Rabbi Menachem Hecht, who teaches at both YULA Boys’ and Girls’ Divisions, also helps plan student activities, such as Persian Culture Day, Israel Independence Day, and events for YULA’s Israel Advocacy Club (YIAC). Recently, YIAC was awarded a $10,000 grant by the American Jewish Committee to help further its mission of Israel advocacy. The Panther Post spoke with Rabbi Hecht to discuss the club’s recent success.

Panther Post: What led you to become the advisor of YULA’s Israel advocacy club?

Menachem Hecht: For me, personally, Israel is at the center of my life. I believe we cannot take our homeland for granted. After 2,000 years of wandering, I believe that we must do everything we can to ensure a strong America-Israel relationship.

PP: What motivates you to keep fighting against antisemitism? What motivated you to start?
MH: Am Yisrael has constantly faced challenges over our 4,000 year history, and we have always overcome these challenges. We have to be the next

link in the chain, and part of that work is standing up for the Jewish people.
PP: YIAC recently won a major grant. Can you tell us more about it?

MH: AJC just held a $10,000 competition for new ideas to fight antisemitism. There were over 70 applications from Jewish organizations across the country, but they were most impressed with our concept. They loved our student leaders, and we were ultimately selected as a winner.

PP: How will the grant be used to counter antisemitism?

MH: Our idea is that personal relationships at the high-school level will disrupt antisemitism before it even begins. When non-Jewish students who participate in YIAC’s Inter-Community Youth Initiative hear something negative about Jews or about Israel in the future, they’ll think about their friends from YULA. They’ll be reaching out to them to get the correct information and to shut down antisemitism. PP: Can you tell us more about YIAC’s “Inter-Community Youth Initiative?”

MH: Through ICY events, YULA students get to know students from other faiths, nationalities, and ethnic backgrounds. They get to talk to Catholic schools, Evangelical schools, Armenian schools, and Muslim youth groups to create partnerships. The goal is to build student relationships on our shared status as minorities in the US and to look for ways to stand for Israel and to fight antisemitism and all forms of hate together.

PP: What differentiates YULA’s YIAC from other pro-Israel clubs?
MH: I think the greatest thing about YIAC, and one of the greatest things about YULA, is how passionate and dedicated our students are – how much they care about Israel and how committed they are to making a difference.

PP: How can the YULA community contribute to the fight against antisemitism?
MH: The number one thing is always to know our story and to be proud of who we are.