The Israel Leadership Foundation Announces Launch to Empower Future Leaders Against Antisemitism on U.S. Campuses

The ILF also announces the appointments of former MK Einat Wilf, LTC (res.) Eyal Dror, and Eric Rubin to the Advisory Board, with Mr. Rubin serving as Chairman

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL, July 31, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Israel Leadership Foundation (“ILF”), a newly formed organization dedicated to combating antisemitism and promoting a positive narrative about Israel will be sending dozens of Israeli leaders to attend U.S. universities and colleges, to share their stories on college campuses, empower Jewish students, and stand up for Israel. These leaders are reserve IDF officers, government officials, journalists, legal experts, and diplomats who have fought for Israel and are now ready to tackle the challenges presented on campus, unapologetically, and head-on.

Since October 7th, Jewish students on campuses across the United States have faced unprecedented antisemitic harassment and discrimination. Students have been attacked, shamed publicly, and the victims of verbal and physical threats. The urgency of the ILF's mission is underscored by recent data from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which reports a 140% increase in antisemitism in the U.S. and a staggering rise of 321% on college campuses, most of which occurred after the October 7 terrorist attacks. Jewish and non-Jewish students alike face increasing challenges from anti-Israel organizations (many of which are funded by Iran, Qatar, and the Muslim Brotherhood), biased faculty members, and BDS supporters, creating an unsafe environment for those expressing their identities and viewpoints.

Debora, a Jewish student from Stanford University, shared her experience about being a Jewish student on campus: “I was attacked at Stanford University for speaking about Israel. The only person I could speak to and receive genuine knowledge from was Nimrod, an Israeli Master’s student who was a former IDF pilot in the Air Force. I was inspired by him and encouraged to keep countering the lies and misinformation.” Tamir Oren, ILF’s Executive Director said, “Deborah’s experience, and that of thousands of others, proves that there is a deep need for a strong Israeli voice, and these top Israelis, IDF officers in reserves, diplomats, journalists, legal experts and more, are keen to take that challenge and impact the next generation of world leaders.”

Tamir added, “Each year, thousands of Israeli students commence their academic journeys in the U.S., with many attending Ivy League institutions. These students return to Israel to take on leadership roles across various sectors, including government, business, and media. The fellowship will select top Israeli students from a competitive pool of applicants, providing them with training. These fellows will then engage in impactful activities on their respective campuses, tackle the misinformation and bias, head-on, and empower the Jewish student community as well.”

As part of the ILF’s program launch, the ILF announced the creation of its Advisory Board and its members: former MK Einat Wilf, LTC (res.) Eyal Dror and pro-Israel advocate Eric Rubin. Additionally, Eric Rubin has been selected to serve as Chairman of the Board.

Einat Wilf is a former Member of Knesset, a former Foreign Policy Advisor to Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres, a respected author, and a thought leader on Israeli society, politics, and Zionism. Einat brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by Israel and the Jewish people on the global stage. Her insights and strategic vision will be invaluable to the ILF as we work to strengthen pro-Israel advocacy and education on U.S. campuses.

Eric Rubin is an experienced nonprofit executive and pro-Israel advocate who devotes all his time to fighting antisemitism and anti-Zionism. He was recently appointed as a Global Ambassador for the Maccabi World Union and is only the second person to hold that position in the organization’s over 125-year history. In addition, Eric hold’s leadership positions and serves on the Board or Advisory Board of over half a dozen organizations including: Project Max, Together Vouch For Each Other U.S., The International Legal Forum, P3 Israel, the Baltimore Zionist District, Athletes For Israel, and Strength to Strength.

LTC (res.) Eyal Dror is an active IDF reserve officer, serving in the Golan Heights, with 24 years of service in diverse positions throughout the security forces coordination and liaison units. In his last position he was both the founder and commander of the historic “Good Neighbor” Operation. As an expert on both Palestinian and Syrian affairs, Eyal is taking part in media panels on these topics. Additionally, he has conducted hundreds of talks for various delegations, including students, organizations, and federations, who come to Israel to enrich their knowledge about the country, its security challenges, and the Middle East. His unique work on the Good Neighbor Project led him to write the book “Embracing the Enemy”.

Eric Rubin commented on the work of the ILF and the Advisory Board, “The level of antisemitism and anti-Zionism on college campuses is simply abhorrent and dangerous. Many of the protestors are paid agitators who are funded by the enemies of free and liberal societies. The rest are useful idiots of Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood. They are thugs, ignorant, and supporters of terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah. Their aim is to intimidate Jewish and pro-Israel students. They would like nothing more than to see our students withdraw from college campuses. We are here to let them know that not only will we not be running away, but we will be actively involved in growing and protecting Jewish and pro-Israel students as well as educating the campuses on the truth about Israel.” He went on to add, “It’s a tremendous honor to serve as the Chairman of the Advisory Board. Dr. Einat Wilf is a legendary leader and intellectual whose focus on antisemitism, Israel, and Zionism will greatly benefit the ILF, me, and Jewish and pro-Israel students throughout the U.S. and the world. Eyal Dror is one of my heroes. He deserved to win a Nobel Peace Prize for his leadership of Operation Good Neighbor. His experience meeting and lecturing students around the world will be an invaluable benefit to our mission.”

Tamir Oren
The Israel Leadership Foundation
+972 52-823-5143
info@illeadershipfoundation.com
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