Official SSI Report February 2015

© Students Supporting Israel – International Student Movement

1

Official SSI Report – February 2015

February 1– February 28

Spring Semester, 2015

Drafted: March 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 – Chief Executive Officer.

Marta Slobodyanyuk – Research Analyst.

Ron Feingold – Communication Director.


2

The Report contains the following:

1. Students Supporting Israel February 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

January 2015.

6. Photo Appendix.

February Overview:

Students Supporting Israel was able to grow from 27 chapters to 30 chapters across North America.

From February 1st to February 29th – 2,536 Students across North

America took part in Students Supporting Israel events.

Engaging 9,151 students since the beginning of the academic year.

Students Supporting Israel hosted 62 events on college campuses and

Universities in the month of January with overall of 238 events from the

beginning of the academic year.

Students Supporting Israel was able to get 14,590 Facebook Likes

and reach 274,945 people in January. Reaching overall of 958,528

profiles since the beginning of the academic year.

Students Supporting Israel at the University of Georgia passing

the first Pro Israel investment legislation across North America

for 2015!


3

Students Supporting Israel, now on

30 campuses across North America! Students

SSI started from a one Pro Israel group at the University of Minnesota and it is now

one of the largest Pro Israel campus movements across North America!

From Vermont to California, from the State of Washington to Georgia:

This is the Students Supporting Israel Nation!


4

3 new chapters joined Students Supporting Israel during February!

West Virginia University University of Maryland

University of North Carolina - Charlotte


5

Students Supporting Israel at the University of Georgia Passing

the First Pro Israel investment legislation for 2015:

Students Supporting Israel chapter at the University of Georgia

successfully PASSED a Pro Israel resolution through their student government!

Click here to read the full resolution.

This resolution is the FIRST Pro Israel resolution to pass in 2015, and the THIRD to

pass in the US and Canada by Students Supporting Israel, joining the two

resolutions passed in 2014 by our chapters at the University of Minnesota and

Ryerson University.

The legislation that passed calls for increased academic cooperation between

the university and Israel through a study abroad program, and includes the

following language:

“WHEREAS Israel is the one of the most stable countries in the Middle East, and

the country with the highest ratings in freedom, human rights, and democracy in

the region

...

NOW BE IT RESOLVED That the Student Government Association of the University

of Georgia supports expanding study abroad opportunities in Israel for students

across all focus areas, graduates and undergraduate”

http://www.ssimovement.org/


6

Students Supporting Israel National, Minnesota and Augsburg College host the first and largest Pro Israel

event in their community!

Over 400 Minnesota community members, including over 100 students, came to

the first ever SSI co-sponsored conference in Saint Paul, Minnesota on February

8, 2015.

SSI National President Ilan Sinelnikov and SSI Augsburg President Julian Kritz took

the stage talking about the growing SSI movement. In addition, SSI national

Board Director Naor R. Bitton and SSI Minnesota President Ron Feingold led 3

breakout sessions in front of dozens participants.


7

Leading in Social Media: Students Supporting Israel is one of the most visible

Pro Israel organizations online

In the month of February Students Supporting Israel reached organically a total

of 274,945 online profiles!

Every profile that Students Supporting Israel reaches online influences college

students and community members all over North America. From the beginning

of the year academic year 958,528 profiles were exposed to the

Students Supporting Israel message.

Students Supporting Israel (SSI)

Pro Israel. Grassroots. Movement.

From our Facebook page:


8

List of students Supporting Israel campuses:

Campus Events / Meetings

Amount of Students Engaged

Social Media Engagement

Likes

Joined SSI

University of Minnesota

6 539 2,164 March 2012

Indiana University

1 16 743 March 2014

DePaul University 6 112 545 March 2014

Augsburg College 2 210 689 April 2014

University of Kansas 2 92 465 April 2014

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

1 43 696 April 2014

San Diego State University

3 57 1,028 July 2014

Texas A&M University 6 140 1,012 July 2014

Loyola Marymount University – Los

Angeles

1 12 305 September 2014

University of Georgia 1 24 635 September 2014

University of Vermont 1* 5 331 September 2014

Ryerson University - Canada

1 53 655 July 2014

New Mexico Military Institute

1* 12 256 August 2014

University of Oregon 1* 6 248 September 2014

University of Washington

4 887 235 September 2014

Saint Mary’s University Minnesota

1* 7 119 October 2014


9

University of Iowa 3 21 206 October 2014

Pace University NYC 2* 11 252 October 2014

University of Nebraska – Omaha

1* 4 180 October 2014

Columbia College Chicago

4 59 184 October 2014

University of Huston Victoria

- - 145 November 2014

University of Tennessee

- - 174 November 2014

Georgetown University

1 6 162 November 2014

Arizona State University

5 136 268 January 2015

University of Missouri 2* 8 179 January 2015

Penn State University 1 32 165 January 2015

Touro College – NYC 3 46 159 January 2015

West Virginia University

Registration Process* 125 February 2015

University of North Carolina - Charlotte


University of Maryland


NEST+n High School – NYC

2 17 134 December 2015

Totals Chapters:

30+1

Totals Events /

Meetings:

62

Totals Students Engaged:

2,536

Totals:

14,590 Likes

274,945 Outreach

including the national page 1,899 Likes -

Outreach (173,557)

Totals Academic year (September –

February)

238 9,151 (38 students per event)

958,528 (Outreach Sep, Oct, Nov, Jan,

Feb)

Pro Israel. Grassroots. Movement.

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


10

Students Supporting Israel spot light events

1. Students Supporting Israel at the University of Washington – UW Cultural

Fest, February 27th -

Students Supporting Israel at Washington hosted an Israeli booth during the

University cultural fest. Throughout the day, variety of information including

booklets, games and different prizes were distributed to all of the students and

the parents that attended the fest. SSI created bracelets with the participants’

Hebrew name and educated the participants about Israel. Approximately 1,100

people attended the fest in which over 800 of them engaged at the SSI booth.

2. Students Supporting Israel at the University of Minnesota – Beneath the

Helmet movie screening , February 26th -

Students Supporting Israel at the University of Minnesota hosted the Beneath the

Helmet movie on campus. 138 students and community members attended the

movie which was hosted in one of the lecture halls on campus. The highlight of

the event was when Oren Giladi the soldier from the movie walked into the

room, the entire crowd got up and gave a standing ovation to the Israeli soldier

and thanked him for his service. On many campuses across North America

where Israeli soldiers are not welcomed, SSI Minnesota the founding chapter will

always welcome any Israeli or pro-Israel speaker to its campus.

3. Students Supporting Israel at Kansas University – Jayhawk Blvd Tabling,

February 25th –

Students Supporting Israel at Kansas continues to work on the grassroots level

engaging as many students as possible, by being visible on campus. During

tabling the SSI board members were answering questions about Israel, handing

out booklets and products, and signing new members for the club. 58 students

were engaged in conversation with the SSI members at Kansas.

4. Aggie Students Supporting Israel Texas A&M – Israeli Soldiers Tour,

February 17th, -

Aggie Students Supporting Israel in collaboration with the Cadet Corps at Texas

A&M hosted Israeli soldiers on campus. The soldiers discussed their experience in

the Israeli military and the differences between growing up in Israel and in the

United States. Some members of the cadet corps had the opportunity to meet


11

Israeli soldiers for the first time, and see the faces behind the uniforms. 55

students attended the event.

5. Students Supporting Israel Ryerson University Canada – Wall of Hearts

Valentine’s Day Tabling , February 12th –

On Valentine’s Day all of the pro-Israel student groups in the Toronto area

hosted events on their campuses. SSI Ryerson created a wall of hearts in school

where students wrote get well wishes to the children who are currently

undergoing treatment with Save a Child’s Heart Israeli non-profit. All of the

participating campuses hosted live video chats with each other in order to show

as much love possible to Israel and to the SACH foundation, 51 students

attended.

6. Students Supporting Israel at the University of Minnesota – Tu B’shavat

semester kickoff, February 4th -

Students Supporting Israel at Minnesota hosted its semester kickoff event by

celebrating the Israeli holiday of Tu B’shavat. SSI Minnesota focused on the

environmental aspect of the holiday and educated the different members

about the state of Israel and its environmental achievements. Students had the

chance to plant vegetable seeds during the event after learning about the

holiday and its environmental aspects. 43 students participated at the event.

7. Students Supporting Israel at Arizona State University– Panel with Israeli

Soldiers, February 26th –

Students Supporting Israel at Arizona hosted Eyal and Ashager two Israeli soldiers

in a panel on campus. Eyal is working at the therapeutic emergency center for

the LGBTQ youth in Israel. Ashager is coming from an Ethiopian background

growing up in a Jewish state. Both soldiers shared their life story and engaged

the different students about Israeli society, military and life. 42 students attended

the event.

8. Students Supporting Israel at Columbia College Chicago – Old City, New

Scene an Evening with Hadag Nachash , February 9st -

Students Supporting Israel at Columbia hosted Shaanan Street the singer from

the most popular Israeli hip hop band Hadag Nachash. Shaanan answered a

serious of questions about Israeli culture, music and life. 39 students attended the

event, half of them never engaged with Israel or Israeli topics or art at all. On an


12

art school like Columbia Shaanan had a great opportunity to bring Israel to the

students.

9. Students Supporting Israel at DePaul University – Candlelight Vigil for

Rasmea Odeh’s Victims, February 3rd -

Anti-Israel groups at DePaul University hosted a fund raiser for Rasmea Odeh a

convicted terrorist which was responsible for the murder of two students in Israel

and later on illegally immigrated to the United States. Students Supporting Israel

at DePaul University hosted a large campaign on campus including op-ed letter

writing, interviews to local newspapers and at the end a vigil for the victims of

terror. The events were also covered on national news outlets like Fox News. SSI

will forever stand against terror and for justice on its different campuses. 32

students attended the Vigil.

10. Students Supporting Israel at San Diego State University – LGBTQ night,

February 10th -

Students Supporting Israel hosted a night dedicated to the LGBTQ community in

Israel, the only safe pride community in the Middle East. Al El (Israeli national

airline) ambassadors came and spoke about their experiences of being openly

gay in Israel and the daily life of the community. Later on SSI SDSU hosted a

rainbow challah baking. 31 students attended the event.

11. Students Supporting Israel at Penn State University – First Tabling, February

26th –

Students Supporting Israel at Penn State hosted their first tabling of the year in

order to introduce the group to the campus student community. 30 students

signed up for the group and engaged with the board members of SSI.

Total Students Attending Top SSI events: 1,319


13

Students Supporting Israel in the Media:

Six Articles including a front page story at the “Algemeiner” covering the

amazing accomplishment of Students Supporting Israel at Georgia which

passed the first Pro Israel investment resolution across North America for 2015.

The work of Students Supporting Israel DePaul also got the media’s attention

following their actions against promoters of terror and injustice on their campus.

Dawgs Pound Home Support for Israel – By Michael

Jacobs. Atlanta Jewish Times. February 28, 2015.

For a Change: a good week for Israel and Jews on Campus – By Paul

Miller. Breitbart News Network. February 27, 2015.

First Resolution Calling for More Investment in Israel Passed by University of

Georgia Students - By Shiryn Ghermezian. The Algemeiner. February 25,

2015.

DePaul students cite 'feminism,' 'queer issues' in Israel divestment

campaign - By Emily Jashinsky. Campus Reform. February 12, 2015.

The Future of DePaul Divest - By Brenden Moore. The DePaulia. February 8,

2015.

http://atlantajewishtimes.com/2015/02/uga-israel-resolution/

http://www.algemeiner.com/2015/02/25/2015s-first-resolution-calling-for-more-investment-in-israel-passed-by-university-of-georgia-students/

http://www.algemeiner.com/2015/02/25/2015s-first-resolution-calling-for-more-investment-in-israel-passed-by-university-of-georgia-students/

http://www.campusreform.org/?ID=6286

http://www.campusreform.org/?ID=6286

http://depauliaonline.com/news/2015/02/08/the-future-of-depaul-divest/


14

Students Supporting Israel Photo Appendix:

SSI National Online Discussions and Sharing of Ideas

SSI Ryerson - Canada

SSI Touro College NYC SSI Washington


15

SSI Iowa SSI Arizona

SSI Kansas SSI Penn State

SSI San Diego State SSI SSI DePaul


16

SSI Minnesota

SSI Minnesota

SSI Georgia – Made histoy this Feburary!

Documents

Official SSI Report February 2015