Campus Leaders Convene for Hillel’s Israel Summit
Largest pro-Israel student gathering of the year featured student leaders from across the world.
More than 500 pro-Israel student leaders, speakers, stakeholders, and young alumni convened in Chicago for Hillel International’s eighth Israel Summit – the largest gathering of pro-Israel students this year. This year’s summit focused on skill building, hostage education, and advocacy, with an emphasis on both Jewish identity and pride in the people of Israel.
Hillel International, the world’s largest Jewish college organization, brought together student leaders from more than 200 campuses worldwide to learn from top Israel community leaders and subject matter experts.
On the first day of the event, Adam Lehman, president and CEO of Hillel International, told the students in attendance, “All of you have a unique opportunity right now to step into your strength… It is so important in this moment that you never, never apologize for who you are, what you believe, and what you hope to accomplish in this world.”
In addition to keynote remarks and conversations with speakers like Gadeer Kamal Mreeh, a former member of the Knesset; Amos Hochstein, former U.S. special envoy and coordinator for international energy affairs; and Jason Greenblatt, former White House Middle East envoy, student leaders took part in masterclass sessions and workshops featuring world-renowned journalists and experts in campus advocacy, Middle Eastern policy, and Title VI.
Session facilitators included Lee Yaron, Haaretz journalist and author of “10/7: 100 Human Stories,” Amb. Dennis Ross, a William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy; Rachel Lerman, vice chair and general counsel at the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law; and Avi Mayer, the former editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post.
“When I look around this room, my heart bursts with hope. Because it is people like you who remind me that, no matter the differences between us, we are one people,” said Maya Shiloni, a junior at Harvard University and chair of the Israel Summit, at the gala plenary session Monday evening. “We organize vigils, hold our university administrators accountable, and hang posters of the hostages until they are all home. We share the stories of our brothers and sisters that cannot do it themselves and make sure that the world knows Israel’s and the Jewish people’s strength,” she added.
When students return to campus, they will continue to benefit from Hillel’s Israel Leadership Network, the largest pro-Israel student leadership body, as they lead education and advocacy efforts on their campuses.