Re: To fight BDS, focus on teens (Aug. 7)

We are in full agreement with Bryfman and Cohen that, to fight BDS on the college campuses, we must also concentrate on high school students.

On Sunday, Nov. 1, StandWithUs RI is sponsoring an educational program for high school students titled “What You Don’t Know About Israel ... And SHOULD.”  Teenagers need the facts to develop a positive Jewish identity, and there are plenty of good reasons to be proud to be a Jew AND support the state of Israel.

We were disappointed that the authors neglected to mention that much of what is blasted in the media about Israel is untrue; what’s more, positive news about Israel typically fails to make the headlines.

To elevate our youth to Israel advocacy, they must first learn the history of the creation of the state in order to understand the struggles Israel faces today.  Recent history recounts numerous futile attempts to offer land for peace to the Palestinians, only to be rejected.

The youth of today aspire to promote democratic values and human rights to make this world a better place.  There is no better example than the land of Israel to teach these values. Israel is a democracy that values life; offers freedom of speech and the press; gives rights to women, gays, and even Arabs; and contributes to the betterment of the world.

Not a perfect society, but better than most and far better than the murderous, non-life-affirming states that surround it.

Regina Schild and

Judi Dill,

co-chairs, SWU RI high school committee

To learn more about upcoming programs for students, contact Judi at dilljudic@yahoo.com. For more information about StandWithUs, check out standwithus.com or facebook.com/standwithus.