Ian Campbell will be a sophomore studying economics at George Mason University this fall. Born in Vermont, Ian has a passion for politics in the state, working as the state field coordinator for the Vermont Republican Party over the summer. While in high school, Ian played soccer and baseball, taught basketball, and was a member of the environmental club, National Honor Society, and Boy Scouts, eventually achieving the rank of Eagle in 2012. At Mason, Ian is a cadet in the Army ROTC program, with plans to serve after graduation. He is also a brother of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and a member of the club baseball team at Mason. This summer, Ian was a campus delegate to AIPAC’s Saban Leadership Seminar. As a student activist, Ian is excited to represent CAMERA and ready to respond to Middle East inaccuracies on campus.

Ian chose to become an activist because he realized that Mason was very vulnerable to accepting inaccurate stories about the Middle East as truths. He recognizes the importance of protecting Israel’s status as a sovereign nation and understands the potential that activism and a presence on campus has for students that are open to hearing facts about the Middle East.

Published articles:

• The Politics of a Humanitarian Fundraiser (InFocus, The Algemeiner)

Ohio State University

Madelyn Grant is very excited to be a part of the CAMERA organization as a new fellow! She was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, and now attends Ohio State University, majoring in public-affairs journalism and minoring in political science. Israel holds a very special place in her heart and she dedicates a lot of time to learn about, enjoy and share everything it has to offer. Madelyn has been to Israel twice and looks forward to many more experiences there. She comes from a family in which Judaism and tradition play an important role. She plans to follow in her father’s footsteps and attend law school after she graduates. Madelyn’s favorite place in Israel is the Golan Heights.

Published articles:

• UN Needs to Crack Down on Syrian Chemical Weapon Use (InFocus, The Lantern)

ORT Uruguay

Ilan Bajarlia is an enthusiastic Uruguayan-“globalist” International Relations student at ORT Uruguay. Having lived an entire year in Israel and a whole semester in the UK, Ilan has also dedicated the last few years to volunteering, non-formal education, and leadership, and being part of many conferences all around the world. Besides being a passionate writer and blogger, he is also an entrepreneur and innovation/tech lover–while launching his own startup with two friends (HUB International is available online), Ilan has also been a finalist at The University of Manchester’s ‘Eureka Innovation Challenge 2013’.

Concerning Zionist and Jewish topics, Ilan was Habonim Dror’s National Director twice, from 2010-2012. Also, he launched the first t’nuat noar in Punta del Este, a small Uruguayan city. While an Educational Coordinator at the Jewish Community in Montevideo, Ilan has also been in charge of the Community’s Youth Think Tank. In addition, he was an Uruguayan representative at the American Jewish Committee Global Forum in both 2012 and 2013, and once at the 12th Meeting of Latin American and Caribbean Jewish Institutions and Community Leaders in Quito, Ecuador.

Israel has a defining place in Ilan’s identity as a diasporic-globalist-young Jew, so to advocate its mere existence is also to advocate his past and his story, his values and the future of his own people. If he didn’t do it, Ilan would both not be supporting his own life, but also be undermining his own source of happiness, liberty, and the core of his identity.

Published articles–Spanish:

• Ted y el futuro del liderazgo judió (Aurora)
• Cristinia Fernández, AMIA y el Interés Nacional Que No es Tal
• El Otro Frente De la Defensa de Israel
• ¿Por Qué Irán Quiere Ser un Actor Nuclear?

Published articles–English:

• Jelen’s Big Slip (InFocus)

Events:

• Students at ORT University in Uruguay Attend Lecture Given by Professor Jack Drassinover

San Francisco State University

Kayla Wold is a senior at San Francisco State University, dual majoring in Communication Studies and Psychology, and will be applying to Ph.D. programs this upcoming semester. Kayla was born and raised in a small city called Los Angeles! She does research at UCSF focussing on promoting health behavior change with veterans currently in addiction treatment to support their sobriety and optimize their health. She also works at SFSU in the Health Center as a Sexual Health Educator empowering students to make informed choices about their own health and reproductive lives. As well as working two jobs, she has also founded a pro-Israel group on SFSU’s campus with six other students.

Kayla’s favorite place in Israel is Sderot. Sderot is a city where people knowingly live with the knowledge that any moment Qassam rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip can abrupt their daily life. But when you walk through the city, you see people walking around, smiling, without living in fear.

Published articles:

• Who is Edward Said and Why is His Picture on a Mural at Cesar Chavez Center?  (InFocus, CAMERAonCampus)

Events:

• Ishmael Khaldi

SUNY Binghamton University

Justin Hayet was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, and currently attends SUNY Binghamton. Justin’s story with Israel begins in 2010 when he was accepted into the Diller Teen Fellows Leadership Program, a Jewish identity and Israel focused program for Juniors in high school. This program, and his friends from Baltimore and Israel, who Justin met through the program, acted as catalysts for his later involvement within the Jewish and pro-Israel communities.

After a year as a participant in the Diller program, Justin was chosen to be a Junior Counselor for the next year’s group and acted as a mentor to the 2011-2012 Diller Cohort. At SUNY Binghamton, Justin is the AIPAC Campus Liaison and works to create a strong pro-Israel community there. Whenever Justin is home from college, he actively works for The Associated Jewish Federation of Greater Baltimore within the campaign department, striving to pay it forward to the community that helped connect him to Israel. Justin’s favorite place in Israel is Jaffa, which he loves for its history, beautiful buildings, and breathtaking views of Tel Aviv. It is the perfect place that captures an ancient Israel alongside a modern Israel.

Published articles:

• One Word: Identity (Baltimore Jewish Times)
• Rabbis Reflect (Baltimore Jewish Times)
• Letter to the Editor: Israel Cannot be Compared to Syria (The Pipe Dream)
• American Studies Association Israel Boycott is Unjust (The Pipe Dream, InFocus)
• Israeli Soldier Advocates for Palestinian Compromise (The Pipe Dream, InFocus)
• Response: Support for resistance will act as a catalyst for conflict (The Pipe Dream)

Tulane University

Ben Kravis is currently a sophomore at Tulane University majoring in Literature and premedical studies. Born in Japan and raised in West Caldwell, New Jersey, he graduated from Solomon Schechter Day School. Ben traveled on two school-sponsored trips to Israel, one in ninth grade for 10 days and the other for all of spring semester of senior year.

At Tulane, Ben is involved in Israel advocacy through Tulane University for Israel (TUFI) and Hillel. Ben is also an Undergraduate Research Assistant for the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department. His hobbies are being with friends, reading, hiking, and exercising. After graduating college he wants to defer medical school for a few years to serve in the Special Forces of the Israel Defense Forces. Justin’s favorite place in Israel is the Dead Sea.

Published articles:

• Letter to the Editor (The Tulane Hulaballoo)
• Speakers Discredit SJP (The Tulane Hulaballoo, InFocus)

University of California, Berkeley

Alana Corre grew up in Los Angeles. She decided to stay in California for college and is now a sophomore at UC Berkeley. Alana intends to double major in public health and pre-med. In her spare time, Alana likes reading, watching movies, and playing with her dog Wesley. Her favorite book is Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafron. Alana is also really into time period TV shows like Downton Abbey, Mad Men, and Boardwalk Empire.

Events:

• Noam Bedein at UC Berkley and UC Irvine

University of California, Irvine

Daniel Narvy Is a third-year student at UC Irvine studying Political Science.  He also studied at Machon Meir in Kiryat Moshe. Daniel is the president of Anteaters for Israel, the Zionist club at UCI. He enjoys hiking, sports, and follows the team Beitar Yerushalayim. Daniel says that every Birthright trip makes sure to take students to Tel Aviv for the parties and beaches, to Tzfat for the kabbala, and Jerusalem for the spirituality, but no trip ever makes it to Hevron, the resting place of Avraham, Yitzhak, and Yaakov. Hevron is the first land Avraham bought in Israel and the original capital of the Jewish people.

Daniel’s favorite place in Israel is Ma’arat HaMachpela, where our patriarchs are buried because it is the origin of the Jewish people and the Hebrew nation. This is his favorite place because the people, the history, and the atmosphere are so real in Hevron. The Jews who live there do so out of devotion and national pride. The soldiers protecting them are the shield that combines our ancient culture with our modern state. And the Torah kept in Hevron is the Torah kept as it was intended.

Published articles:

• The Ring Road Wall: An Israeli Perspective (The New University)
• ASUCI: The Apartheid Divestment (Con) (The New University)

Events:

• Noam Bedein at UC Berkley and UC Irvine

University of Delaware

Philip Chinitz is a junior at the University of Delaware. His primary studies include marketing, with minors in international business and economics. Philip is an active member of the University of Delaware Hillel, Music Director/radio host for the university radio station, and organizer of concerts on campus, and has played saxophone for the University of Delaware Marching Band. He is also a graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), in which he spent one month in the North Cascades of Washington concentrating in mountaineering, risk management, and first aid skills. During Philip’s initial visit to Israel (January 2013), he enjoyed the unique culture of the Israeli people, along with the opportunity to connect with his Israeli family. Aside from Israel, Philip has traveled to over a dozen countries, including China, Vietnam, Iceland, Peru, Guatemala, Mexico, and various parts of Europe.

The University of Florida 

Avia Gridi is a junior at The University of Florida, double majoring in business and political science. She grew up in South Florida and has lived in Florida her entire life. Avia spent this past summer interning at The U.S. House of Representatives and had a great time learning about foreign policy. Her favorite place in Israel is the south because she enjoys learning about all the amazing ways Israel has allowed it to flourish despite it starting off relatively bare.

Published articles:

• Inside the Mind of a Bomber (The Alligator, The Algemeiner, InFocus)

University of Houston

César Domingo is originally from Panama City, but he has now made Houston his home. He is currently a senior student in the Global Business department. He has already finished studies in Economics and Political Science.

He co-founded Speak Up, the only pro-Israel organization at the University of Houston and was introduced to CAMERA by Rabbi Kenny Weiss. His goals are to create a strong pro-Israel community at the University of Houston, and in the professional aspect, to be part of a research institute that focuses on the Middle East.

Published articles:

• Threat to the Well Balance of Peace at the University of Houston (InFocus)

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Brett Hausler is a senior studying social thought and political economy in addition to public policy and administration at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He spent the spring of 2013 studying abroad in New Zealand, where he traveled the whole country, as well as visited Fiji and Australia.

At UMass Amherst, Brett has been a policy specialist, communications, and outreach director, and advocate for affordable and accessible higher education through the Center for Education Policy and Advocacy, as well as a sports commentator and executive producer for the public radio station WMUA. Brett is also the DJ Training Director at WMUA for the 2013-2014 school year. He has served as a summer camp staff member for three years while participating in two Jewish leader fellowships: Olim Fellowship and Cornerstone Fellowship. During the summer of 2013, he worked in the Berkshires as the Development Associate for URJ Eisner and Crane Lake Camps.

His record of community service includes work with the Ethiopian-Israeli communities in Israel through the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. Brett has also participated in CAMERA’s leadership and advocacy training in Israel in the summer of 2012. He chose to become an activist because he does not want to stand idly by while the news media and its supporters continue to report inaccurately about Israel and the Middle East. Brett’s goal is to influence other students at UMass Amherst to participate in CAMERA’s advocacy goals so that the effects last longer than his time as a Fellow.

Published articles:

• United Nations Human Rights Council: Is it legitimate? (InFocus)
• Israel, a Hub for Diversity (The Daily Collegian, InFocus, The Algemeiner)

Events:

• University of Massachusetts Amherst Hosts Sgt. Benjamin Anthony’s Lecture

University of Pittsburgh

Lauren Barney hails from the great steel city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is currently a Chinese and Political Science double major and junior at the University of Pittsburgh.  Lauren is an active member of her local campus Israel activist club, Panthers for Israel, as well as the local AIPAC chapter, PIPAC. She is also a sister of Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority, a member of her Student Government, and volunteers with her local community’s chapter of Friendship Circle.

Lauren loves traveling to Israel, especially hiking mountains by the Red Sea. Lauren hopes that the knowledge she gains through this year’s upcoming fellowship will aid not only her middle school dreams of  being an activist for Israel, but also to propel her into an International relations career bettering the social, economic, and political relations between China and Israel.

Published articles:

• Our Fellow at the University of Pittsburg Sets the Record Straight on Settlements  (The Pitt News, InFocus)

University of South Florida

Danielle Haberer is a junior at the University of South Florida majoring in mass communications with a concentration in magazine journalism. Upon obtaining her Bachelor’s degree from USF, she plans on attending law school. Danielle spent the past summer in Washington, D.C. completing a fellowship in writing and media advocacy at The Israel Project. On campus, she serves as vice president of USF Hillel and as the editor of the USF Hillel newsletter. She has also written as a guest columnist for the Oracle, the campus newspaper at USF.

Nicole Einbinder is a sophomore at the University of Washington, studying International Studies with a Human Rights focus at the Jackson School of International Studies. She plans on also majoring in Communications. Nicole is originally from Orange County, California but moved to Seattle to attend school. Nicole writes for UW’s campus paper, the Daily, is a leadership intern at Hillel, where she serves as a co-Israel Programming Coordinator, and is involved with Greek life. She is also a member of UW’s Honors program.

Nicole is passionate about social justice, writing, and learning about new peoples and cultures. Her desire to become an activist is due to a life-changing trip she took to Israel the summer before her junior year of high school called TIES (Teen Israel Experience Summer). Witnessing the state, people, and culture firsthand instilled Nicole with a newfound appreciation for Judaism’s rich history, while also fueling her drive to stand up for Israel against those who denounce its right to exist. As a history buff, it was an incredible experience to walk along the ancient cobblestones of Jerusalem and ruins of Masada, while also learning about the many innovative things that Israel has achieved in the present.

Washington University in St. Louis 

Meytal Chernoff was born in New York but spent most of her life in Evanston, Illinois. She is now a sophomore at Washington University in St. Louis. In school she is pre-med, studying anthropology and biology in order to link her fascination with history and the development of society with her love of medicine. Meytal also takes as many literature classes as possible, and enjoys reading and discussing the vast majority of book genres. She loves writing, especially poetry, and is the literature editor of “Spires,” an intercollegiate literary magazine based on WashU’s campus.

Meytal chose to become an activist because she was educated in the Hebrew Day School system, she had spent her entire life surrounded by people who supported Israel, and discussion about its current events were common in her home and among friends. However, Meytal knew that this would change once she attended a secular university. Therefore, she decided to take a class in Israel advocacy during her senior year. It was one of the first times she learned how the history of the state of Israel was viewed from both sides of the argument and was able to separate the facts from the biases on both sides. Chernoff decided to apply for a position in Israel advocacy to help open the conversation on her campus in a way that generated honest and positive discussion. Meytal wants to give people the facts so that they can come to their own opinions towards the State of Israel to see it for what it really is, the sole democracy and true American ally in the region.

Published Articles:

• A Realistic Approach to the Israeli-Arab Conflict (The Washington University Political Review, InFocus)
• A Call for Academic Freedom (The Algemeiner, InFocus)

Events:

• Former Slave and Human Rights Activist Simon Deng at Washington University

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