SSI Student Spotlight: Oren Rosenburg
Student’s Supporting Israel’s “Student Spotlight” this week is featuring, Oren Rosenburg, President of the original Students Supporting Israel Chapter, University of Minnesota.
Oren is a current Junior studying Biomedical Engineering, where he hopes to continue his education in medical school to study neurosurgery.
As the President of SSI at UMN, Oren coordinates all of the positions in the chapter so that everything runs smoothly. If the roles of a specific position cannot be filled, it is his responsibility to undertake those roles and make sure that they are accomplished in order to achieve the chapter’s goals. This role deems Oren the the face of the University of Minnesota chapter of SSI — meaning that any interactions with university administration, statements to the community, etc. are directed by Oren. He also takes on the position of, “Director of Strategy”; laying out the options for his chapter on campus for the year, and recommending a specific strategic approach from those options to the chapter board. In addition to his role with SSI, Oren serves as a Hasbara Fellow — giving him multiple responsibilities as a warrior on his campus.
In his own words, Oren’s connection to Israel is described as,
My mom and her entire family is from Israel, and has had a strong connection and personal history with the country since before its independence. My great-grandfather served in the Jewish Unit of the British Police during the British Mandate of Palestine. My grandmother remembers listening to the radio in Petah Tikvah in 1947 during the UN assembly vote to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, and seeing people dance in the streets during the very first Yom Ha’atzmaut. Israel has a very strong connection in my heart, both in a personal sense and in the idea that Israel is and has been the homeland of Jewish people throughout the world for thousands of years. It is my goal to help maintain Israel as the Jewish homeland for thousands of years to come.
While Oren describes his campus as apathetic, there is a strong Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) presence on the University of Minnesota campus. Oren says,
I think the biggest problem on campus is the dissociation of Judaism from Israel
With the the coming of the National SJP conference this November 1st — 3rd, Oren and his team have their work cut out for them! Luckily, Oren believes that SSI, being the original chapter, has a huge impact on his campus. SSI passed the very first pro-Israel student government resolution on a college campus ever, and has since grown into an international network of chapters. The name SSI means something not only in Minnesota, but throughout the United States, and that means a lot to both the chapter and campus of University of Minnesota.
Oren’s involvement with SSI has inspired him in several ways. His Zionism, which he describes as, The movement to establish and develop a Jewish homeland in the land currently known as Israel, has continued to develop through his term as a student in SSI.
Being a part of SSI has helped me to grow as an individual by helping me to explore the many views and backgrounds shared by individuals on campus. It has helped me to be more patient and understanding in my day to day conversations. SSI has given me the confidence I need to voice and defend my opinion, even if I know it isn’t the popular one.
His favorite memory of SSI includes a recent incident where SSI at UMN enjoyed painting the SSI panel of a bridge that student groups paint to represent their organization.
I really enjoyed painting the SSI panel and talking with representatives from other student groups at the same time.
Oren’s biggest goal for SSI is to continue to build his reach on campus and create a lasting partnership with at least one other non-Israel related student group.
University of Minnesota’s SSI chapter will be in the spotlight for the next month, as the National Students for Justice in Palestine initiates their conference on UMN’s campus. Oren and his team are gearing up, and ready to fight against anti-Semitism within his SSI chapter! We can’t wait to see this chapter shine!
