It was an impactful morning on Sunday as the RKYHS AIPAC group held a summit, on the six month mark of the war in Israel. This impressive summit, planned by the students, brought experts to educate, advocate and respond to the war in Israel.

Students, parents and community leaders gathered and heard first from Jonathan Kessler, CEO of Heart of a Nation and former AIPAC director of Strategic Initiatives who spoke about strategic intentionality and being reflexive vs. reflective when responding about Israel. Kessler offered six practical tips for being a successful Israel advocate. Kessler was followed by Adela Cojab, NYU graduate and Israeli activist who wowed everyone in attendance with her unwavering support of Israel in the face of the antisemitism and anti-Zionism she faced while a student at NYU, eventually taking her case to court. Cojab inspired everyone in the room with her staunch support of Israel and advice on being a pro-Israel activist on college campuses today. The final speaker of the morning was Naftali Shavelson, of the Israel Consulate of New York. Shavelson focused his remarks on Israel in the media, the role of social media in the war, how the consulate works to clear up misconceptions and misinformation, and offered an inside look at the work being done since October 7.