official ssi report march 2015 · 2020. 1. 26. · official ssi report – march 2015 ... ryerson...

© Students Supporting Israel – International Student Movement

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Official SSI Report – March 2015

March 1– March 31

Spring Semester, 2015

Drafted: April 2015

This report was written by the International Board of Students Supporting Israel.

Valeria Chazin- Chairwomen, Board of Directors.

Naor R. Bitton – Advisor, Board of Directors.

Ilan Sinelnikov – President and Founder

Marta Slobodyanyuk – Research Analyst.

Ron Feingold – Communication Director.


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The Report contains the following:

1. Students Supporting Israel March highlights.

2. List of Students Supporting Israel chapters and locations.

3. The Amount of events held by Students Supporting Israel across North

America and amount of students engaged with the events.

4. A summary of activities and events hosted by Students Supporting Israel

Universities and College Campuses.

5. Articles published by or on Students Supporting Israel during the month of

March 2015.

6. Photo Appendix.

March Overview:

Students Supporting Israel was able to grow to 34 chapters across North

America!

From March 1st to March 31st –1,504 Students across North America

took part in Students Supporting Israel events.

Engaging 10,655 students since the beginning of the academic year.

Students Supporting Israel hosted 39 events on college campuses and

Universities in the month of March with overall of 277 events from the

beginning of the academic year.

Students Supporting Israel was able to get 16,149 Facebook Likes

and reach 159,636 people in March. Reaching overall of 1,118,636

profiles since the beginning of the academic year.

All SSI campuses held their Spring Breaks during the Month of

March; Overall activity was reduced due to the break.

Students Supporting Israel, now on

34 campuses across North America and Europe!


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Students Supporting Israel Celebrates its 3 Year Anniversary!

In March 2012, a new organization was registered at the

University of Minnesota - Students Supporting Israel. Now it is

one of the largest Pro Israel campus movements across

North America with 34 chapters in the U.S, Canada and the

U.K.

We want to thank the leaders of SSI that transformed SSI into

an incredible movement. We are growing every day; we

are the largest pro-Israel, grassroots, student movement!


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6 new chapters joined Students Supporting Israel during March!


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Students Supporting Israel in D.C!

78 members of students Supporting Israel representing 24

chapters made their way to Washington D.C in order to

participate at the 2015 AIPAC Policy Conference.

President Ilan Sinelnikov presented SSI at the Israeli American

Council (IAC) – AIPAC event. SSI DePaul President Cameron

Erickson spoke at an AIPAC student activist’s panel and the

SSI President at Texas A&M, Dan Rosenfield, was chosen to

staff the conference.

Students Supporting Israel in D.C!


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SSI DePaul Awarded –

Policy Conference Student Group Activists of the Year for 2014/15!

After hosting dozens of events on campus, building

coalitions and becoming a top grassroots leader on

campus, SSI DePaul was also able to win campaigns that

turned its student government into more pro-Israel. This year

SSI DePaul became one of the strongest pro Israel groups in

the country. AIPAC has recognized the leadership and

activism of the chapter, awarding our amazing student

leaders at SSI DePaul!


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SSI is going overseas!

Students Supporting Israel at Kings College London!

Pro Israel activists face challenges not only across North

America, but overseas as well. After realizing that our

students need help worldwide SSI has come to London!

We are proud to establish our first SSI Chapter in Europe

which will be fully operational with the beginning of the

2015/16 academic year!


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Students Supporting Israel at San Diego State University wins over campus!

SDSU Votes NO

From the beginning of the academic year, anti-Israel groups worked in

order to host a university wide referendum that will call to divest from the

only Jewish State.

The referendum was scheduled for the dates of April 6th – 9th in which 2/3

voting majority and over 10% voting turnout will be needed in order to

pass the anti-Israel legislation.

Outnumbered on campus, and against a coalition of students, student

groups, community organizations and professors- Students Supporting

Israel at SDSU launched the vote NO campaign in order cancel any

possible 2/3 majority vote.

1510 students at SDSU joined the vote NO campaign and were able to

represent 47% of the voters in order to WIN over the SDSU campus!

“I'm incredibly proud knowing that over 1500 students voted against

divestment at SDSU. We were able to educate many students and show

that Divestment is a hateful movement and does not belong on our

campus student community, I thank all of the SSI members at SDSU, the

entire SSI family and the people who supported us in the past months”-

Sarah Katularu, SSI SDSU President.


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Students Supporting Israel leaders meet with Prof. Alan Dershowitz

American lawyer, jurist and author congratulates SSI

for the success of the movement

Representatives of National, Minnesota, Washington, North

Carolina, Loyola Marymount and DePaul met with Prof. Alan

Dershowitz.

Prof. Dershowitz congratulated our SSIers and called on all

of our leaders across the world to "keep doing amazing

things!"


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New National Partnership SSI Partners with Jerusalem U and Hasbara Fellowships

Students Supporting Israel has officially partnered with

Jerusalem online U in order to bring the Beneath the Helmet

movie screening to its chapters. In addition, SSI has

partnered with Hasbara Fellowships in order to host the “I

vote Israel” and “Israel Peace Week” campaigns in a

variety of SSI campuses.


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List of students Supporting Israel campuses:

Campus Events / Meetings

Amount of Students Engaged

Social Media Engagement

Likes

Joined SSI

University of Minnesota

2 48 2,146 March 2012

Indiana University

2 44 741 March 2014

DePaul University 1 11 556 March 2014

Augsburg College 1 16 693 April 2014

University of Kansas 3 204+ 512 April 2014

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

2 132 726 April 2014

San Diego State University

3 55 1,038 July 2014

Texas A&M University 4 131+ 1,023 July 2014

Loyola Marymount University – Los

Angeles

2 47 310 September 2014

University of Georgia Study Abroad

Resolution Progress

639 September 2014

University of Vermont 5 355+ 349 September 2014

Ryerson University 3 282+ 664 July 2014

University of Oregon - - 260 September 2014

University of Washington

- - 271 September 2014

University of Iowa 1 4 213 October 2014

Pace University NYC 1 11 430 October 2014

University of Nebraska – Omaha

1 10 188 October 2014


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Columbia College Chicago

2 60 211 October 2014

University of Huston Victoria

- - 171 November 2014

Georgetown University

- - 173 November 2014

Arizona State University

1 33 275 January 2015

University of Missouri 1 15 186 January 2015

Penn State University 1 14 309 January 2015

Touro College – NYC 1 20 166 January 2015

West Virginia University

Registration Process 117 February 2015

University of North Carolina - Charlotte


University of Maryland


Iowa State University Registration Process 162 March 2015

UCLA 1 5 533 March 2015

Nova Southeastern University

Registration Process 103 March 2015

Eastern Michigan University

Registration Process 53 March 2015

Chico State University Registration Process 180 March 2015

Kings College London Registration Process 152 March 2015

NEST+n High School – NYC

1 7 137 December 2015

Totals Chapters:

33+1 Totals

Events / Meetings:

39

Totals Students Engaged:

1,504

Totals:

16,149 Likes

159,636 Outreach

including the national page

2071 Likes - Outreach (70,228)

Totals Academic year (September – March)

277 10,655 (38 students per event)

1,118,164 Outreach

September - March

Pro Israel. Grassroots. Movement.

*Board Meetings Only. *Registration process for the group was set up will be active in the following month.


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Students Supporting Israel spot light events

1. Students Supporting Israel at Ryerson University – CLIC Delegation Tabling,

March 11&12th -

The CLIC delegation consisted of Israeli minorities who came to various

campuses in Canada to speak with and engage students positively with Israel.

SSI Ryerson tabled outside with the delegation and gave out free coffee,

chocolate, and fortune cookies that contained facts about Israel inside. Over

250 students were engaged in both of the tabling days.

2. Students Supporting Israel at Kansas University – Tabling on Campus,

March 3rd –

SSI at KU partnered with KU Hillel and several other students groups on campus

to bring Ari Shavit the author of “My Promised Land” book. Mr. Shavit spoke

about the past, present, and future of Israel and the Middle East analyzing the

different challenges the state and the region have. At the end students were

able to ask question about the views Mr. Shavit holds on different issues and to

what direction he sees Israel is going in the future. Over 100 Students attended

the event.

3. Students Supporting Israel at Illini University – YMCA International

Performance, March 12th –

The Local YMCA hosted an event in which many international groups made

dinner and performances about their country and culture to an audience of

over 100 students. Illini SSI made prepared an Israel table and performance,

baked Israeli Pitta and brought it to the event. The students who attended had

the first hand opportunity to engage with Israel and the different SSI members.

4. Aggie Students Supporting Israel Texas A&M – Israel Today: Community

Event, March 31st -

This was the first-ever SSI community event of its kind in the College Station

community. Guest speakers included Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp,

Congressman Bill Flores, and minor league baseball team owner Uri Geva. The

mayors of both Bryan and College Station were in attendance, as well as the

chairman of the Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce. The event was

organized by AIPAC, Texas A&M Hillel and Aggie SSI. Over 100 people including

students attended the event.


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5. Students Supporting Israel Kansas University – Tabling, March 26th –

SSI Kansas with another great tabling event! 93 students were engaged with SSI

KU and its tabling time on campus. SSI members passed out flyers, informed

students about upcoming events and signed dozens for its email list.

6. Students Supporting Israel at the University of Vermont – Laugh in Peace,

March 25th –

Israel is a country that has a lot to offer and SSI Vermont in partnership with UVM

Hillel decided to change the conversation on campus. Rabbi Bob and Mo – an

Arab Muslim who serve as two internationally loved comedians were hosted on

campus. Both, Bob and Mo used their friendship and humor to break boundaries

and spread a message of peace. 56 Students who came to the event had a

chance to engage in conversation, asked questions and get a good laugh

understanding better how people can come closer together.

7. Students Supporting Israel at Loyola Marymount University– Literature in a

Time of Conflict: An Afternoon of Israeli Poetry, March 4th –

SSI at LMU co-sponsored an event with the Jewish Studies Department to host an

afternoon full of Israeli poetry. 3 poets from the United States and Israel spoke

about their work and how it has contributed to the political arena. 40 students,

university staff, and alumni attended the event, and learned more about Israeli

culture, politics and poetry.

8. Students Supporting Israel at Columbia College Chicago – Good Deeds

Day, March17th –

The Jewish United Fund is encouraging all Chicago campus Israel organizations

to participate in Good Deeds Day, as it was started in Israel. SSI Columbia

sponsored a blood drive, as well as a simpler and small more mitzvah-spirited

good deed, such as making a card for a sick child or a donation to an

organization. 40 students attended the events during the day.


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9. Students Supporting Israel at Indiana University – Beneath the Helmet,

March 3rd -

SSU IU has hosted the Jerusalem U's new film, Beneath the Helmet: From High

School to the Home Front movie screening. Beneath the Helmet is a coming of

age story that highlights five young Israeli high school graduates, who are

drafted into the army to defend their country. At the age of 18, away from their

homes, family, and friends these young individuals undergo a demanding

journey, revealing the core of who they are and who they want to be. 39

Students attended the event.

10. Students Supporting Israel at Arizona State University – Meeting with David

Bernstein, March 23th –

David Bernstein, past Executive-Director of The David Project, came to campus

to speak about one of the most controversial discussions of our time:

Settlements. Students from campus and SSI members had the chance to

understand the settlement discussion and gain a grasp the Jewish communities

in Judea and Samaria potential impact on peace. 33 Students attended the

event.

Total Students Attending Top SSI events: 851+


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Students Supporting Israel in the Media:

Five Articles covering SSI activity were published in the month of March. In the

Times of Israel Naor Bitton and Ilan Sinelnikov wrote about the anti-sematic case

in UCLA, 3 days following the article the SSI UCLA chapter was established. The

Huffington Post published an article written by Ron Feingold the Students

Supporting Israel Minnesota chapter President.

A Futile Letter from a University of Minnesota Student to Academic – Ron

Feingold. Huffington Post. March 4, 2015.

At UCLA Anti-Semitism Becomes an Excuse for Anti Zionism – Naor Bitton

and Ilan Sinelnikov. The Times of Israel. March 9, 2015.

New Pro Israel Student Group Shakes Things Up at University of Washington

– The Mike Report. March 11, 2015.

An Alternative to Israel Apartheid Week – Eytan Palte. Atlanta Jewish

Times. March 20, 2015.

Remarkable Diversity of the Pro Israel Community at DePaul – Cameron

Erickson. The DePaulia. March 22, 2015.


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Students Supporting Israel Photo Appendix:

SSI Augsburg Krav Maga SSI UCLA Chapter Establsiehd!

SSI San Diego State Universiy National Campus Leaders!

SSI Washington visiting elementry school kids SSI Kansas Tabling


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SSI Indiana SSI Vermont

SSI Penn State – Coalition Bulding SSI Missouri Co Presidents

SSI Texas A&M with SSI Minnesota with Senator

Representative Bill Flores Texas (R) Amy Klobuchar Minnesota (D)


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SSI Touro College SSI Nebraska Foudners

SSI Pace & Arizona at SSI West Virginia With

The White House Senator Shelley Moore WV (R)

Members of SSI National, Minnesota, Georgia, and Pace University, with the Israeli General Consul

to the Midwest, Honorable Mr. Roey Gilad - at Washington D.C.

official ssi report march 2015 · 2020. 1. 26. · official ssi report – march 2015 ... ryerson...

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