FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting & Analysis
Boston, MA
CAMERA on Campus, the campus division of the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting & Analysis, hosted forty five student leaders from major campuses across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Israel at its international student leadership conference in Boston from July 28th to July 31st, 2024.
“This year’s conference has taken a far more serious tone. The usual celebratory spirit present in pro-Israel advocacy circles has been replaced by mission-minded efforts to tackle rising antisemitism and anti-Israel bias on college campuses,” said Hali Spiegel, campus director for CAMERA.
“While antisemitism was on the rise well before the Hamas massacre of 1200 Israelis on October 7th, what Jewish and pro-Israel students have faced over the last eight months is unprecedented. Students have watched their peers and faculty members call for banning ‘Zionists’, witnessed attempts to limit their freedoms, and efforts to justify the brutal torture and murder of innocent men, women and children at the hand of Hamas in the quad and the classroom,” continued Spiegel.
In light of the hostile climate on college and university campuses worldwide, the CAMERA on Campus team organized 22 strategically developed educational sessions led by members of the campus department, CAMERA researchers and world leading experts. Topics for these sessions included Op-ed writing, digital activism, media training, legal rights on campus, research methods and how to engage in debate and discussion effectively.
“The CAMERA Conference was an incredible experience for me and peers from around the world,” said Brendan Cohen, a rising senior and 2024-2025 CAMERA Fellow at Rowan University. Cohen also serves on the board of The Whit, the campus newspaper for Rowan University.
“I came away not only reassured that those who stand with Israel have the moral high ground and facts on our side, but that CAMERA is relentlessly at work to empower and equip us with the tools necessary to shine the light of truth into the darkest places on college campuses,” continued Cohen.
This year’s conference featured the largest cohort of students from the United Kingdom with representatives from the University of Exeter, University College London, London City, King’s College London, University of Arts of London, University of Hull and Birmingham University.
“After a turbulent year in the UK, I found great solace in spending time with and learning from fellow Zionist students and CAMERA staff at the conference,” said Rojin-Sena Cantay, campus advisor for CAMERA on Campus UK “Being given the tools and resources I need to lead the fight for Israel on campus is something I certainly don’t take for granted. I’m grateful that CAMERA not only understands the issues on campus, but has well-seasoned professionals that can help me make a difference,” continued Cantay.
Additional highlights from the conference include the sessions led by Kassy Akiva of the Daily Wire, Aaron Bandler of the Jewish Journal (Los Angeles), social media influencer and Canadian TV personality Shai Deluca, and chief executive of UK Lawyers for Israel, Jonathan Turner.
Follow CAMERA on Campus on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram for post-conference highlights and to follow the efforts of our incredible campus fellows and coalition groups.
To learn more about CAMERA on Campus’s incredible campus programs, visit us at cameraoncampus.org/programs.
Are you interested in joining the battle for ethical journalism? College students, alums, and community members are invited to contribute to the CAMERA on Campus blog. Visit opensubmissions.camera for details.
About CAMERA:
Founded in 1982, the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America is a media monitoring, research, and membership organization devoted to promoting accurate and balanced coverage of Israel and the Middle East. CAMERA fosters rigorous reporting while educating news consumers about Middle East issues and the role of the media. Because public opinion ultimately shapes public policy, distorted news coverage that misleads the public can harm sound policy-making. A non-partisan organization, CAMERA takes no position regarding American or Israeli political issues or ultimate solutions to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Media Contact
Douglas Sandoval
Managing Director, CAMERA on Campus
douglas@camera.org