This IDF soldier knows what you need to know

Educating US students about IDF, advocating for Israel and creating dialogue.

By LAUREN SCHMIDT
IDF 521 (photo credit: Courtesy)
IDF 521
(photo credit: Courtesy)
From standing ovations to interruptions from silent protesters, Nadav Weinberg has experienced a wide range of reactions to his lectures. Weinberg travels to college campuses, in addition to other destinations, to educate people about the ethical codes of the Israel Defense Force through interactive scenarios, video clips and most importantly, sharing the facts.
Although Weinberg’s most recent trip to Washington DC in October led to peaceful and passionate discussion, he encountered controversy on a visit to Arizona State University last fall when members of a group called Students for Justice in Palestine protested his lecture.
“The fact that people were protesting made me realize how important my message is,” Weinberg said, explaining that the experience reminded him of the value of his work.
Although disputes have occurred during his lectures, Weinberg has experienced many moments where students with a wide range of views have listened to his perception of the conflict and thanked him for offering his perspective.
“If I am able to reach out like that in each speech, that is unbelievable and I have done my job,” Weinberg said.
Weinberg, who was born in Jerusalem but raised in Cleveland, Ohio, decided to join the IDF after graduating from Case Western Reserve University in 2008. While sitting in an ethics seminar during Special Forces training, he realized that the information he was learning was not common knowledge. Ever since that moment, Weinberg has been determined to share what he has learned with people across the US, especially students.
Emily Seckel, the president of George Washington University’s Student Alliance for Israel, is confident that Weinberg’s recent visit to GW, which drew more than 60 students, was a success.
“The point of his presentation was to get the student body thinking,” Seckel said. “Nadav really got them thinking about choices they would make as a solider and left them pondering more questions. I want people to leave events questioning, thinking about Israel and creating a desire to know more.”
Israel Campus Beat is the premier student-written online publication providing up-to-date reports and insights on the North American campus Israel scene . For more information, visit www.israelcampusbeat.org/subscribe