Empowering The Next Generation Of Advocates

When Rachel Drang boarded a bus to Washington, D.C., as part of the NORPAC advocacy mission, she knew she would be joining more than 1,000 participants meeting with members of Congress and their staffs. What she did not realize was how much the experience would reinforce lessons she had spent the past year learning through Touro University’s Jewish Advocacy and Global Engagement Fellowship.

“It inspired me to continue to educate myself on current issues since I have much more ability to change things than I realize,” Drang reflected afterward.

The year-long fellowship at Touro University’s Lander College for Women (LCW) brought together 18 students for an exploration of Jewish advocacy, civic engagement, leadership, and coalition-building. Through conversations with leaders in government, law, media, education, and activism, students developed practical advocacy skills while examining contemporary issues affecting the greater Jewish community and Israel.

“More than just a strong sense of identity, Jewish students need the knowledge, confidence, and practical skills to advocate effectively for Israel and the Jewish people,” said Marian Stoltz-Loike, dean of LCW. “The Jewish Advocacy Fellowship gives our students the opportunity to learn from experienced leaders, engage thoughtfully with complex issues, and discover how they can make a meaningful difference in their professions and communities.”

For Malka Fleischmann, director of the Touro University Antisemitism Institute, who leads the initiative, one of the fellowship’s most important goals was helping students understand that advocacy is not limited to politicians and lobbyists.

“You can be a doctor, you can be a lawyer, you can be whatever it is you plan on being,” she said. “Outside of that, it’s really important to build a robust life as an advocate on behalf of the Jewish people and Israel.”

Throughout the year, fellows explored what it means to be engaged citizens while remaining grounded in their Jewish values and identities. Students also learned how to communicate effectively with people who hold different viewpoints by identifying common ground and building meaningful relationships.

The fellowship featured an array of guest speakers whose careers demonstrated the many forms advocacy can take. Among them were Eva Wyner, Director of Jewish Affairs for New York Governor Kathy Hochul; David Harris, former CEO of the American Jewish Committee; and Mark Goldfeder, Director of the Touro University Antisemitism Law Clinic and the National Jewish Advocacy Center.

Joy Forgash, a marketing major from Teaneck, said one of the most memorable speakers for her was LCW alumna Elisheva Marcus, who talked about the relationship between American patriotism and Jewish advocacy. Marcus, who graduated from LCW in 2021 as class valedictorian and now serves as a judicial law clerk for the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, challenged students to think about their responsibilities as American Jews and supporters of Israel.

Forgash said the session helped her see American civic engagement not as separate from advocacy for Israel, but as an essential part of it. “In order to have a strong Israel, you need a strong America as its ally,” she said. “So you can’t just have a single focus of strengthening Israel. You also have to be patriotic toward America and invested in its success.”

The message, she said, was especially meaningful for students who may feel that support for Israel and appreciation for America are in tension with one another.

“Even if our primary concern as Jews is the welfare of Israel, we need to remember that we also care about America, and the success of both nations is tied together.”

For Naomi Lichter, who graduated from LCW this spring, hearing from speakers with diverse professional backgrounds helped broaden her understanding of advocacy.

One speaker who particularly stood out to her was Rachie Shnay, an entrepreneur who creates Jewish-themed jewelry and uses social media to promote Jewish pride and support for Israel. Shnay has built a large online following and donates a significant portion of her proceeds to organizations supporting Israel.

For Lichter, the presentation illustrated that advocacy can take many forms. “The fact that she uses jewelry to support Israel shows that lobbying or advocating isn’t necessarily about vocally arguing,” she said.

The fellowship culminated in the annual NORPAC trip to Washington. “Regular Americans are coming out and making our cause known,” Drang wrote in a journal entry before the trip. “This feels really important since we are not just being passive in the trajectory and the progress of Jews in America and around the world.”

Throughout the day, students met with elected officials and their staffs, discussed support for Israel and efforts to combat antisemitism, and gained a firsthand look at how public policy is shaped. Coincidentally, Lichter and two other fellows were in the same group as Dr. Alan Kadish, Touro’s president.

“I was pleased to find myself in the same advocacy group as several Touro students and to see firsthand how thoughtfully and confidently they engaged with the issues,” Dr. Kadish said. “They approached the meetings with maturity and purpose, and I was proud of the way they represented Touro, the Jewish community, and the causes they care about.”

Lichter said she entered the program not knowing anyone else in the cohort, but left with new friendships and professional connections.

At the closing dinner, students reflected on how the experience had shaped them. Several fellows said it was their first meaningful exposure to civic engagement and showed they can make a difference.

“I’m inspired to be an advocate and use my voice,” Drang wrote in her journal on the bus ride home from Washington “Now I see that you don’t have to be in politics to make a change.”