PLUS: New cohort of students begin AVI/HRC Campus Media Fellowship, York University students plaster Bring Them Home flyers on campus, and more!
It was a busy week for our AVI high school and university students, with webinars, workshops, and initiatives taking place across Canada.
Firstly, our 2024/25 AVI High School Ambassadors joined us for a webinar focused on allyship and coalition-building with our AVI Allyship Chair Kristen Berry, who led the students through her journey as a staunch Christian advocate for Israel.
Our AVI High School Advisor Zach Rusonik was pleased to report that our students had several questions for Kristin to better understand her story and how they can build coalitions and alliances.
York University students, including AVI Student Ambassador Michael Mandel (right), distributes Bring Them Home flyers on campus
At York University, our AVI Student Ambassador Michael Mandel joined his fellow students to distribute and plaster Bring Them Home flyers on campus, as part of a Students Supporting Israel (SSI) campaign.
Thank you to the amazing students who continue to bring awareness to the fact that even with a new ceasefire deal, the hostages are still not home!
AVI Student Ambassador Eden Kojdan publishes her personal piece on Zionism in The White and Blue Paper in Montreal
We are incredibly proud of our AVI Student Ambassador Eden Kojdan, a student at the University of Montreal, for sharing her personal piece, titled My punk community shut me out for being a Zionist, with the world.
Eden's piece was published in The White and Blue Paper in Montreal. In her piece, she details how people she considered friends shunned her for joining AVI in Israel last summer. Since her life-changing experience, she has since served as a proud advocate for Am Yisrael at her campus – and beyond.
Please read an excerpt from Eden's piece below.
In Canada, I was very present in the LGBTQ+ and punk community because they’ve always made me feel safe and supported. They always seemed to be fighting for what was right.
When I was in Israel, I started posting stories about my trip, and those same people who I thought would protect me if anything happened started to insult me, calling me names like 'dirty Zionist', and saying things like 'you don’t deserve to exist, all Israelis should die, shame on you, you guys are terrorists' etc. The more I started speaking about it, the more people started shutting me out.
Fortunately, I will never stop. I will stand my ground and stand up for what I believe in. I’ve spent too many years in silence, and I’ve spent too many years being afraid of what will happen if I do speak out. Through my struggle I found a place of belonging within the Jewish community, and it is the most beautiful thing that could’ve happened to me.
All these friends I used to have never truly appreciated me for who I was. It saddened me for a little while, but I’ve learned to understand the power of my truth.
To read Eden's piece in full, click here. Kol Hakavod for standing up for the Jewish People, Eden!
New cohort of AVI/HRC Campus Media Fellows take part in our first webinar
We are proud to announce the launch of our 2025 Campus Media Fellowship in partnership with HonestReporting Canada! In 2024, AVI/HRC Campus Media Fellows were published in Excalibur, National Post, Toronto Sun, The Suburban, Jerusalem Post, and other media outlets.
Students, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, are joining us for our 2025 cohort from 13 campuses across Canada, including St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, University of Victoria, York University, Concordia University, University of British Columbia, Queen's University, and others.
To read op-eds from our 2024 Campus Media Fellows, please click here.
AVI Student Ambassadors visit Save A Child's Heart in Tel Aviv (January 2024)
Our newest cohort of AVI Student Ambassadors recently returned to campuses in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, and all over Ontario, after joining AVI in Israel as part of their Common Ground Ambassadorship.
Students will now serve as Ambassadors for Israel and human rights at their respective campuses – stay tuned for more updates soon!
This week's #AmbassadorSpotlight is Taddy Grechanick, one of our remarkable AVI Student Ambassadors majoring in Computer Science at Wilfrid Laurier University.
Please read a testimonial from Taddy about his experience with AVI here:
Allyship and Israel advocacy on campus has never been more crucial in a world facing rising antisemitism. This summer, I joined Common Ground to participate actively in this mission. As a Canadian-Israeli, my connection to Israel has deepened since October 7th, fuelling my desire to return and engage with the region firsthand, as well as to see family.
Visiting Arab-Israeli towns like Rahat and Ramle provided me with a deeper understanding of Israel's diverse demographic landscape, where Jews, Muslims, Bedouins, Arabs, Druze, and Ethiopians live side by side. Witnessing the coexistence and interaction of these communities, especially in a post-October 7 world, was both intriguing and eye-opening. These unique experiences have equipped me with the knowledge, confidence, and resources to advocate effectively for my community on campus, and I am forever grateful for them.
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