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The David Project prepares students in the Maria and Joel Finkle Overseas Program to counter anti-Israel propaganda upon their return to college campuses across Europe and North America.

Training outstanding advocates: Dr. Yitzchak Mansdorf with Finkle Program students

The ancient Talmudic principle of knowing how to respond to your enemies has led to the creation of a unique Israel-advocacy program for students in Midreshet Lindenbaum’s Maria and Joel Finkle Overseas Program. “In order to effectively respond to the professionally-trained propagandists on campus, today’s university student needs to be in possession of a highly sophisticated understanding of the Middle East conflict,” explains David Project director, Dr. Yitzchak Mansdorf.

For three hours each week, Finkle Program students attend classes given by Jewish academics and media experts on the vision, meaning and history of Zionism and the State of Israel. More importantly, they are exposed every conceivable angle and view, meeting with protagonists from all sides. “This may sound radical,” admits Dr. Mansdorf, “but if our goal is to train the young women to be outstanding advocates for Israel, they must understand their opponents’ views inside out. If they arrive on campus lacking a full command of all the arguments that they will face, they will not stand a chance.”

Depth and Breadth

Thus, students meet not only with Jewish leaders, but have been addressed by academics from Al Quds University in East Jerusalem, as well. They have been to Judea and Samaria, but have also visited Palestinian homes and neighborhoods. On a recent visit to the Knesset, the group met both Dr. Aryeh Eldad from the Yisrael Beitenu party and questioned Ahmed Tibi, leader of the parliament’s Palestinian Nationalist faction. Says Tova Rhein, director of the Finkle Program, “We’re not afraid of hearing others’ views. It can only help.”

“There is no other women’s seminary which is offering a program remotely comparable to this in its depth and breadth,” asserts student Gaby Kobrin of England. “In the UK, there is a lot of anti-Zionism on campus. This course provided us with fantastic resources with which to combat the propaganda.” Kobrin’s classmate, Elizabeth Traison of Detroit, Michigan agrees. “We’ve been fortunate to have received well-rounded exposure to all the issues. As a result, I feel far more confident about taking an active role in defending Israel against her enemies,” she says.

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