Semester Summary

Israel involvement fair

This summer, Rutgers Hillel launched the Rutgers Hillel Center for Israel Engagement (RHCIE), its newest initiative to promote Israel on the Rutgers campus.  RHCIE immediately became the campus epicenter of proactive Israel advocacy promoting a new, campus-based approach to engaging, educating and advocating for Israel.

RHCIE has two full time staff: Tzvi Raviv, Director of Israel Engagement, and Lihi Rothshild, Israel Program Coordinator. Tzvi formerly served as Israel Program Coordinator at University of California, Irvine, and holds a Master’s in Jewish professional leadership and an MBA in non-profit management, both from Brandeis University. Lihi served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as an officer in the IDF Officers School. She holds a Masters in diplomacy from Tel Aviv University.

Rutgers students with Avner Even-Zohar, human and gay activist.

 This past semester, RHCIE provided a weekly opportunity for Rutgers students to learn and to becomet involved with Israel advocacy. The following programs were highlights of the winter semester:

• “Real partners. Real peace.” initiative—RHCIE joined the Israel on Campus Coalition, Hasbara Fellowships, the David Project and StandWithUs to promote Israel’s quest for a real peace. Hundreds of Rutgers students signed a petition that calling for an end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, through direct negotiations with responsible partners.
• Speakers—RHCIE hosted speakers from the David Project, Stand With Us and CAMERA. These programs included a screening of the film UNSETTLED with the film Director Adam Hootnick and a presentation by Itamar Marcus of Palestinian Media Watch (PMW). PMW studies Palestinian society by monitoring and analyzing the Palestinian Authority through its media and schoolbooks.
• An evening with El Al pilots and crew— El Al, Israel’s flag carrier, and the Jewish Agency for Israel chose Rutgers University for the premier of its new program which brings together El Al pilots and crew members who spoke about their lives as Israelis and work at El Al. El Al staff that arrived to Rutgers represented Israel’s society multiculturalism. This program attracted well over a hundred students. (Open this link for a video)



Hannah Johnson of CUFI

• Support to student groups on campus—RHCIE worked in the last semester to establish two new pro-Israel organizations, Rutgers Israel Public Affairs Committee (RIPAC) and a local chapter of Christians United for Israel (CUFI). RIPAC is composed of six members who are committed to connect students leaders and inform them about support to Israel as value to the United States. CUFI is a grassroots organization whose goal to mobilize the large Christian pro-Israel community.