In the wake of the October 7th terror attacks, the 12-day Iran war, and during one of Israel’s most critical moments in modern history, a diverse delegation of student leaders from 24 major US universities arrived in Israel to participate in an intensive, 10-day activist mission.
In an emotional and eye opening day, the student leaders visited the Gaza envelope area, touring sites of the October 7th Hamas attacks, meeting with survivors, IDF soldiers and local residents.
At Kibbutz Be’eri they were guided by resident Danny Mitzan, a veteran first responder and survivor of the massacre. While there, they had the unique opportunity to meet and hear from former Hamas hostage Ohad Ben Ami, held for 491 days in Gaza. Ohad spoke to the group and shared words of inspiration. He urged them not to give up and to keep raising their voices, reminding the world that Israel’s hostages must be freed.
The students also toured the site of the Nova Festival massacre, standing on the grounds where hundreds of young people were slaughtered or abducted; toured the city of Sderot; heard from local residents and survivors; visited the destroyed police station; and concluded the day at the Tkuma “car graveyard,” where hundreds of burned and bullet-ridden vehicles from the attack are preserved as a memorial.
The trip, organized by Hasbara Fellowships in partnership with IsraelAmbassadors.com, aims to equip student activists with firsthand knowledge, strategic tools, and personal encounters to become more effective voices for Israel on campus.
Representing top academic institutions such as Ohio State, UCLA, Duke, UC Berkeley, the University of Michigan, and Brown University, the student leaders hail from campuses where pro-Israel advocacy is both vital and challenging. The trip exposes them to the realities and impacts of the recent wars, and the global misinformation campaigns threatening Israel’s legitimacy.
"This is not a sightseeing trip, it’s a hard-core 10-day pro-Israel activist mission," said Michael Eglash, co-founder, IsraelAmbassadors.com.
"These students will go back to their campuses in a few weeks with the knowledge and content to be effective activists for Israel. They will refute the lies and propaganda against Israel on campus as proud Zionists."
In addition to their visit to southern Israel, the students will meet with families of hostages at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv and receive security briefings and field-based analyses during a visit to Israel’s northern border region. They will also engage with Jewish heritage and history and visit Mount Herzl and the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron.
The visit will conclude with a full-day communications summit which will feature experts such as journalist Gil Hoffman, scholar Khaled Abu Toameh, and media trainer David Olesker.
Aliyah Cohen from Bucknell University said: "As Jews, we have not only the right but the responsibility to defend our people and our homeland, and this Israel advocacy mission is equipping me to do exactly that, even from my small college campus in the middle of Pennsylvania."
Sam May, University of Texas said: "With so much misinformation being spread and pressure to make Jewish visibility and support for Israel shameful, learning the truth firsthand matters now more than ever. I’m looking forward to returning to campus with a clearer perspective and the tools to fight against antisemitism."
"This mission is about more than witnessing history, it’s about shaping the future," said Alan Levine, CEO of Hasbara Fellowships. "By bringing these exceptional student leaders to Israel, we’re empowering them with truth, context, and the tools to lead with confidence and integrity back on campus."
As antisemitism and polarization escalate on an unprecedented scale on college campuses and beyond, this mission represents a strong investment in informed, principled leadership. These student leaders will return equipped not only with firsthand knowledge, but with a renewed commitment to share Israel’s story with clarity and conviction.