JNS
The program provides students with tools needed to confront antisemitism and misinformation when they return to their colleges.
As antisemitism continues to rise across North American campuses in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, more than 80 student leaders from the United States and Canada were in Israel in the last week of December for one of the largest student solidarity missions of the year.
The delegation, representing universities such as UCLA, Brandeis, Rutgers, NYU, UPenn, Yale and York University, visited the Jewish state at a time when Jewish students report growing hostility, isolation and pressure to remain silent.
The visit comes amid heightened global concern following recent antisemitic incidents in the United States, including violent attacks near university campuses. For many of the students, the mission is not symbolic, but urgent.
The delegation is being hosted by Hasbara Fellowships in partnership with IsraelAmbassadors.com, with a program designed to provide participants with firsthand exposure to the realities of post–Oct. 7 Israel, as well as the tools needed to confront antisemitism and misinformation when they return to their colleges.
‘Standing for Israel is a mitzvah’
The group was formally welcomed in Jerusalem by Mark Regev, former Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom, chairman of the Abba Eban Institute at Reichman University and JNS podcaster. Addressing the students, Regev spoke about Israel’s diplomatic challenges and the responsibility young leaders now carry in shaping global discourse.
“Standing for the Jewish state is a mitzvah,” Regev told the delegation. “You are standing up for the Jewish people and for truth. Know the facts, because they are your strongest weapon. Be strong, be prepared, and fight for what is right.”
Throughout the week, the students are meeting with Israeli officials, journalists, military personnel, and advocacy experts, while participating in workshops focused on campus leadership, media literacy, and effective advocacy. They are also touring areas directly impacted by the Oct. 7 attacks, including Kibbutz Be’eri, Sderot, and sites in the north, where they are hearing firsthand testimonies from survivors and community members.
Strategy and campus leadership
On Wednesday, the delegation is gathering in Jerusalem for a full day of strategic planning sessions focused on how students can apply what they have learned when they return to North America. The sessions are designed to help participants refine their messaging, strengthen their leadership skills, and prepare for the increasingly complex challenges facing Jewish and pro-Israel students on campus.
The day’s discussions center on how to speak about Israel in informed and effective ways, how to counter misinformation and antisemitism, and how to build resilient student communities in environments that have become increasingly polarized.
For many participants, the visit is deeply personal.
Sara Weinstein, a senior at the University of Maryland studying international relations and global terrorism, says the atmosphere on campus after Oct. 7 made it clear to her that being informed was no longer optional.
“On my campus, and across many campuses, Oct. 7 was quickly turned from a human tragedy into a political argument,” she said. “I saw grief turn almost immediately into debate, and trauma treated like an abstract political issue.”
Weinstein, who serves in student government and is active in pro-Israel organizations, said she felt a responsibility to go beyond slogans or social media discourse.
“I felt that if I was going to speak responsibly, or support other students who felt isolated, I needed more than talking points,” she said. “This trip felt necessary because leadership right now isn’t about being loud. It’s about being honest, informed, and able to say, ‘I didn’t just read this; I am a witness.’”
One of the most powerful moments of the trip for Weinstein was visiting the site of the Nova music festival massacre.
“The Nova Festival grounds changed everything for me,” she said. “It looks like a place I would go with my friends, with music, dancing, and celebrating life. And yet you’re surrounded by faces, memorials, and personal items left behind by people who never made it home.”
She said what stayed with her most was the intimacy of the violence.
“Seeing the cars, the fields, the dumpsters people hid in made it impossible to think about October 7 in abstract terms. It wasn’t something on my screen anymore. It was human, and it was close.”
Returning home with responsibility
The experience, Weinstein said, reshaped how she will speak about Israel on campus.
“It’s made me more careful and much more confident at the same time,” she said. “Meeting soldiers, first responders, survivors, and families showed me how layered this reality is, with grief, fear, courage, doubt, and responsibility all existing at once.”
She added that hearing soldiers describe the weight of their decisions left a lasting impression.
“One thing that stayed with me was hearing soldiers talk about the responsibility they carry - the effort to protect civilians, the notes they left in homes apologizing for damage, the gratitude they felt just to be able to save lives. That complexity is missing from so many campus conversations.”
When she returns to the University of Maryland, Weinstein says her focus will be on grounding conversations in lived experiences.
“I won’t just talk about Israel in terms of politics,” she said. “I’ll talk about people. About communities that were left vulnerable. About courage that doesn’t look heroic on Instagram but happens in split-second decisions to save others.”
Adam Crasnow, a 22-year-old student at the University of Florida and president of the Jewish Student Union, said the trip has reinforced his sense of responsibility as a campus leader.
“While advocating for Israel, I’ve noticed that many students step back or wait for someone else to speak,” he said. “The conflict is complex, and as Jewish leaders, it’s important to be prepared to talk about antisemitism, the current conflicts, and Israel with people who are genuinely trying to understand.”
This is Crasnow’s first visit to Israel since Oct. 7, and one moment in particular has stayed with him.
“Reading Eli Raphael’s story at Nova changed my perspective,” he said. “He drove into danger to rescue his sister. That story represents so many who lived through Oct. 7 and continue to fight for the Jewish people in their own way.”
Crasnow said the visit strengthened his resolve.
“We will not back down when it comes to protecting Israel and the Jewish people,” he said. “Being here gives you the knowledge and confidence to speak clearly and responsibly.”
Preparing the next generation
Organizers say the mission is designed to translate experience into action.
Michael Eglash, co-founder of IsraelAmbassadors.com, said the students are returning home with clarity and purpose.
“The students are embarking on a laser-focused mission to be more informed and effective pro-Israel leaders on campus,” Eglash said. “They will return with a stronger voice, a deeper understanding, and practical tools to enable them to make a real impact on their campuses. They will be ready to lead with courage and conviction, to educate their peers, and to combat antisemitism and anti-Israel propaganda.”
Alan Levine, CEO of Hasbara Fellowships, said: “Antisemitism and anti-Israel propaganda on US and Canadian campuses has surged in recent years, especially against the backdrop of global and regional tensions. Many students feel ill-equipped to respond or unsure of how to articulate their experiences and convictions.
"This initiative is designed precisely to fill that gap: offering facts, context, and personal encounters that transform abstract issues into reality. This delegation represents informed, engaged leaders prepared to carry the lessons of Israel back to North America."
As the delegation continues its visit, students are preparing to take what they have learned back to campuses across North America, not only as witnesses but as informed advocates navigating an increasingly challenging environment.
For Weinstein, the message she hopes to carry back is simple.
“You don’t have to carry everything at once,” she said. “You don’t have to explain yourself to everyone. But your story matters, and your presence matters.”
