Meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and seven cabinet ministers in Jerusalem yesterday (Tuesday, June 23), Jewish Agency for Israel Chairman of the Executive Natan Sharansky announced that The Jewish Agency will increase the number of Israel Fellows dispatched to college campuses abroad by more than 30% in order to help combat rising efforts to delegitimize the State of Israel. The announcement took place during a meeting between Jewish Agency leaders and Israel’s leadership as part of the Coordinating Committee of the Government of Israel and The Jewish Agency, convened during The Jewish Agency’s Board of Governors’ summer meetings.

85 Israel Fellows will be sent to 170 university campuses across North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, and – for the first time – South Africa and Germany, up from 65 on 120 campuses this past academic year. The 31% increase in the number of Israel Fellows and the 42% increase in campus coverage represent the program’s largest expansion since it was created in 2003.