AJC - American Jewish Committee

04/28/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/28/2025 11:59

Ivy League Jewish Groups, Latino Jewish Students Honored by AJC for Fighting Campus Antisemitism

Two Ivy League student groups that were pivotal in the fight against antisemitism on their campuses and a confederation of Latin American Jewish students today received the AJC Sharon Greene Award for Campus Advocacy at American Jewish Committee (AJC) Global Forum.

This year's recipients are Penn Hillel at the University of Pennsylvania, Chabad of College Hill at Brown University, and the Latin American Jewish Student Union (FEJJLA).

The award is presented annually to student activists and campus organizations that work to reduce antisemitism, fight the Boycott, Divest and Sanctions (BDS) movement, and other organized efforts to delegitimize Israel, and to promote Jewish life and a positive image of Israel on campus.

Ben Messafi of Rye Brook, N.Y., accepted on behalf of Penn Hillel, where he is a vice president. He is also a co-founder of PA Leads the Fight, which works with university administrators and community leaders to ensure the security of Jewish students and help them thrive.

Daniel Solomon, of Miami, accepted on behalf of Chabad of College Hill. He is also a member of Brown's Student Organizing Committee on Antisemitism and played a crucial role in the Brown Corporation's rejection of a BDS proposal put forth by an anti-Israel student group.

Both students are members of AJC's Campus Global Board, an initiative to broaden AJC's engagement with college students around the world and help them become effective advocates for the Jewish people. Solomon is the board's new president. Messafi and Solomon are also graduates of AJC's Leaders for Tomorrow program, which teaches high school students leadership and advocacy skills.

"These students and groups have been unrelenting in their advocacy for Jewish students even in the face of hostility, protests, and intolerance from anti-Zionist groups," AJC CEO Ted Deutch said. "They have sent a clear message that Jewish students will not back down in their support of Israel, they will speak out when antisemitic acts do occur on campus and they will be proud Jews."

The Sharon Greene Award was also presented to FEJJLA, a confederation of Jewish student unions across Latin America. Accepting the award was the group's president, Jaqueline Smeke. She was credited for her role in the formation of the newly relaunched Latin American Jewish Youth Federation Mexican Union of Jewish Students, which organizes events and workshops to empower students to stand against antisemitism.

AJC has partnered with the family of the late Sharon Greene on the award to pay tribute to her many contributions to the Jewish community and in support of AJC's mission. A fierce advocate for social justice, Greene was a strong believer in the power of younger generations to effect positive change.

AJC is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. With headquarters in New York, 25 regional offices across the United States, 15 overseas posts, as well as partnerships with 38 Jewish community organizations worldwide, AJC's mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world. For more, please visit www.ajc.org .