Students and scholars came together to tackle the conversation about issues facing Israel and its future at the second annual Brandeis Visions for Israel in an Evolving World Conference this past Sunday. While a variety of issues were raised and discussed during panels, speeches and breakout discussions, both the opening and closing keynote speakers focused on conversations regarding Zionism.

BVIEW Co-founder and Public Relations and Media Director Chen Arad '15 welcomed the attendees gathered in Levin Ballroom. "Thank you for being here, for caring, for all that you do," he said.

University President Frederick Lawrence, who followed Arad and preceded the morning keynote address, discussed what he called "hopeful skepticism," not giving up and not being cynical but also "not be[ing] naive."

The conference's opening keynote address, delivered by McGill University professor of history Gil Troy, was centered on how to "reframe" discussions on Zionism and Israel. Troy opened his remarks by praising the American Studies program's decision to withdraw from the American Studies Association after it voted in favor of an academic boycott of Israel.

According to Troy, the conversation on Zionism has been derailed by language that delegitimizes one side, with labels such as "anti-Israel" and the portrayal of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a racially motivated one.

Zionism, said Troy, is actually a more expansive term than Israel.

"Zionism is the aspirational piece of the conversation," said Troy. "Zionism should be the way we build the big tent."
As the conference began to wind down later in the evening, former Knesset member Einat Wilf gave the closing keynote address which was-as she described-"a complete retelling of Zionism's history and, as a result, a complete rethinking of its future."

Being included in Zionism, according to Wilf, did not necessarily mean being allowed into Israel or given citizenship, but rather being included "in the story," or the Zionist narrative. Wilf said that the inclusive nature of Zionism is not just finding what all groups have in common, leading to the "lowest common denominator," but rather including everyone in a common aspiration.

Wilf referred to the ideas of Theodor Herzl, one of the early Zionist leaders. His vision initially included only Central and Western European Jews, yet the populations who were most receptive to his ideas were actually Eastern European Jews. Wilf used this scenario as an example of how early on, Zionism shifted to include other groups in order for it to exist as an ideology.

According to its website, bVIEW aims to "bring together" college students from different campuses and political views, "united by their passion for Israel and the Middle East, to share their visions for Israel and lead a dynamic, innovative and effective discussion of the challenges facing Israel."

According to Arad in an email to the Justice, 315 students from 23 different universities attended Sunday's conference.
"[BVIEW] did a great job of providing a forum for speakers from a variety of perspectives," wrote Daniel Mael '15, president of Students for Accuracy about Israeli and Palestinian Affairs in an email to the Justice.

Ethan Stein '15, former president of the Brandeis Orthodox Organization, wrote in an email to the Justice that he was "amazed to see the growth of this year's conference.

"For a university with such a diverse population such as Brandeis, It goes without saying that multitudes of views and positions are had," he wrote. "In order to properly discuss where we are coming from in a respectful setting a forum such as [bVIEW] is highly necessary."

Campus Engagement Coordinator for SAIPA Dori Cohen '16 wrote in an email to the Justice that while he thought the conference was "well organized and highly interesting," he was "greatly disappointed to see that many of those in attendance ... failed to make use of the conference as a place for constructive, understanding dialogue and instead turned the conversation to be about what they wanted it to be, ridiculed speakers they disagreed with, and hypocritically criticized those who had different opinions."

"I want to thank bVIEW for organizing a great conference and for bringing so many people of differing political opinions into one room. This is what makes bVIEW unique, and I hope to see more of that on campus this upcoming semester," said J Street U Brandeis President Catie Stewart '16 of the event.

BVIEW members will meet tonight at 8 p.m. to debrief and share their thoughts and feedback on the conference.

-Glen Chagi Chesir and Phil Gallagher contributed reporting.