Hundreds of Christian college students underwent a training session in Washington this weekend to prepare them to combat renewed anti-Israel and antisemitic activity on their campuses this fall.
More than 250 students from scores of universities and colleges across the U.S. and South Africa took part in sessions on Israeli history as well as how to advocate for the Jewish state and show solidarity with Jewish students.
They also met with two families of hostages abducted from Israel during the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre, and held a prayer session with them on the National Mall, where anti-Israel and antisemitic demonstrations took place recently as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered an address to a joint session of Congress.
“This was a really important weekend of training and uplifting hundreds of passionate Christian students who want to advocate for Israel and stand with their fellow Jewish students on campuses, where they are expecting an extremely challenging upcoming semester,” said Rivka Kidron, a former adviser on Diaspora and Christian affairs for Netanyahu and co-founder of Passages, which organized the event.
“Passages was created precisely for these moments, as an organization that will be a force-multiplier to help spread Israel’s case in the places where they are most challenged,” Kidron said.
The students met with the families of Romi Gonen and Or Levy, who were kidnapped from the Supernova music festival on Oct. 7. The Israelis spoke to the conference participants about their experiences and how they are working to free their kin.
An estimated 115 hostages remain held by Hamas in Gaza.
“Meeting with these passionate Christian students has been an extremely uplifting experience for us,” said Yarden Gonen, Romi’s sister, who has become one of the faces of the hostage families around the world.
“We know that they have taken on our mission of ensuring that our loved ones are not forgotten, and that they will share our stories with their families, friends, churches, communities and on their campuses.”
The conference included a group of students that was brought by South African Friends of Israel.
“Our students are devoted Christians and see the importance of strengthening our bonds with Israel, especially at such a challenging time in South Africa with our government taking a discriminatory stand against the Jewish state, which is not a true reflection of the average African,” said Danny Botn, CEO of South African Friends of Israel.
Dubbed the “Christian Birthright,” Passages has brought more than 11,000 Christian students from North America to visit Israel since the organization was formed in 2017, in an effort to both strengthen their religious identity and to build bridges of friendship with Israel and the Jewish people.
