For those who are unfamiliar, AIPAC is a bipartisan, pro-Israel political action committee. It is the largest pro-Israel PAC in America and has contributed more resources directly to candidates than any other PAC. In 2022, for instance, 98% of AIPAC-backed candidates won their general election races (AIPAC). While AIPAC may have previously had a presence on the this university’s campus, it faltered during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in light of the war in Israel and the subsequent rise in antisemitism on college campuses, we created a newfound branch of AIPAC. For students at this university, TerpPAC aims to emphasize that Israeli advocacy and pride do not need to be exclusive to the Jewish community. As our campus is unique and diverse, and given our significantly large Jewish population, it is crucial that our advocacy not be limited to one group. Currently, all of our events are held in Hillel, our poster ads are in Hillel and our outreach channels are primarily through specific Jewish groups like Kedma, Neshama and Ruach. While we are fortunate to have a thriving Jewish community, our previous approach can lead to complacency. If we continue on this path of only working among Jewish students, we could become very insular, and reclusive and effectively cut ourselves off from the rest of campus.
As most of my family resides in Israel, I have developed a profound appreciation for the country. The events of Oct. 7 have heightened my sense of responsibility towards Israel, particularly in the face of prevalent hostility on college campuses. In response to my frustration, I have chosen to channel my energy into constructive efforts by starting TerpPAC. In my role as the head of communications and engagement, I will be working alongside others who share my passion. With our group’s president Shamai Frenkel, Noah Jerushalmi as Political Director, Zach Astorof and Yocheved Rothschild as Engagement Directors, Noah Meltzer as Treasurer, Binyamin Bank as Legislative Director and Kaylee Zaveduk handling Social Media, we have a diverse and capable team driving our mission forward. For us, the central mission is to increase Israel advocacy on our campus.
It is important to note that in this comfortable environment, we sometimes forget the need to engage with the broader campus community. We often do not feel the necessity to reach out past our Jewish community, because we are a big enough group to fill our events. However, this insular approach can be detrimental, especially when anti-Israel clubs actively engage with the wider campus.
As motivated students, we want to bring about profound change that transcends loud statements and demonstrations. This is why we have decided to bring back this university’s AIPAC cadre, to begin a diverse, multicultural and bipartisan political and policy action group. We want to stand strong in our views and take action to protect Israel through supporting pro-Israel political candidates through campaign work, lobbying members of Congress, building strong relationships with them and engaging the wider pro-Israel community through proactive engagement.
