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Benji Meppen, an NYU student, told JNS that the Israel on Campus Coalition’s Geller International Fellowship helped him “see the Abraham Accords up close and personal.”
By: Abby Roth
Though it was her first trip to Israel, Emmy Kahan’s recent visit felt like a “homecoming” for the Columbia University junior, who is studying political science.
Kahan, who identifies as politically liberal, told JNS that her support of the Jewish and her religious identity isn’t embraced warmly at Columbia.
“The opportunity to be on the ground in Israel, talk to firsthand witnesses and victims of terrorism’s atrocities, explore the Gaza envelope and Nova site and see a country that even through war beams with beauty, grace, hope and smiles allowed me to feel more confident and stronger than ever in my beliefs and advocacy,” Kahan said.
The native of Westchester, N.Y., was one of 43 students—Jewish and non-Jewish, who came from 31 universities across the country—who visited Israel as part of the Geller International Fellowship, which is part of the Israel on Campus Coalition. The six-month program culminated in a 10-day trip, from Dec. 29 to Jan. 9 to Israel and the United Arab Emirates to experience the budding Emirati-Israeli relationship under the Abraham Accords.
Jacob Baime, CEO of the Israel on Campus Coalition, told JNS that the fellowship “highlights the promise of the next generation of pro-Israel leaders and their potential to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship and advance the principles of the Abraham Accords.”
The program also gives the students “a foundation for informed advocacy,” according to Baime. “These fellows return to campus with a renewed sense of purpose and a commitment to sharing their experiences,” he told JNS.
Benji Meppen, a junior at New York University studying film and television production, told JNS that the fellowship and the trip afforded him and his peers a great chance “to see the Abraham Accords up close and personal.”
On the trips, fellows met with a former Israeli politician, a Kenyan lawyer and public servant, and former Israel Defense Forces spokesman Jonathan Conricus. In Dubai, the group visited the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding.
Gaby Guigui, a senior at George Washington University studying international affairs and political science, told JNS that “as a Moroccan Jew, my connection to the Middle East has always been deeply personal.”
“My father fled Morocco due to rising anti-Semitism, and I grew up hearing stories of both the challenges and the rich history of Jewish life in the region,” Guigui. “When the Abraham Accords were signed, I understood their significance in theory—but it wasn’t until I experienced their impact firsthand through the Geller Fellowship that I truly grasped what they meant for the future of the region.”
It clarified things for Guigui to fly directly from Israel to the United Arab Emirates, to visit American Jewish Committee staff in Abu Dhabi and see a “thriving” Jewish day school in the heart of the city.
“Despite the grim headlines about the Israel-Hamas war and Iran’s looming threat, peace is still actively shaping the present and future of the region,” Guigui said. “My trip to Israel and the UAE revealed that when societies commit to dialogue, mutual respect and educational reform, lasting coexistence is not just possible—it is sustainable.”
While the region tends to be portrayed as trapped in endless violent cycles, Guigui saw a different reality, “where diplomacy and people-to-people connections are creating a new foundation for peace,” she said.
“I remain hopeful that this wave of normalization will continue to expand, with nations like Saudi Arabia following suit,” Gaby Guigui told JNS. “As I returned to my campus, I carried this perspective with me. I want to share with my peers that peace is not just an abstract concept—it is something we must actively nurture and build upon.”
Baime, the ICC CEO, told JNS that the organization will hold its fourth annual national leadership summit in the summer, “bringing together 1,000 passionate student leaders, including the Geller Fellows who just came back from the Israel and United Arab Emirates mission.”
“Interest and enthusiasm among Jewish students and their allies have never been stronger, and we recognize the need for an even larger gathering this year to empower those ready to counter anti-Semitism and strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship,” he said.
(JNS.org)
