The ICC staff was on hand this past week at Hillel Institute—an annual gathering that brings together Hillel campus professionals, student interns, Jewish Agency Israel Fellows, and partner organizations. ICC is pleased and honored to be among Hillel’s partners; as Hillel’s primary Israel advocacy partner, we were glad to take part in many aspects of Hillel Institute, particularly in the inaugural events for the new Hillel Center for Israel Engagement. 

What we saw there gave us renewed hope for the future of Israel campus advocacy and the remarkable investment that the pro-Israel community has made in its own future. We met with campus professionals at all points of their careers, literally from their first day on the job to those with over 30 years in the field. We met with Israel Fellows, both those who are new to the US campus environment as well as many familiar faces—and, by now, good friends—who were returning for a second year. We met with cohorts of campus professionals who were committing themselves personally to a deeper dive in understanding Israel and its complexities so that they could better help to navigate the experiences of the students with whom they work.

And we met with students—oh, yes, the students. There is nothing like it, as anyone connected to the campus space can attest. The students bring with them passion, optimism, and energy unlike any other group. They know their peers, and they know themselves. They are smart, and they are dedicated. They know the challenges that they face—and they are undaunted. Their enthusiasm makes anything else sound like a whisper.

At Hillel Institute, as elsewhere on campus, the participants were unafraid to ask the tough questions—as a recovering attorney and former prosecutor, I had to smile at some of the “hard blows, but fair ones” that I received myself. Slogans and one-sided propagandistic messages didn’t get past the starting block in that environment, any more than they would back on campus. Hillel Institute participants urged us to be real, to relate to their campus communities, and to recognize and adapt to their realities. But those questions and that probing come from a place of authenticity, which only serves to make all of our efforts better.

At Hillel Institute, the ICC staff spoke with many about the Real Partners, Real Peace initiative on which many national organizations, including Hillel, will participate this Fall, and we heard tremendous enthusiasm for that initiative from many in attendance. But just as much as we were there to offer support and resources for the campus Israel community’s efforts, we were there to listen and to learn as well—because the investment that our community makes in the campus Israel network is not only an investment in our future; it pays dividends in the present, as well.

Who wouldn’t want an investment like that these days?