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September 17, 2004/Tishri 2 5765, Vol. 57, No. 3
ASU student joins advocacy program
STEPHANIE N. HENSCHEL
Staff Writer
At first glance, Roy Ham seems like the typical college student. He works, he studies, he hangs out with his friends.
But Ham has experienced something not everyone has the opportunity to experience.
Ham was one of 20 campus leaders from across the United States to participate in an intensive two-week training seminar for Caravan for Democracy.
Caravan for Democracy is a program initiated by the Jewish National Fund, Media Watch International and Hamagshimim. The program brings renowned speakers to college campuses to discuss Israel and the issues surrounding the Jewish State. Participants are encouraged to think about those issues and engage in constructive dialogue about the Middle East.
Students involved in this year's caravan were chosen based on their leadership potential at school and after.
With the anti-Israel sentiment generated on Arizona State University's campus last year, New Mexico native Ham, 19, jumped at the opportunity to join the group.
"I heard about it last spring semester from Rabbi (Barton) Lee (from ASU Hillel Jewish Student Center)," Ham says. Ham was asked to host Dr. Ephraim Sneh, leading member of the Israeli Knesset, in an effort to bring the Israeli to campus to speak at the college's Israel Fair. In return, Ham would have the chance to go to Israel.
For Ham, it seemed like a good idea.
"I've been to Israel before, but anytime I can get over there, I'm all for it," he says.
So he joined 20 of his peers from college campuses across the United States. In Israel, the group spoke with politicians, citizens, students and military personnel about the issues affecting them in their homeland.
"Basically, we all went on this trip to meet and kind of reinforce our knowledge on Israel," Ham says.
Disengagement was a big issue discussed during the trip, as well as the economic and social aspects of the state.
Arnon Perlman, political adviser to the prime minister, was one of the first people the group talked to. He tried to explain Ariel Sharon's disengagement plan to them.
"He broke it down and explained why it was important, what it consisted of and compensation," Ham says.
Of course, Perlman was positive about the plan, though not everyone agrees with it, Ham says. The group also had the chance to speak with General Effi Eitam, a member of the National Religious Party and formerly the highest-ranking religious leader in the Israeli military.
"He had a really interesting viewpoint from a religious perspective," Ham says. "That we have a tie to the land, that the people are doing important things for the Jewish people by staying there."
He said the topic was discussed with all types of people.
"The craziest part was the soldiers," he says. "The soldiers were the most passive of everybody (regarding disengagement). They tried to stay the most neutral."
With all the opposing viewpoints and information, Ham says he, as well as other members of the group, had a hard time figuring out his personal feelings on the subject.
"I still can't make up my mind, none of us could," he says. "It's very difficult."
Despite his busy schedule - he works 40 hours a week as a security guard at Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall on top of the 16 credit hours of classes he takes - Ham hopes he can take his experience and use it to promote pro-Israel sentiment on campus.
"At the end of last year, there were some anti-Israel groups handing out leaflets and stuff," he says. "A lot of (pro-Israel) people got really active at that point, but it was more reactive, I thought," Ham says. "One thing I learned is to be more proactive."
Ham hopes to take advantage of the lack of current action by anti-Israel groups and get more pro-Israel information disseminated on campus.
In October, Ham plans on going to Los Angeles to participate further in the Caravan program, only this time, the program is geared more towards high school students. He will talk to students about his experience and the importance of "proactivism."
"I'm really excited," he says.
Now that he's back, Ham is still thinking about his trip.
"It was really neat, the people I met, the places we went," he says. "I'd never been to the Golan, we went there.
"I'm still kind of reflecting on it. I found a journal I had kept while I was there and I found some stuff I didn't even remember about. I was so glad I wrote it all down."
Contact the writer here
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