Pro-Israel groups launching at UWM, Marquette

Panthers for Israel, a pro-Israel student organization, has been launched at University of Wisconsin­-Milwaukee, and the launch of Marquette’s Golden Eagles for Israel is also expected, according to Marc Cohen, interim executive director of Hillel Milwaukee.

Panthers for Israel will provide programming, education and resources about Israel at University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

The goal will be to focus on pro-Israel discussions with the hope of promoting understanding. The group will seek to counter the divisive and negative message that students will sometimes encounter about Israel on campus, according Cohen. Students Nicole Gorelik and Ben Slowey are the co-founders.

“Ben and I decided to start Panthers for Israel because we feel it is absurd how Israel is represented on the UWM campus,” Gorelik said. “We know Israel as the Jewish homeland, America’s greatest ally in the Middle East, a democratic society and overall a diverse and beautiful country. It is shocking and hurtful to see it depicted as a ‘baby-killing apartheid.’”

“We hope to educate UWM students on Israeli culture, the Middle East conflict, and the overall history of Israel. We will be using peaceful tactics to counteract hate. Though we are a pro-Israel group, we are absolutely not anti-Palestine. We simply believe Israel has the right to exist.”

Hillel Milwaukee, the Israel on Campus Coalition, and Hillel International are assisting the student group to project a positive and peaceful message about the wonderful things that Israel has to offer, Cohen said. Hillel Milwaukee serves Milwaukee-area university students and young adults. The Israel on Campus coalition is a national group dedicated to strengthening the pro-Israel movement on campus.

Golden Eagles for Israel, an organization similar to Panthers for Israel, is also to be launched. It is expected to be launched within weeks, Cohen said. It will be founded by students Seth Haines and Isaac Vineberg, he said.

For more information, contact Hillel Milwaukee at 414-961-2010 or Info@HillelMKE.org.