More than 50 college students from across the United States, Canada, the UK and Israel gathered from July 27-29 at Boston University for the annual CAMERA International Student Leadership Course, where they united behind a shared commitment to spreading the truth about Israel.
As they prepare to return to campuses that are often hostile to Israel, students enjoyed a rare opportunity to learn, share ideas and enjoy mutual support. Attendees, who were members of CAMERA’s Campus Fellowship Program or participants in its broader CAMERA Coalition Program, traveled from schools such as the University of Michigan, Florida State University, Columbia University, UC Berkeley, University of Manitoba, University College London and Bar-Ilan University, among others.
The three-day schedule, which included sessions with media experts, social-media influencers, thought leaders and security experts, aimed at helping participants communicate confidently, protect themselves and build stronger communities on their campuses.
The Daily Wire reporter and video journalist Kassy Akiva showed students how to use the Socratic method to have more productive conversations about Israel. Rather than treating every disagreement as a debate to be won, she encouraged them to approach exchanges as investigations that can uncover assumptions and create connections.
Blogger “Elder of Ziyon,” who prefers to remain publicly anonymous, led a discussion of the hidden frameworks behind anti-Zionist and antisemitic rhetoric. Participants learned how language can be exploited to advance deeply immoral ideas, as well as how to identify the assumptions beneath an argument rather than responding only to the surface claim.
Knowing when to walk away from an adversarial situation was the focus of a session led by Yoni Michanie, director of Israel education at Gann Academy. Students learned how to enter conversations with the right mindset and recognize when an exchange is no longer productive.
Other sessions centered on highlighting the good that Israel does instead of simply defending it against false claims, staying current on one’s legal rights and maintaining physical safety during times of unrest.
Alongside the sessions, students had time for recreational activities. With activities like bowling and a Boston Duck Tour, participants bonded and developed a sense of unity.
“The CAMERA conference enabled me to connect with students from across the globe who are passionate about standing for the truth when it comes to the Middle East—an area of reporting that tends to become convoluted and prone to bias,” said Addison Stone, a CAMERA Fellow from the University of Michigan. “The programming exposed us to incredible speakers who provided us with invaluable information on topics we deal with regularly on campus, making us feel even more prepared to return to campus this fall,” she added.
University of Leeds CAMERA Fellow Akiva Mann-Wineberg spoke of how the experience had made him feel connected to others in similar situations. “I really enjoyed meeting so many people at the conference who are just as passionate about Israel and Zionism as myself. Going into university, it gives me strength knowing that I am not alone in this fight and that I have so many incredible people to support me,” Mann-Wineberg said.
Hali Spiegel, CAMERA’s director of education, who led the event, said she felt inspired by the students who attended. “Our speakers were exceptional, but what stood out most was how engaged the students were and how quickly they challenged themselves to think more clearly, ask better questions and communicate with greater confidence,” Spiegel said.
“Through this conference, our Fellowship and our coalition programs, CAMERA is helping prepare students to lead these conversations with both courage and integrity,” Spiegel said.
