Students Supporting Israel International Student Movement

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.

 Students Supporting Israel International Student Movement

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

and reach

274,945 people in January.

Facebook Likes
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!

 Students Supporting Israel International Student Movement

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!

 Students Supporting Israel International Student Movement

3 new chapters joined Students Supporting

Israel during February!

West Virginia University

University of Maryland

University of North Carolina - Charlotte

 Students Supporting Israel International Student Movement

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

 Students Supporting Israel International Student Movement

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.

 Students Supporting Israel International Student Movement

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:

 Students Supporting Israel International Student Movement

List of students Supporting Israel campuses:

Campus

Events / Amount of Social Media Joined SSI

Meetings Students Engagement
Engaged
Likes

University of
Minnesota
Indiana University

539

2,164

March 2012

16

743

March 2014

DePaul University

112

545

March 2014

Augsburg College

210

689

April 2014

University of Kansas

92

465

April 2014

University of Illinois
Urbana Champaign

43

696

April 2014

San Diego State

University

57

1,028

July 2014

Texas A&M University

140

1,012

July 2014

Loyola Marymount
University Los
Angeles
University of Georgia

12

305

September
2014

24

635

University of Vermont

1*

331

Ryerson University Canada

53

655

September
2014
September
2014
July 2014

New Mexico Military

Institute
University of Oregon

1*

12

256

August 2014

1*

248

University of
Washington
Saint Marys
University Minnesota

887

235

1*

119

September
2014
September
2014
October 2014

 Students Supporting Israel International Student Movement

University of Iowa

21

206

October 2014

Pace University NYC

2*

11

252

October 2014

University of
Nebraska Omaha
Columbia College
Chicago
University of Huston
Victoria
University of
Tennessee
Georgetown
University
Arizona State
University
University of Missouri

1*

180

October 2014

59

184

October 2014

145

174

162

136

268

November
2014
November
2014
November
2014
January 2015

2*

179

January 2015

Penn State University

32

165

January 2015

Touro College NYC

46

159

January 2015

Registration

Process*

125

February 2015

Registration

Process*

150

February 2015

Registration

Process*

82

February 2015

17

134

Totals
Events /
Meetings:

Totals
Students
Engaged:

Totals:

14,590

62

2,536

274,945

December
2015
including the
national page
1,899 Likes Outreach
(173,557)

West Virginia
University
University of North
Carolina - Charlotte
University of
Maryland
NEST+n High School
NYC
Totals Chapters:

30+1

Likes
Outreach

Totals Academic year

(September
February)

238

9,151

958,528

(38 students
per event)

(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.
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 Students Supporting Israel International Student Movement

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
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 Students Supporting Israel International Student Movement

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
Valentines Day Tabling , February 12th
On Valentines 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 Childs 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 Bshavat
semester kickoff, February 4th Students Supporting Israel at Minnesota hosted its semester kickoff event by
celebrating the Israeli holiday of Tu Bshavat. 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
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 Students Supporting Israel International Student Movement

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 Odehs 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

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 Students Supporting Israel International Student Movement

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 medias 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.

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 Students Supporting Israel International Student Movement

Students Supporting Israel Photo Appendix:

SSI National Online Discussions and Sharing of Ideas

SSI Ryerson - Canada

SSI Touro College NYC

SSI Washington

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 Students Supporting Israel International Student Movement

SSI Iowa

SSI Arizona

SSI Kansas

SSI Penn State

SSI San Diego State

SSI SSI DePaul

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 Students Supporting Israel International Student Movement

SSI Minnesota

SSI Minnesota

SSI Georgia Made histoy this Feburary!

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