jstreetu

J Street U

Editor’s Note

Welcome to the new J Street U Newsletter! I am a sophomore at Johns Hopkins and your 2011-2012 J Street U Newsletter editor. In each J Street U Newsletter you will find exciting campus updates, opportunities for programs, fellowships, and internships both in the US and Israel, updates from J Street staff, pictures, videos, upcoming workshops, and more. It’s the best place to stay on top of J Street U’s work around the country. Your feedback is important, so please be in touch with any updates, suggestions, or concerns by responding to this address. And please, help us make J Street U even stronger by filling out this brief survey letting us know of friends on other campuses interested in the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement.

Rachel Cohen
Johns Hopkins University

PS – Congratulations to my friend and J Street U student board member, Ben Elkind. He is one of five students across the country to receive Hillel’s Philip H. and Suzi Rudd Cohen Student Exemplar of Excellence and Campus of Excellence Awards. Everyone at J Street U is extremely proud of Ben.

President’s Note

Imagine the scene: thousands of people crowded into the Washington DC Convention Center on a Saturday night last February for the opening of the J Street national conference. Registration lines were practically out the door as more and more people made their way to the largest gathering of pro-Israel pro-peace activists in the world. Congressional representatives, top journalists, renowned policy analysts, grassroots Israeli and Palestinian peace activists, Jewish community leaders, human rights campaigners, and so many more at every session and turn. It was incredibly powerful, standing together with over 500 student activists and 2000 community members, making our voices heard in our nation’s capitol on behalf of Israel and the future state of Palestine.

This year, you simply need to be there. Registration has opened! Student registration is highly-discounted, at only $36 for four days of unforgettable plenary assemblies, breakout sessions, and student events. It is an experience you won’t soon forget. Full travel grants and affordable hostel housing are available!

Join me and thousands of others at the J Street conference from March 24-27, 2012.

Logan Bayroff
President, J Street U National Student Board

J Street U on Campus (just a few highlights; each newsletter we’ll feature different schools!)

At UNC:
One of the highlights of the semester was “J Street UNC Presents: Achieving Peace.” Ori Nir at UNCWe hosted a discussion with two of the most notable individuals involved with American efforts in Washington DC to promote a two-state solution. Ghaith al-Omari, the Executive Director for the American Task Force on Palestine, and Ori Nir, the spokesperson for Americans for Peace Now drew a crowd of diverse students, UNC staff, and community members. Ghaith al-Omari challenged the audience to appreciate the consensus on a two-state solution. – Ben Elkind, UNC ’12

At Bates College:
Despite not receiving official club status until late October, Bates College J Street U worked tirelessly to get over 550 members of our community to pledge their support for the Price-Welch Letter and the Fund Peace Campaign. We’re especially proud because our efforts helped convince both of Maine’s Congressional representatives to sign the letter! We also hosted a successful talk with Americans for Peace Now’s Lara Friedman on December 1. – Mikey Pasek, Bates ’12

At Northwestern:
During Northwestern’s “How Do We Get to Peace?” event, featuring MK Shlomo Molla, MK Molla discussed his experiences as an Ethiopian Jewish immigrant to Israel, his work for social justice, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The event was co-hosted by J Street Chicago, J Street U at Northwestern, Wildcats for Israel, Hillel, the African Students Association, and Bet Emet Synagogue. Esteban Youla called the event “very informative,” Ala Salameh described it as “a breath of fresh air,” and Philip Egger said it was “a blueprint for a just and peaceful resolution to the conflict.” – Jonah Newman, Northwestern ’12

At Georgetown U:
J Street U Georgetown launched in November with an Israel Issue Week, Rep. Barney Frank at Georgetown co-sponsored by the Georgetown University College Democrats. We were able to introduce hundreds of Georgetown students to pro-Israel, pro-peace viewpoints, effectively broadening the dialogue on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on our campus. On November 14, Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) spoke about his storied career in Congress and his work for peace in the Middle East to 120 Georgetown students. On November 15, Representative Jared Polis (D-CO) spoke about his commitment to Israel and the work that Congress is currently pursuing for peace in the Middle East. And on November 17, Yossi Beilin discussed his involvement with the Oslo accords, the Geneva Initiative, and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. This event demonstrated an Israeli perspective on the conflict, as well as the importance of continued negotiations. – Scott Stirrett, Georgetown ’13 and Jonah Joselow, Georgetown ’15

Opportunities & Events

  • The best way to learn more is to go to Israel. And one of the best long-term programs in Israel is a new and innovative five-month fellowship through the Negev Institute for Strategies of Peace and Development (NISPED). NISPED is a close J Street partner in Israel and their new service-learning project brings together Arab-Bedouins and Jewish volunteers from around the world to live together and volunteer in the Bedouin city of Rahat. It is one of the best ways to integrate into and understand Israel’s most disadvantaged population. Click here to learn more.
  • Are you a senior or recent graduate? Apply now for the New Israel Fund’s paid year-long social justice fellowship in Israel, the Shatil Fellowship. More information here.
  • Going to be in Israel over Winter Break? Join J Street for an afternoon with Israeli human rights activists on January 19th or January 24th. Email danielmay@jstreetu.org for more info!
  • Join J Street U’s second FREE high-level student leadership mission to Israel this summer. Ten unforgettable days in early June 2012. Mark it on your calendars! More info to come!

Haven’t watched J Street U’s latest video yet? Click here to watch us in Israel:

A view from the staff

Naomi Shiffman, West Coast Organizer
Growing up, I heard stories about my civil engineer grandfather designing irrigation from the Sea of Galilee to the rest of Israel, and saw pictures of my grandmother planting trees on one of the first Kibbutzim in Israel. I never forgot the stories my grandparents told of the dark Holocaust years before they came to Israel, and the insistent realization that we need this place because we have nowhere else. Though I was born in Israel, the majority of my time spent there was during summers in between school years in the San Francisco Bay Area. During these long summers, I was exposed to a rich diversity of opinion on the conflict. I was especially influenced by family friends who were fighting for Palestinian human rights inside Israel, inspired by the values of Israel’s founding documents.

When I heard about J Street U for the first time, I remember being overwhelmed with relief– I wasn’t the only one who thought loving Israel wasn’t mutually exclusive from my values of democracy and human rights!