TFI in the news
The Daily Texan has an article about the "Activist of the Year" awards given to TFI Members at AIPAC's Policy Conference in March.
Texans for Israel student organization receives national activism award, praise for efforts
by Lauren Kent
The UT student group Texans for Israel was honored as 2006 Student Activists of the Year at the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in Washington, D.C., in early March.
The group joined more than 1,000 students from all over the nation to participate in the three-day event, held March 5 through March 7. The delegates heard addresses from policy makers from the United States and Israel, including former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and Vice President Dick Cheney, about issues concerning the U. S. relationship with the Middle East. Texans for Israel lobbied legislators to diffuse Iran's nuclear program and the importance of the United States continuing to oppose Hamas, the Palestinian militant group turned political party.
Executive board member Ari Eisenberg, a civil engineering senior, said the group was surprised and honored to receive the award.
"Although we were not competing, it is still an honor to be up against the top student groups in the nation who are as good, if not better, than we are," Eisenberg said. "But we put our hearts and souls in what we do, and it is good to be a model for other campuses."
Eisenberg said the group's activities in the past year included organizing a block party to recruit supporters, working to reopen the Israel study abroad program and putting on five-minute presentations for student groups to promote knowledge about and support of Israeli culture issues.
"Our goal is to strengthen the relationship between the U.S. and Israel, starting with students," Eisenberg said.
Jonathan Kessler, the leadership development director of the committee, was involved in the board's decision to give the award to the group. Many student groups involved in Israeli issues are cadres for the committee, meaning they serve to spread the committee's initiatives and ideas across campuses. At the end of the year, the committee's leadership team takes a look at the cadres' activities and decides which groups will be awarded.
"The group demonstrated a tremendous amount of creativity, sophistication and passion," Kessler said.
Texans for Israel student organization receives national activism award, praise for efforts
by Lauren Kent
The UT student group Texans for Israel was honored as 2006 Student Activists of the Year at the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in Washington, D.C., in early March.
The group joined more than 1,000 students from all over the nation to participate in the three-day event, held March 5 through March 7. The delegates heard addresses from policy makers from the United States and Israel, including former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and Vice President Dick Cheney, about issues concerning the U. S. relationship with the Middle East. Texans for Israel lobbied legislators to diffuse Iran's nuclear program and the importance of the United States continuing to oppose Hamas, the Palestinian militant group turned political party.
Executive board member Ari Eisenberg, a civil engineering senior, said the group was surprised and honored to receive the award.
"Although we were not competing, it is still an honor to be up against the top student groups in the nation who are as good, if not better, than we are," Eisenberg said. "But we put our hearts and souls in what we do, and it is good to be a model for other campuses."
Eisenberg said the group's activities in the past year included organizing a block party to recruit supporters, working to reopen the Israel study abroad program and putting on five-minute presentations for student groups to promote knowledge about and support of Israeli culture issues.
"Our goal is to strengthen the relationship between the U.S. and Israel, starting with students," Eisenberg said.
Jonathan Kessler, the leadership development director of the committee, was involved in the board's decision to give the award to the group. Many student groups involved in Israeli issues are cadres for the committee, meaning they serve to spread the committee's initiatives and ideas across campuses. At the end of the year, the committee's leadership team takes a look at the cadres' activities and decides which groups will be awarded.
"The group demonstrated a tremendous amount of creativity, sophistication and passion," Kessler said.
posted by DPR @ 12:53 AM
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