March 12, 2009
Since the outbreak of the recent conflict in Gaza, campuses across North America have seen an upswing in anti-Israel activities. As students and campus professionals look for pro-active ways to educate students and the broader campus community about Israel and the facts surrounding the conflict, the ICC has been able to offer a range of campuses with day-long visits by a top scholar and Middle East expert -- David Makovsky, a Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the Director of the Institute’s Project on Middle East Peace. Thanks to generous funding from the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation and an anonymous donor, Mr. Makovsky has been able to visit campuses from coast to coast -- speaking to the campus community at large, lecturing in classrooms and meeting with academics. On every campus he has left a lasting impression on students and has impacted the very way they discuss and analyze the Middle East and think about campus activism.
In the past few months Mr. Makovsky has visited Arizona State University, Emory University, Middlebury College, Queens College, Simmons College, Tufts University, and numerous campuses in Toronto, Canada. During each of these visits Mr. Makovsky engaged students, faculty, community members and campus professionals in discussions on the impact of the recent Gaza conflict, the Israeli elections and Middle East challenges for the Obama administration. Mr. Makovsky has also been able to sit with pro-Israel student leaders to discuss their role on campus and how they can be more effective advocates for Israel.
Juliana Ross, a student leader and Grinspoon Israel Advocacy Intern at Simmons College, stated that Mr. Makovsky’s visit “was such a great opportunity for the Simmons community to hear all of the important information and history David shared with us. Everyone thought the lectures were extremely interesting and eye-opening. It was such a benefit to hear simple facts – dignity for both sides, peace education and maintenance of security for Israelis.”
Professor Kenneth W. Stein, the Director of Emory’s Institute for the Study of Modern Israel, commented that Mr. Makovsky’s visit “touched critical issues pertaining to the Israeli domestic scene, the peace process and Israel’s role in the region. Makovsky’s presentations were lucid, spliced with humor, and demonstrated an easy command of international relations as well as a nuanced understanding of key political actors.”
As campuses continue to work tirelessly to bring engaging, fascinating and impactful speakers to their respective communities, Mr. Makovsky’s visits are leaving a lasting impression. And at a time when anti-Israel activities are on the rise, Mr. Makovsky’s cogent analysis is more valuable to the pro-Israel community than ever before.
If you are interested in hosting David Makovsky on your campus this spring, please be in touch with Andrea Sorin, the ICC’s Israel Education Initiatives Associate, at asorin@israelcc.org or 202-449-6583.