Two weeks ago, the CAMERA on Campus staff had the opportunity to attend the Israel on Campus Coalition’s Field Professionals Retreat in Washington, DC. For three days, Israel professionals from across the US, Canada, and Israel convened to see how they could work better together to serve pro-Israel students. The retreat focused on professional development, inter-organizational cooperation, and Israel education.
For CAMERA on Campus, the retreat provided our two newest staff members, Ben Suster and Katrin Gendova, with an introduction to the wonderful community of Israel professionals they will be working with.
Ben Suster, CAMERA’s Canada and New York Campus Coordinator, found that the ICC retreat provided exactly the immersion he needed. “As a brand new member of the professional Israel education family, this conference was exactly what I needed. I was warmly welcomed by so many and I met countless professionals. The networking opportunities were great and I can already say I have the foundation I need to move forward as a professional.”
Katrin Gendova, Midwest Campus Coordinator, found the retreat to be incredibly empowering. “It was an extremely valuable experience to meet with other organizations. The retreat emphasized the importance of the continuing partnership and support for Zionism across American campuses,” she says.
For Hali Haber, CAMERA’s West Coast Campus Coordinator, the retreat was an opportunity to build stronger relationships with her counterparts from other organizations. “Attending the ICC Field Professionals Retreat was an amazing opportunity where we were able to build stronger relationships and partnerships with other campus staff from over 20 organizations. We heard from incredible speakers, socialized with over 80 professionals, and connected to specific campus staff in our respective regions,” she says.
And as expressed by Tatiana-Rose Becker, Campus Coordinator for the Southern Region, the retreat provides a space for strong, long-lasting professional relationships. “The face to face interactions are really invaluable when it comes to creating relationships we can rely on throughout the year.”
This month’s ICC retreat proved to be engaging and rewarding. Entering the spring semester, students will benefit from the increased cooperation fostered between pro-Israel partner organizations in attendance at the retreat, without a doubt.