(Courtesy of OU) For David, Binyomin and Shoshana, students at Columbia University and Barnard College/JTS, the fight against antisemitism is not abstract; it’s personal. Last month, they joined fellow student leaders from across the country in Washington, D.C., as part of the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center’s Leaders in Advocacy Training (LIAT) Fellowship (in partnership with the OU’s Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus). LIAT is a national initiative empowering students to respond to rising antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment on campuses, and to gain the skills, connections and exposure needed to become influential advocates for the Jewish community in the future.

As pro-Hamas rallies erupted on Columbia’s campus and antisemitic incidents surged, David, Shoshana and Binyomin were already working behind the scenes to defend their peers, challenge administrators and hold the university accountable.

That sense of mission drove them to Washington last week as part of OU Advocacy’s LIAT Fellowship, joining a select cohort of Jewish student leaders from across the country for an intensive week of high-level advocacy, training and coalition-building.

While in Washington, the fellows met with former White House officials, State Department staff, Israeli diplomats and members of Congress, pressing for stronger action on antisemitism.

Yet the urgency hit home when, just blocks from where the students gathered, a radical antisemite murdered two Israeli Embassy employees in an act of hate that echoed what students have been facing back on campus.

OU Advocacy launched the LIAT Fellowship following the October 7 Hamas massacre and the explosion of antisemitism it triggered on campuses nationwide. LIAT’s goal is simple: to train an army of thoughtful, strategic Jewish advocates who know their rights, know the system and know how to push back effectively.

At Columbia and Barnard, the LIAT fellows are leading the charge with an ambitious, multi-pronged campaign to defend Jewish students and reshape university policy. They are spearheading a two-part legal literacy series titled “Know Your Rights.” The series will educate students about who is protected under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, how to document antisemitic incidents and where to report them. In a session titled “Understanding Columbia’s Administrative Landscape,” students will explore the governing structures that have the power to enforce or obstruct their rights, including the university president, the board of trustees and the university senate.

Additionally, David and Shoshana have been actively changing policy at Columbia and Barnard. Their advocacy played a role in several key decisions, including Columbia’s enforcement of a mask ban to help identify protesters, expanding public safety authority to make arrests, which directly enabled the clearing of the recent library takeover.

These initiatives are part of the “capstone project” each LIAT fellow is required to present as part of their fellowship. At Binghamton University (SUNY), fellows Hannah Helfgott and Eytan Saenger played a key role in securing the appointment of a Title VI coordinator and instituting mandatory civil rights training for faculty and staff, a first for the campus. At Cornell, Yael Schranz spearheaded a campaign that gathered over 5,000 signatures and successfully pressured the university to cancel a concert by Kehlani, an artist known for antisemitic remarks.

The capstone summit was a chance for these leaders to unite, reflect and strategize on how to confront antisemitism across the nation. Their meetings with lawmakers, federal officials and seasoned advocacy veterans introduced them to potential careers in policy and public service, and honed their leadership skills.

“These students are among the most thoughtful and courageous advocates we’ve seen,” said Nathan Diament, executive director of the OU Advocacy Center. “Their moral clarity and strategic instincts are exactly what the Jewish community, and our country, needs right now.”

That sentiment was echoed by policymakers.

“If these students go into government, the country will be in good hands,” said Daniel Marrow, legislative director for Congresswoman Laura Gillen (NY-04), following a meeting with the students.

The week in Washington wasn’t the beginning of their work, and it won’t be the end. As they return to campus this fall, these fellows are more empowered than ever to lead with vision, strength and resilience.