WORTHWHILE" SAY HASBARA FELLOWSHIPS (AISH HATORAH) STUDENTS
One of the most active organizations dealing with 'hasbara' on university and college campuses throughout North America is Hasbara Fellowships (Aish HaTorah).
The organization offers a 3-week educational tour of Israel to students who wish to be involved in Israel related activities on their campuses, or have never been to Israel before and want hands on experience before involving themselves in any activities.
Since its inception, Hasbara Fellowships have brought a number of thousands of students for their first taste of or a deepening of the already formulated ties they have with the country. Not only do the majority become involved in promoting Israel on campus by organizing events for the wider student public, inviting speakers from both within North America and Israel and more socially focused events, they are also serious contenders against the anti-Israel student lobbies at their many controversial activities on their campuses.
The area representatives of Hasbara Fellowships come from the ranks of their alumni and they also accompany the Israel bound groups on their educational tours.
The International Department at Givat Haviva has been involved almost since the first Hasbara Fellowship Israel tour participants began arriving in the country and a warm relationship developed between the organizations – much to the surprise of many who know Aish HaTorah and Givat Haviva from close quarters.
The solid working and personal relationship that has developed over the years has become an important factor for both Aish HaTorah's Hasbara Fellowship groups and for the staff of the International Department – indeed one of those members having been invited in the past to give talks to Hasbara student groups in the US and Canada.
Veteran study tour guide, educator and former American Yisrael Neeman also works with both organizations and this month could be found leading the Hasbara Fellowship students around the Givat Haviva campus - and other days teaching the students participating in the 5-month Intensive Arabic Semester where he is teaching topics connected to the Middle East.
International Department staff were delighted to welcome Lauren Krol, Hasbara Fellowships New York-based Campus Coordinator who accompanied the present group – as she has done quite a number of times in the past – and to further deepen the ties between the two organizations.
Following a talk and tour of the region – incorporating a short visit to Barta'a village, the Katzir vantage point and journey through a small area of the northern portion of the West Bank in order to see from close quarters the security fence passing between the Palestinian village of Anin and Israel Muslim city of Umm al-Fahm in order to gain a better understanding of the topography of the area.
"The students are intensely interested in understanding Israel-Arab relations and in particular fostering equality inside the State of Israel whilst not conceding Israel's security concerns," commented Yisrael Neeman.
"Some of the students told me after the Givat Haviva seminar that it had been a tremendously worthwhile experience and they continued to discuss among themselves and with the staff members aboard – topics connected to all that they had seen and heard in those few hours with Givat Haviva," Yisrael told Givat Haviva staff member Lydia Aisenberg who had been their lecturer/guide for the seminar.
Security fence and Palestinian village of Anin on the other side
May, 2010
