Student Spotlight: Amanda Mayer

Meet Amanda Mayer, president, and co-founder of SSI at Tulane University! Amanda is a sophomore, and her interests and talents cover a wide range. She is studying engineering physics and is a journalist. According to her experience in journalism,

“I often cover stories regarding anti-semitic attacks on college campuses. I wanted to do my part to inform students who may not know much about Israel in an effort to combat antisemitism.”

An important aspect of Students Supporting is the education of not only Jewish students but students who are not Jewish. With that being said, educating students is one of the biggest struggles at Tulane. Amanda puts it this way,

“It is difficult talking with students who are not Jewish and have not learned much about Israel. Many students do support Israel, but students who don’t know much about Israel tend to be more hostile or apprehensive about Israeli culture.”

Even though there are difficulties, Amanda’s core identity keeps her grounded and going strong.

“As an Israeli, my family and ancestral roots strengthen my connection to Israel. I support Israel because a Jewish state is a commitment to the protection of the Jewish identity. Israel is vital to the existence of the Jewish people.”

There have also been plenty of positive experiences at Tulane. Recently, SSI at Tulane hosted Artists For Israel and it was a huge success! Amanda also explains further,

“We have received very positive feedback from students and have had very meaningful conversations with students who were previously apathetic towards Israel.”

Unfortunately, there is antisemitism all over college campuses, and Tulane is no exception. Amanda understands this and knows her place to fight it.

“As a college student who has witnessed the rise of antisemitic rhetoric on and off-campus, I know how crucial Zionism is to the Jewish diaspora. As antisemites conflate Zionism with colonialism, apartheid, and genocide, it is crucial, now more than ever, to defend Zionism for what it is — a commitment to safe haven for the Jewish people.”

We are grateful for Amanda’s strong leadership and presence at Tulane!

“Going forward, we are looking forward to hosting more interactive events and inviting guest lecturers so students can have a more memorable experience learning about Israeli culture.”

In order to keep up with SSI at Tulane’s events, follow @ssitulane on Instagram!