With the conflict and unrest in the Middle East, Vanderbilt Hillel was fortunate enough to welcome Neil Lazarus to help students understand the Middle East and learn what it takes to be an effective advocate for Israel. Neil Lazarus is an internationally acclaimed expert on the Middle East and above all, is one of Israel’s leading keynote speakers. His presentation, filled with humor and profound knowledge, was what Lazarus called the quickest lesson on the Middle East Vanderbilt students would ever get.
The audience included student leaders from Vanderbilt Student Government, Interfaith Council, Lambda, The Hustler, University Catholic, Vanderbilt International Relations Association, Every Nation Campus Ministries, VUcept, and more – making it ‘Dores for Israel’s largest and most diverse leadership dinner to date. The diversity in the room was a testament to the atmosphere of mutual respect and cooperation, unique to Vanderbilt, which allows students to have dialogue about important issues that affect our world today.
In the context of Operation Protective Edge this past summer, Lazarus described the importance of Gaza and understanding the dangers of Hamas. While he spent much time describing the region as a whole and the many challenges it is currently facing, Lazarus was able to narrow in on one key issue that has the potential to be a defining moment in the Middle East: Iran and its acquisition of nuclear arms. Lazarus explained that the United States, as well as the rest of the world, should be wary of an Iran with nuclear arms. Lazarus concluded his remarks by explaining that those who care about Israel are a family. All those who shake their head in confusion and proclaim, “Why would Israel even do that?” when watching the news or smile with pride, satisfied with how the Israelis handled a conflict, care about Israel, he stated. With this understanding, Lazarus explained that it is critical to be a knowledgeable Israel advocate in order to teach the community and those who care.
By Jessica Bloomrosen, DFI Executive Board member