There is no doubt that throughout this past summer, before the Katrina disaster, Israel's disengagement was the most watched news story in international news. People throughout the world watched the events unfold, seeing Israel uproot civilians and military in order to achieve peace and security.

As we return to campus, we must focus on the fact that disengagement provides us with a tremendous opportunity to talk about Israel on campus. Whether you supported disengagement or not, it is clear that we all share the same goal of engaging students on campus about Israel. Disengagement put Israel back in the limelight of international news. In addition, the majority of pictures and stories showed an Israel willing to make unbelievable internal sacrifices in order to do what the international world viewed as the right thing to do.

As Israel activists on campus, we should use this focus to engage our fellow students. Have information sessions educating students about disengagement. Bring in great speakers like Elliot Chodoff and Mike Cohen, both of whom were with the IDF in Gaza during the disengagement. In addition, be in touch with your Hasbara Fellowships Campus Coordinators to get other practical ideas on how to educate students during this unique window of opportunity.

Elliot Mathias
Director, Hasbara Fellowships

For the Canadians

My first two weeks in NY have been great – but there’s no time to get too comfortable. I’m gearing up for a marathon trip across Canada. If only I was going on motorcycle… I’m heading to Montreal first thing tomorrow morning, making my way through Ontario, all the way out West then back through Calgary and Winnipeg and finally back here in NY in time for Rosh Hashanna. Now that the school year has started, everybody’s getting pumped. IACs are having their first meetings and planning out their schedules. I’m excited to be sitting in on some of the planning for the semester and meeting up with Hasbara fellows from all over to set some goals and bring our activism up to the next level. Montreal Hasbara fellows from this past summer and previous trips are getting together tomorrow. Out in Vancouver they’re planning a reunion soon also. Stay in touch with each other!

I hope to see all of you guys soon.

Gordon

Natalie Lascar Traveling Experience.

I just returned from University of Florida in Gainesville and University of Miami, the weather was definitely not on the cool side, but that's why they have air conditioning! We are starting a leadership seminar series in the beginning of October for students to learn more about Israel. I am thrilled that past Hasbara fellows Britt Tevis and Stephanie Freiman have agreed to spearhead the program. Students who participate in the 6 week educational series will receive 150 dollars cash or 250 dollars towards a ticket to Israel for participating in the program. Learning about Israel and getting money?!?! It doesn't get any better than that. Down in University of Miami, I had the pleasure to meet with students who are hard at work building a new Israel group, led by our great fellows from this summer Rachel Lerner and Yoni Komorov. We are expecting great things to come from there. A special thank you goes out to all the Hasbara fellows who I met with and who are doing amazing things on campus. Keep up the good work. Look for me in Atlanta, Houston, Austin, Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Chicago in the upcoming weeks. Yes I will be accumulating significant frequent flyer miles