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ZOA CAMPUS 27 ON- AND OFF-CAMPUS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS ZOA Campus was invited to contribute as a partner organization at numerous national student conferences across the country. In February, ZOA Campus was invited to run a SodaStream tabling event at the International Anti-BDS Conference in Los Angeles. The event was a huge success, and the ZOA Campus table drew a disproportionately large crowd due to its unique interactive nature. In March, ZOA Campus hosted a large, well-attended gathering in Washington, D.C. We had secured a stylish venue across the street from the Convention Center where the AIPAC Policy Conference takes place. ZOA Campus has hosted a student gathering for years, and other organizations do the same. But the day before the event—because we had generated extreme buzz via word of mouth and a strong social media presence—we understood that a partial rentout of the venue would not suffice. We packed the place with over 900 attendees, including young professionals, students, ZOA Israel trip alumni, Campus Fellows, national board members, and longtime ZOA supporters. Our event was the talk of the town, and we have big shoes to fill for next year, as people are already asking how they can secure a place on the ZOA’s invitation list. In June, ZOA Campus led a seminar on Zionism and hosted a large-scale Krav Maga session at the largest conservative women’s student conference in Dallas, Texas. ZOA FELLOWSHIP: BUILDING BRIDGES BASED ON SHARED VALUES Focusing on the indigenous rights of Jews to the land of Judea, ZOA Campus co-sponsored events ranging from guest speakers and panel discussions to cooking classes and film screenings. These events not only attracted and engaged students who would not normally attend pro-Israel or Jewish events; they also built a foundation for meaningful connections with student leaders from the Armenian, Assyrian, Coptic, and Native American communities. The goal is to reverse the anti-Israel bias that groups such as Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) are fueling on campus. This year marked the 50-year anniversary of Jerusalem’s reunification after the Six-Day War. ZOA Campus saw this as an educational opportunity to expand on why the ZOA supports an eternal and undivided capital for the Jewish people in Jerusalem. ZOA Campus participated in commemorative events at Israeli consulates, Jewish Federations, and Hillels throughout the U.S. SUMMER STUDENT LEADERSHIP MISSION TO ISRAEL In June and July, more than 30 students—about a third from West Coast universities, mostly in Southern California—participated in our second annual ZOA Summer Mission to Israel. We hand-picked the travelers to participate in a journey that, as one student remarked, “transformed my life and opened my eyes to the privileges I took for granted as an American Jew in the U.S.” The Mission to Israel is a fun, intense two weeks of immersive and experiential education and advocacy training in Israel. Students travel throughout the Jewish state, including Jerusalem, Judea/Samaria, and strategic border regions (the Western Negev, Galilee, Jordan Valley, and Golan Heights). They meet with Knesset members from different political parties, Jewish and Arab Israeli journalists, policy and military experts, and much more. This trip is designed to engage in a meaningful way Israel activists and those committed to becoming Israel activists on their college campuses. In preparation for the trip, ZOA Campus encouraged the students to arm themselves with all of the falsehoods about Israel that they are often exposed to on campus. We then challenged them to dispel each and every one through facts on the ground, personal experiences, and first-hand accounts. On the trip, students heard from Itamar Marcus, founder and director of Palestinian Media We packed the place with over 900 attendees, including young professionals, students, ZOA Israel trip alumni, Campus Fellows, national board members, and longtime ZOA supporters.


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