Who Makes Up Hasbara Fellowships: The Fellows (Shanie Elkarif, Hasbara Fellow, University of Florida)
-“Have you heard of Hasbara?” – Hasbara Fellow on my campus
-“No, what is that?” – me
-“It’s this amazing fellowship where they take you to Israel to learn how to be an advocate for Israel on campus. It’s completely different than any other trip to Israel.” – Hasbara Fellow on my campus
A few months later, I found myself at the Newark airport meeting my group and the Hasbara Fellows. I wasn’t sure what to expect- I didn’t know anyone, and I didn’t know my “why.” I was ready to embark on whatever was being brought my way, even though I wasn’t really sure what was coming. Right off the bat the group immediately cliqued; we all got along and knew we were all here for different reasons but to reach the same conclusions. Since we all came from different backgrounds and educations, some people knew a lot about Israel and its conflicts, while others came in with not as strong of prior knowledge about it.
Day after day, on a tight schedule might I add, we had workshops led by our advisors, simulations that were mind boggling, speakers that were at times difficult to listen to and most eminently, Eitan’s speeches. But, these are things that every student on every program is provided with. All Hasbara Fellows are given the resources and the potential to learn and advocate. but what matters most is how they learn from it and what they take away from the program back to their campuses. The one crucial factor that changes from program to program are the participants. Us! The fellows.
Our group was filled with strong leaders who were not only passionate, but also motivated. We pushed each other to learn, even though we all had different levels of knowledge about certain topics. When I, for example, needed further explanations on certain topics, my peers were there to bring me up to par, not to judge me. Yes, at times we didn’t agree with each other but instead of arguing, we debated topics and challenged each other to understand the opposing viewpoint. We sat at the back of the bus during short and long rides and many times instead of napping or listening to music we would sit and talk. We would talk about where we just were, the places we visited, the people we met, the challenges that each conflict faces, and why things are the way they are in Israel. We created, discussed and evaluated our opinions and ideas. Overall, I’m extremely grateful for this experience to grow as an individual and learner by being surrounded by a supportive and passionate group in my favorite country.
