| Israel at heart is an independent entity, whose single concern is the well being of Israel. We wish to do everything we can to promote a better understanding of Israel and its people. We are not part of any Jewish organization, do not represent any government agency or political party and are, therefore, free to express ourselves in any way we wish. We believe that Israel has been unfairly portrayed in the media. It is not simply that it has gotten a bad deal from the world press, but more importantly, its significance as the only free democratic society in the Middle East has not been conveyed to the public at large. We are hopeful that if Americans truly understood what their Israeli counterparts are going through, they would be more supportive of Israel’s struggle. While we aim to reach as diverse a group as possible, we have specifically chosen college campuses as the centerpiece of this effort. By targeting the leaders of tomorrow and one of the most misinformed groups, we think we can have the greatest impact. Accordingly, we think Israel’s best ambassadors are likely well-educated students that are fluent in English. These Israelis have completed their military service and are between the ages of 21 and 27. They carry opinion sets and life stories that demonstrate the diversity within Israeli society-one of its greatest assets. By simply telling the stories of their lives, we hope they can begin to change the way people see Israel and its people. We hope our efforts will convince more people to take a trip to Israel, study after high school there, do a junior year abroad program at one of its many universities, call a friend to let them know they care, buy an Israeli product, and most importantly, educate themselves about the conflict, so they can defend Israel against verbal attacks by its enemies. Our efforts to date have centered on speaking tours for groups of young Israelis like those described above. The success we’ve seen has been overwhelming, and we are now in the middle of our biggest trip yet. We find that no matter who is in the audience, because the stories these Israelis tell are so real, people’s views are changed forever. The next trip is scheduled for the beginning of November. We need your help in reaching out to your community. We are anxious to meet with as diverse a population as possible – Jews and non-Jews, various ethnic communities, students, professionals, and laymen. If you would like to assist us in our upcoming trip or would like our group to come and visit you, please email us at info@israelatheart.com or call us at +212-719-9020 as soon as possible.
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