For the past year, Jewish students at U.C. Davis and Sacramento State planning an Israel-related activity have had an expert resource they could turn to for help: an Israel fellow.
Ronen Weiss, who is in his second year in this position, is one of 19 Israel fellows placed on campuses throughout the United States and Canada in a program run by Hillel and the Jewish Agency for Israel. Weiss is the only fellow in the Bay Area.
The 26-year-old, a native of Ashkelon, is on hiatus from his studies at Bar-Ilan University. He applied for the fellowship because “I think to be here is more important than to think about myself.”
“Since the eruption of the intifada, there are so many things you can do to advocate and to show abroad what typical Israelis are really like, and what Israel is really like,” said Weiss. “I think every Jewish person in the diaspora and the world should have some kind of connection with it.”
Weiss is often there to help Jewish students counter pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
“The average event that the pro-Palestinian groups are doing here are based on hatred and misleading facts,” he said, “and I’m working with my students to show that coexistence is possible and that Israel strives for peace. I’m trying to educate my students so they can know the facts and that there’s nothing to be intimidated by.”
Last year, Weiss helped students plan an Israel-themed week and organize cultural activities on campus. He is there mostly to serve as a resource for the students, and to be a voice of “the real Israel.”
Weiss enjoyed his campus experience so much last year that he extended his contract for another year.
“I felt a lot of satisfaction working with the students and felt there is plenty of other things to do,” he said.
Since his return, “I’ve been working really hard with students on forming more pro-Israel groups on campus, and they will be focusing not only on advocacy but cultural events and coexistence.”
Weiss feels lucky to be doing what he’s doing, and is grateful for the opportunity to educate students about what he considers the real Israel to be.
“Sometimes people are unaware of the true facts or have a different perspective on Israel, and just to talk to them one-on-one, and sit with them and educate them about the real thing, that’s what I think is so unique.”
Weiss said that sometimes just a brief conversation can make people think differently.
“Sometimes I talk to someone who gets more interested, and sometimes changes his own attitude,” he said. “People are not fully aware of the situation. They’re not wrong, but sometimes by discussing and showing them the real thing, they are more interested.”