Lauder Fellow Hannah Siegel Hosts First-Ever Israel Week on Campus at SMU

April 24 through April 28, was Israel Week at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. This week-long event was hosted by Mustangs for Israel (MFI), a semester-old organization at SMU dedicated to teaching about Israel and antisemitism, with the support of WJC NextGen and other groups. Leading up to this event, MFI tabled daily outside the student center and posted digital advertisements in the library, dorms, and even the health center. 

The week began with a former IDF soldier presenting “Parallel Universes.” He explained that Americans and Israelis have very different teenage experiences; while American teenagers prepare for the SAT and college, Israelis prepare for their mandatory service in the Israeli Defense Force. The event concluded with a video remembering victims of terror for Yom Hazikaron followed by a Q&A.

On Tuesday, Jewish and non-Jewish students gathered for Israeli food and music to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut. Some students who attended noted that they had seen the advertisement but did not know much about Israel and came to try Israeli food for the first time.  

On Wednesday, MFI members played Israeli Jeopardy, quizzing attendees on Israeli politics, food, and geography. The top two winners received a gift bag with Israel-themed prizes.

On Thursday, there was a StandWithUs presentation called “Crossing the Line,” and participants learned where anti-Israel expressions become antisemitic. This event turned into a full dialogue between the speaker and the participants, with many students sharing their experiences with anti-Israel sentiment on SMU’s campus.  

The week concluded with an Interfaith Israel Shabbat. MFI provided attendees with prayer sheets and educated members about Shabbat traditions, including candle lighting and hand-washing before bread, concluding it with discussions on Israel over more Israeli food.  

This week was just the beginning of pro-Israel advocacy on SMU’s campus. A diverse group of students was engaged, including participants from all three Abrahamic religions and people with various levels of Israel knowledge. The week even improved relationships with other on-campus groups, including the Social Change and Intercultural Engagement Office, SMU Hillel, and the SMU Office of Religious Life.