Israel has become a deeply divisive issue for North American Jews. This trend calls into question the future relationship between North American Jews and Israel and with it the solidarity of global Jewry. A major reason for this disturbing reality is that an atmosphere has evolved in which people’s view of the world (reality) is shaped by emotional narratives, buzzwords, and theories. Critical thinking, facts, and context are sidelined. One troubling result is that criticism of Israel has escalated to the point of delegitimizing its existence, and at the same time, feeds – and even legitimizes – anti-Semitism. In this increasingly complex landscape, Israel advocacy has a limited impact.

STRATEGY

Our response to this challenge is based on ITME’s fundamental tenet: In order to understand Israel, you must understand the Middle East. This approach:

• Goes beyond the narratives available in Western media & academia and offers a new lens to understand Israel;
• Gives participants the knowledge, perspectives, skills, and tools to analyze media in context;
• Enables critics of Israel to be more receptive to Israel’s needs without compromising their core beliefs;
• Empowers supporters of Israel to identify with Israel out of understanding rather than obligation;
• Equips people to impact the discourse on campus & in their communities.