Educational Presentations

ZOA Campus aims to empower students through providing the facts, combating misinformation, and spreading positive messages about the Jewish state. Our Campus Coordinators travel to campuses across the country and lead free educational and interactive events for students. Many of these campuses face anti-Israel and anti-Semitic activism and bias. We are happy to work with any group that is willing to spread the truth about Zionism and Israel. Moreover, we are more than happy to adapt any presentation to fit the need of each campus or run them online. Please contact your ZOA Campus Coordinator to bring any of the following educational events to your campus.

Zionism and the Jewish Connection to Israel: This presentation goes in depth about the Jewish connection to the land of Israel and the rich Jewish culture and identity rooted in Israel. We discuss Jewish history and connection in the four holiest Jewish cities in the world, all of which are in Israel. We also speak briefly about some of the controversy surrounding the holiest Jewish sites. Finally, we speak about Zionism and how it relates to the Jewish connection to the land; we talk about how and why Zionism started and about the core elements of the movement. Following the presentation, we have a Jeopardy-style game based on what they learn in the presentation.

Principles of Advocacy: This two part, participation-driven seminar shares useful tools and ideas that shape what it takes to engage in real persuasion. Too often in the Israel advocacy world, training is narrowly focused on how to “win arguments.” While those are important skills, this seminar prioritizes one-on-0ne conversations meant to find common ground and explore complex issues without falling quickly into the traps of debate that largely do not change minds. This presentation also offers students the opportunity to practice their tools and role play alternative mentalities.

The History of Israel: This two part presentation explores 5,000 years of Jewish history in the land of Israel. Part I traces our story from Abraham until the British withdrawal, tracing the rise and fall of empires. It goes in depth into the foundations of the modern Zionist movement and the Jewish resistance. Part II begins with the establishment of the state of Israel and follows through the numerous wars and peace efforts until the modern day. This presentation can be done at the “Israel 101” and more advanced levels.

Critical Issues: This presentation serves as a center-point for an open discussion about the most contentious issues. It explores the land for peace model, Palestinian and Jewish refugees, the false claims of genocide and ethnic cleansing, apartheid, occupation and sovereignty, the settlements, the boycott, divestment, sanctions (BDS) movement, Gaza, Iran, and more. Students are encouraged to participate in these topics through seminars, debates, and/or fact-based presentations.

Diversity in Israel: This presentation explores the diverse faces of modern Israel. It goes in depth into Israeli multiculturalism and how Israeli treats its citizens of all ethnicity, religion, and gender status. It shows how Arabs live in Israel as a minority with protections. It also explores the Christian, Druze, Circassian, and other minority populations. The presentation also explores diversity within the Jewish community: the Ashkenazim, Sephardim, Mazrahim, Ethiopian, Yemeni, Indian, Kaifeng, and other communities. The presentation also explores how Israel protects women’s rights and the LGBTQ community.

Soviet Jewry: This presentation goes through the history of Russian-speaking Jews, following their journey from pogroms to Israel, and everything in between. The Russian Jewish community is unique – oddly secular, overwhelming Zionist, and extremely educated throughout generations. This presentation goes through their history, analyzing what makes this group so prominent and so unique.

Israeli Cyber-warfare: Cyber is a new and revolutionary domain of warfare. This presentation explores the history and nature of cyberwar. Israel has become an international leader in cyberspace. We will also examine how Israel has punched so far above its weight in this field. Lastly, we will go in depth to learn about Stuxnet and the cyber battlefield of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Israeli Innovation: This presentation explores Israel as the “Innovation Nation.” It explores how Israel has achieved crucial advances in the environmental, medical, and technological fields. It also explores how Israel is responding to humanitarian crises, including the novel coronavirus. These advances are especially notable as they relate to the BDS campaign against Israel.

Krav Maga and the Importance of Jewish Self-Defense: ZOA Campus approved instructors that examine the history of Jews as a fighting people, contrasted with the reality of life in the Diaspora, the rebirth of the Jewish warrior spirit in the Zionist movement, and the founding of the modern State of Israel. Krav Maga is a model for the Jewish return to self-defense. Students then engage in an introduction to the fundamentals of Krav Maga during this exciting educational event. No prior experience is necessary.

The Legal Foundations of Israel Under International Law: This presentation focuses on the legal grounds for the establishment and protection of the state of Israel. Many anti-Israel critics and activists use international law to paint a one-sided story and use selective interpretations to target Israel. This occurs regularly in international institutions like the United Nations, International Criminal Court, and beyond. This presentation arms students with an understanding of international legal sources and various interpretations beyond the bias.

The War in Gaza – What happened? This presentation unpacks what happened in the 2014 Gaza War between Israel and Hamas. We will analyze the key actors, interests, strategies and tactics. This presentation takes special consideration of Israel’s policies to avoid civilian casualties and Hamas’s policy of using human shields. We will discuss how the overall facts diverge from the media representation.

The Dangers of Palestinian Incitement: We hear through the media and our own administration that the Palestinian Authority wants peace with Israel. But if this is true, then why are top PA officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas, glorifying terrorism and preaching the genocide of the Jewish people and the Jewish state? This presentation explores the true face of the Palestinian Authority and the real obstacle to peace that you won’t see in the Western media. We will learn about the history of the PA, watch numerous examples of this incitement still occurring today, and discuss what needs to change in order for peace to be possible in the future.

Countering Anti-Israel Propaganda and Effective Israel Advocacy Messaging: This presentation dives into effective advocacy techniques and messaging strategies. We will discuss different ways we can use the facts to present a pro-Israel, fact-based, and strategically-targeted message that works on college campuses. We will also focuses on identifying the tactics commonly used by anti-Israel groups and how to counter them.