Punto IL– Hasbara in Action

Location:Buenos Aires
Name of implementing organization:Hillel Argentina
Date of initial project approval:February 2012

Project aims and objectives

To train participants to advocate for Israel, and to promote their involvement in Jewish community life

Project Description

TARGET GROUP:

University students, post-graduates, and youth movement madrichim

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM:

The project includes three groups, each comprised of 20 participants: (1) current members of Punto IL (2) university students new to the program (3) youth movement madrichim. The project invites madrichim from all the youth movements to participate. Whereas the program for Groups 1 and 2 aims to prepare participants to deal with external anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism in the universities, the youth movement madrichim need tools to strengthen the Jewish/Zionist knowledge and identity of their chanichim.

The project began the academic year by conducting a seminar about the history of the Middle East conflict, and why Israel is an important subject for advocacy. 7 monthly lectures are attended by all 3 groups. Three of the lectures take place at Hillel, and 4 lectures take place at universities all over Argentina. Topics include the Holocaust; the History of Israel's Wars; the Meaning of Terrorism; Internal Differences in Moslem and Israeli Society; and Types of Jewish Leadership.

In addition to monthly lectures, each group has 3 weekly sessions per month. Each of the weekly meetings extends for 3 hours, and includes instruction presented by the Project Director or invited experts. Continuing students in Group 1 will be involved in selecting the topics included in their group's activities. Students will organize pro-Israel materials and campaigns.

From April through July, students in Group 2 and Group 3 attend joint weekly sessions, devoted to the following topics: Why is Israel an Important Subject for Advocacy?; History of Zionism; History of the Middle East Conflict; The UN Partition Plan; The War of Independence and the Suez War; The Six Days War; The Yom Kippur War, Peace with Egypt; The Intifada; The Peace Process and its Problems.

In August and September, weekly sessions for Group 2 deal with the Role of the UN, and Human Rights Violations in the Middle East; and The Role of the Media in the Middle East Conflict. As a final project, in October the group will prepare a model debate between Israel, the Palestinians, and the UN.

The Group 3 weekly sessions deal with Zionism in Argentina; The Relationship Between Chanichim and Israel; and Ways to Teach Chanichim About Israel. In November, members of Group 3 will spend two days in an intensive seminar preparing a day seminar for 200 participants in all of the training courses for madrichim.

The project will conduct a final closing event at Hillel. Each of the participants will publish at least one article about Israel Advocacy each year. In the second year, a new group will join the project, and the first year group will participate for a second year.

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS:

Each of the three groups is comprised of 20 participants.

TYPE OF PARTICIPANTS:

University students and youth movement madrichim

NECESSARY RESOURCES:

The Hillel infrastructure (which was central to recruiting participants and also provided physical facilities in which to conduct project activities)

Lecturers and experts

The cooperation of local youth movements

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION?

Local lecturers and experts

Hillel

Main budget elements

Project Director

Lecturers, for monthly lectures

Professors, for weekly class sessions

Trips to a national university

Intensive Seminar for 20 madrichim

Intensive Day for 220 madrichim

Closing event

Contact information for anyone seeking further information about the project:

Mariana Litvin
Fundacion Hillel Argentina, O'Higgins 1560, Buenos Aires C1426BHF, Argentina

Telephone/fax: 54 11 4789 0088

mariana@hillel.org.ar
www.hillel.org.ar