i-stand-with-israel.png

How to Help: Suggestions for Pro-Israel Advocates (Part III)

October 14, 2015

Last week, someone asked me if I could imagine being the CEO of a major corporation and trying to run a company entirely remotely. He was referring to the challenge of advocating for Israel from afar. But I respectfully disagree with the analogy. Advocacy work outside of Israel is meant – for the most part – to affect the reality outside of Israel, not within Israel. The bulk of our work focuses on influencing two key areas: how Israel is perceived abroad and how Jews are treated around the world. And each and every one of us has an integral role to play.

Below is the third and last of a three-part advice series on ways that you—no matter where you are or what you do—can get more involved in our advocacy fight for Israel.

_____________________________________________________________

Part 3: Bigger Commitments

In Part 1 and Part 2, I outlined ways to make a difference in the classroom and on college campuses. If you are not a parent with a child in school, an educator, or a student yourself, there are still other arenas in which you go above and beyond the call:

  1. Professional Involvement

Offer your professional skills as a resource.

Legal Affairs

If you are a lawyer, there are a variety of organizations in need of pro-bono work. If you are a young lawyer, this is a great way to get hands-on experience. Here are a few of the organizations always in need of a few more attorneys:

Content Creators

If you are a writer, film maker, or artist, consider sharing your talents with social media groups that have a large digital presence. As the saying goes, “the Media is the message” — and now, more than ever, the medium through which we speak is almost as important as what’s actually said. It’s no secret that famous faces go a long way in the world of PR. If you have connections with celebrities— whether Mayim Bialik, Omri Caspi, Natalie Portman, or Sylvester Stallone – adding a big name to the right message can help bring positive attention to Israel.

  1. Other Notable Initiatives: Doing Something Different

There are a few organizations, which I couldn’t fit into any of the other categories, but I believe they are fantastic avenues through which to help Israel. I recommend looking into them and consider supporting these wonderful groups. Your support, be it physical or fiscal, can make the crucial difference to bringing the voice of a new and dynamic organization to light:

  • Artists 4 Israel – Artists 4 Israel empowers artists to express their support for both the freedom of artistic and cultural expression within Israel as well as the nation’s right to exist in peace and security. On campuses, Artists 4 Israel bring graffiti artists who publicly paint murals that promote peace, tolerance and coexistence. The artists also allow students to make their mark on the mural, connecting them with both the art piece and the messages it produces.
  • (New York) – Fuel For Truth runs quick, effective boot-camps for pro-Israel activists in the New York area.
  • The Besteming Project – The Besteming Project makes a dynamic effort to combat anti-Semitism by creating musical and artistic programming to enshrine the memory of the Holocaust, fight anti-Semitism, and promote tolerance.
  1. GIVE

If you cannot support an organization in person, one of the most effective ways to make a difference is to offer your sponsorship. Make a donation today. Financial gifts of any size are the lifeblood of non-profit organizations. Donations allow organizations to focus on the advocacy at hand, rather than spend time fundraising.

Final Thoughts:

This blog series does not represent an exhaustive list of ways to make a difference, but it’s a pretty good place to start. People who work with me will often hear me complain about the overwhelming number of organizations in the space, or about our untapped potential. But at the end of the day, nothing is as inspiring as seeing passionate people matched with the tools and resources to change the world.

I am confident that if we work together, we can build a stronger pro-Israel community in the US, work more efficiently, and win the war for Israel’s reputation.

—

To learn more about the philanthropic work of Adam Milstein and the Milstein Family Foundation, visit http://milsteinff.org. Also – check out Adam Milstein and the Milstein Family Foundation on Facebook!