THE CHEVRA’S ISRAEL ADVOCACY & ACTIVISM

 

One of the most consistent features of our annual programming is our emphasis on Israel advocacy & activism. Here are just some of the things we have done in that capacity:
 

• The Israel Advocacy “Focus” Initiative:
   

  • One of the most exciting developments to come out of The Chevra’s Jewish Leadership Initiative was an incubation of an inspiring new Israel advocacy initiative called “Focus”.  The leaders of Focus (several of whom are PIF Fellows) saw that a great many of their peers either a) wanted to support and be advocates for Israel, but didn’t have the information to do so, or b) were “neutral” on Israel, but could possibly be swayed to become ardent supporters of Israel with some more information.
     

  • By creating attractive events and a series of Israel advocacy trainings, Focus intends to be the bridge between those many young Jews and the various Israel advocacy & hasbara organizations that are already out there producing and providing important content.  At an important summit for Jewish young professionals in Sao Paulo, Brazil, leaders of Focus competed in a “shark-tank” like competition for new ideas and were awarded a $20,000 matching seed grant for their initiative.   

 

• The “Philly-Israel Fellowship” (PIF):
   

  • As demonstrated in our Speakers/Sessions for the PIF Philly Pre-Trip Portion, the Philly component of the PIF program is replete with Israel advocacy speakers (as well as JU films), who cogently and effectively present Israel’s positions, while passionately conveying to our Fellows the critical need for them to become more involved, knowledgeable ambassadors for Israel
     

  • The Israel trip component of PIF, which involves a life-changing journey to the Jewish homeland, is of course even more filled with experiences geared towards equipping our Fellows with the knowledge and passion that will inspire them to become ambassadors for Israel.  One example of the many fantastic, eloquent speakers we invite in Israel to foster awareness, etc. is a consistent fan-favorite named
     

  • Nitsana Darshan-Leitner of “Shurat HaDin”: an impressive Israeli attorney and human rights activist who is effective in combatting terror through legal action.

 

• Annual Community-wide Israel Advocacy event: The Chevra is one of the only groups that was perennially involved in this event from the very outset
   

  • “Relentless”, “Obsession”, “The 3rd Jihad”, “Iranium”, “Israel Inside”, with speakers such as…
     

  • Dennis Prager, Alan Dershowitz, Malcolm Hoenlein, Walid Shoebat, Bernard Lewis, Khaled abu Toameh

 

• Music4Israel (m4i): The Chevra spearheaded an Israel advocacy festival and awareness campaign on behalf of victims of terror and their families, which hosted around 1,800 participants and raised both awareness of & funds for those impacted by the horrors of terrorism.  

 

• Hosting Survivors of Terror (& family members of victims): on a few separate occasions, The Chevra hosted these groups who came from Israel as ambassadors of awareness – offering them hospitality and exposing them to our own local youth, who could thereby get at least some sense of what Israel is up against

 

• Israel Matters: a Chevra & Federation Renaissance event on behalf of the Israel Emergency Fund

 

• Krav Maga (as part of our “Sabra Club”): Israeli mixed martial arts & self-defense

 

• Israel Independence Day & Israel anniversary events: advertising, bringing our crowd, etc.
   

• Other Israel events, rallies, etc.: Bringing participants to the annual FIDF event, sending them to the annual ZOA event, mobilizing them to go to other Israel rallies, bringing them to hear John Bolton on Israel, piggybacking on other advocacy events, etc.

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