Center for Israel Engagement

Learn about Rutgers Hillel’s programs involving Israel.

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Rutgers Hillel Center for Israel Engagement

Driven by a core belief that a positive connection to Israel is essential for a strong, healthy Jewish identity, Rutgers Hillel Center for Israel Engagement (RHCIE) seeks to be a model for excellence in Israel engagement, education, and advocacy on campus.

RHCIE operates under a specific theory of change:  That there is a positive correlation between the level of pro-Israel accumulated knowledge and the level of engagement in Israel advocacy.   Increased Israel knowledge and advocacy will create a campus environment favorable to Israel, and reduce the impact of anti-Israel hostility activities. Successful Israel advocacy is dependent on a vibrant pro-Israel community. Therefore, RHCIE will use tools of community organizing to reach Rutgers University’s Jewish community.

Our approach is based on the latest national research, adapted to our campus in conjunction with student leaders: To promote the spirit of Israelis, a people that despite difficult circumstances, have managed to go above and beyond in their contributions to humankind. On campus and beyond, the RHCIE will provide the Jewish community with student leaders who are capable, passionate, and motivated agents of change.

Israel Student Groups

AIPAC
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee is a pro-Israel lobbying group which provides volunteer training and resources for college-age Jewish individuals. AIPAC holds a policy conference in Washington every year with thousands of student activists pushing for pro-Israel ideals and legislation.
Student opportunities: Covered ticket and travel to AIPAC Policy Conference
Birthright Excel

Birthright Israel Excel is an elite 10-week summer fellowship program in Israel for a select number of talented Jewish college sophomores and juniors as well as graduating seniors planning to attend graduate programs in the fall of 2017 who are pursuing careers in business and/or technology. During the all-expense paid program, each Birthright Israel Excel Fellow will intern at a prominent Israeli company with global reach from a wide selection of industries, including finance, venture capital, consulting, hi-tech, marketing, bio-tech and social media.

birthrightisraelexcel.com

C.A.M.E.R.A.
The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America, abbreviated as CAMERA, is an organization dedicated to ensuring the proper and unbiased reporting on Middle East events by the United States and world media. CAMERA provides assistance to individuals on campus who feel there is a strong anti-Israel bias in their campus newspapers, speakers brought to campus, or campus events. CAMERA provides students opportunities and resources to plan proIsrael events, get funding for pro-Israel student groups, and combat distortion of Middle East events on their campuses.
Student opportunities: Paid CAMERA Fellowship
Hasbara Fellowships
Hasbara Fellowships is the largest and most comprehensive Israel education and activism program for North American university students. Founded in 2001, Hasbara Fellowships was the first formal program for students battling overwhelming anti-Israel propaganda on their campuses in the wake of the second Palestinian intifada. Fifteen years later, Hasbara Fellowships remains the largest program of this type. Hasbara Fellowships uniquely takes hundreds of students to Israel on a #HasbaraIsrael program for 16-days of pro-Israel education.
Student opportunities: Internships and a covered trip to Israel.
Hillel Israel Leadership Initiative trip to Israel

HILI is the first trip allowing primarily non-Jewish (with the exception of a few Jewish) student leaders to visit Israel and acquire information on both narratives at the scene of the controversy. The Hillel Israel Leadership Initiative trip serves as a Birthright trip of sorts for non-Jewish students, but with an added political angle.

Student opportunities: Covered trip to Israel.
IAC Mishelanu
Mishelanu is a pro-Israel campus program that fosters leaders and provides a home for Israeli-American students. These students are able to explore and strengthen their Israeli-American & Jewish identity through culture, language, heritage, and a strong connection to Israel. A nationwide network of college students from 96 campuses actively develops leadership and entrepreneurship skills through our accelerator, fellowship and mentorship programs to enrich students’ college and professional careers.
Student opportunities: Volunteer leadership positions, covered ticket and travel to IAC Mishelanu Conference.
Israel on Campus Coalition
The Israel on Campus Coalition is not one organization, but rather a network of many different organizations that are dedicated to strengthening Israel’s image and the pro-Israel movement on college campuses. They offer fellowships, grants, internships, and support to help get a pro-Israel movement started on your campus. Israel on Campus Coalition provides training and consulting services to campus professionals and helps to strategize how to best get pro-Israel messages out to the student body.
Student opportunities: Student Fellowship and program grants.
JNF Campus Fellows Program

The JNF Campus Fellows program trains mentors and supports pro-Israel students from across the country that will facilitate JNF programs in their campus communities. Our Fellows play a crucial role in recruiting friends and fellow students to participate in Alternative Break, Caravan for Democracy and JNF College Summit. Fellows promote Israel as a country working to make the world a better place through Positively Israel and Tu BiShvat programming. JNF Campus Fellows also learn the important skill of fundraising for JNF projects that benefit the land and people of Israel.

Student opportunities: Paid Fellowship and a highly subsidized trip to Israel.
Masa Israel Journey

Masa is the leader in immersive international experiences in Israel for young adults (18-30). Our diverse portfolio of study abroad, internship, service learning, or Jewish studies programs help you grow—as a person, a professional, and a leader— while also developing a robust global professional network. Since its founding in 2004 by the Prime Minister’s Office of the Government of Israel, together with The Jewish Agency for Israel, over 120,000 young people from more than 60 countries have participated in Masa Israel programs.

Student opportunities: Highly subsidized long-term internships, volunteer, and educational programs in Israel.

Onward Israel

Onward offers a competitive and attractive venue for young people seeking such experiences at affordable prices, and for time periods ranging from six to ten weeks. While meeting the individual needs of the participants and allowing them to advance their resumes, Onward Israel programs will also feature inspiring educational modules, with special attention dedicated to activism opportunities within local communities and institutions after program completion and to the development of a deeper understanding of Israel and enhanced Jewish identity and commitment.

Student opportunities: Highly subsidized 10 week Internships in Israel

Rutgers Birthright (Taglit-Birthright Israel)
Birthright is a non-for-profit educational organization that sponsors a free ten-day heritage trip to Israel for young adults of Jewish Heritage, ages 18-26.
Student opportunities: Covered trip Israel and paid Internship.
StandWithUs
StandWithUs Emerson Fellowship is a prestigious one-year fellowship program that recruits, trains, educates, and inspires pro-Israel college students to become an elite cadre of leaders on college campuses across North America. StandWithUs Emerson Fellows form a network of trained pro-Israel student leaders, chosen from over 40 campuses, who utilize their skills and energy to drive and inspire their peers to run effective pro-Israel events and bring Israel’s message to their campuses. Among their program responsibilities, fellows hold leadership positions within pro-Israel student groups, run four to six programs on their campuses throughout the year, write articles for local and campus media outlets, and attend two training seminars in Los Angeles, CA. Upon completion of the program, fellows receive a stipend and the chance to win an amazing internship at the StandWithUs Jerusalem office.
Student opportunities: Volunteer leadership positions, covered ticket and travel to SWU training seminars, and program grants.
TAMID
Tamid is a nonprofit organization for college students looking to expand their networks and professional skills through interactions with the Israeli economy. We offer students an opportunity to engage with Israel in a group with NO political or religious affiliations. We introduce the next generation of entrepreneurs and professionals to Israel through a customized education program. We then apply this new knowledge through hands on consulting with Israeli startups, and comprehensive investment research. We leverage our partnership with Seeking Alpha to develop strong equity research skills through student led investment fund competition. Each summer, TAMID chapters are given the chance to send top students to our fellowship program in Israel for an 8-week summer internship. 
Student opportunities: Internships and a covered trip to Israel, volunteer leadership positions. 
Volunteers for Israel (VFI)
VFI partners with the Israeli organization Sar-El to process and prepare Americans to volunteer on Israel Defense Forces (IDF) supply/logistics bases. Sar-El is an acronym for the Hebrew words Sherut L’Yisrael (Service to Israel).

Student opportunities: Israel experience.
ZOA Campus
ZOA organizes college students to combat Arab propaganda on campuses from coast to coast and leads the Student Leadership Mission to Israel twice a year, preparing the Zionist activist leadership of the future.
Student opportunities: Internships, covered trip to Israel and covered ticket to the ZOA Gala.