Campus pro-Israel group runs training sessions to fight ‘industrial distortion’
CAMERA UK begins 'Zionising' students to help them tackle bias against the Jewish state on campus
The UK offshoot of an American pro-Israel advocacy organisation has begun “Zionising” students on campus in the UK and Ireland, after its latest training session.
Trainers at the first annual CAMERA on Campus UK Student Leadership Conference told students to fight back against supporters call “industrial anti-Israel distortion” taking place in universities, after the event last week.
Israel activist David Collier said: “If we are to fight back against the industrial anti-Israel distortion taking place, we need to reclaim the word ‘Zionism’, and ‘Zionise’ students.” He added that the training “ticks all the boxes”.
Attendee Saskia Millman, a law student at the University of Glasgow, said the group of 20 learned “useful skills such as dissecting media reports and responding effectively to articles” as well as tips on “social media strategy”.
It is the latest such project by an American group to train pro-Israel students on British campuses. Last month, The British arm of US-based StandWithUs launched its first 21 fellowships at British universities to “teach their peers about Israel and combat anti-Israel rhetoric”. Students are financially compensated for their activities.
StandWithUs, which funds almost 100 such Emerson fellowships in the US, said the UK roll-out was in part designed to “counter the corrosive effects of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign” on campus.
The new UK Fellows undertook their three-day training last month, beginning at the Israeli Embassy in London, before taking up their places in universities across the country, where they are expected to host programmes and “counter misinformation” about Israel.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
