Last year, over 45 members attended the conference. Students were engaged in activities about how to answer and raise tough questions about Israel and BDS, how to execute an effective tabling event, heard from Israel’s Midwest Consulate General office, networked with each other, among many other activities. In addition, 13 awards were given out to students to recognize the hard work that they have done to make the SSI movement strong and united.
Since the last conference, the SSI movement has made great accomplishments over the academic year. Among them are many new and creative events such as six graffiti events with Artists 4 Israel, a speaking tour with the Portuguese human rights activist Romeu Monteiro and NYU Professor Abe Haak and many more. SSIers in the different chapters led and passed three pro-Israel resolutions, led coalitions that successfully combated BDS resolutions, engaged over 5,000 new students on campus with grassroots events, and established themselves across the campus communities as the one united pro-Israel student movement with boots on the ground.
In SSI, the students are leading the movement, and the national team is guiding and assisting every chapter with small and large issues alike in order to make sure the pro-Israel is voice strong and confident on campus. We are excited for the second National Conference, as unlike any other pro-Israel conference ever attended before this will be hosted on the actual place where campus activities take action: On Campus! Even more exciting, is that the location is the birth place of Students Supporting Israel - the University of Minnesota.