Around 50 students from colleges throughout the US visited the home of Attorney Nati Rom, founder of the Lev HaOlam organization that fights against the boycott of Judea and Samaria. The visit was part of a larger tour by the students in the Shomron.
The students were members of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), and came from Los Angeles, Texas, Chicago, and other places. During a visit in his home in Esh Kodesh, Attorney Rom spoke with the students about the daily struggles Jewish pioneers in Judea and Samaria face in confronting terror. He also highlighted economic challenges posed by the BDS movement that works to boycott these Jewish communities. In addition, Rom showed the students maps demonstrating the history of Judea and Samaria from ancient times until today.
Samuel Samson, a student at the University of Texas in Austin, spoke about the new understanding he developed after the visit, “I was already well versed in the idea of Nati's mission, but I was still surprised by the scale. We often see these settlements as isolated and small. Nati showed me that was not the case.
“In short, my view is as follows: The PA is a lot better at public relations than Israel, and they're experts at propaganda. It's very easy, especially with the prominence of leftist media, to formulate an inaccurate picture of the region. Yet, the reality is very different, and the generosity of Israel, the plight of the Palestinian residents, and the ideological extremism of the PA are very real. As such people NEED to come visit the area to see it for themselves and formulate accurate opinions.”
Samson also discussed his personal experiences with BDS on his campus. “My campus has one of the largest BDS organizations in the US, called the ‘Palestine Solidarity Committee.’ Along with pushing BDS agendas and radical leftist activities, they possess a significant anti-Semitic population that often resorts to physical and verbal violence. Examples include physically assaulting and harassing Zionists and conservatives on campus, stalking Zionists at their homes to abuse them, chanting ‘death to the Jews’ and inviting radical Islamists to campus to speak.”
“Unfortunately,” explained Samson, “many in the Zionist community aren't used to this level of conflict and harassment and as such become fearful of expressing who they are. If others could get over the fear caused by BDS and stand proud, I think people would be surprised at how many young Americans, Jews and non-Jews alike, support Israel."
“The meeting with these college students led to many new realizations,” said Rom. “Many of them were surprised to discover the true facts on the ground. They asked many questions during our conversation and it was a very interesting and positive experience for all. I'm sure they'll return to their campuses far more informed about the truth and that's our strongest weapon— as BDS groups base their narratives on lies, refuting these lies and spreading the truth are the best tools we have in this struggle.”