(Article by JEWISHFLORIDA.NEWS – JANUARY 8, 2023)
Club Z, a national Zionist youth movement, will hold its national conference in Miami, Florida, from January 13 to 16, 2023. Club Z creates a network of educated and articulate teen activists with a commitment to Zionism who advocate for Israel and the Jewish people.
The national conference is the only Zionist event of its kind, bringing together high school students from around the country for a
weekend of inspiration, fun, bonding and advocacy training with internationally renowned experts on Israel and the Middle East.
“How do we prepare our kids to face the onslaught of antisemitism that is infiltrating almost every aspect of life?” asks Club Z Founder Masha Merkulova. “We give them the knowledge, confidence and support to confront Jew-hatred in all its forms. The Club Z National Conference is the apex of our work throughout the year. Teens engage with international experts and fellow Zionists so they are prepared to go out into the world and unapologetically defend themselves, Israel and the Jewish people.”
Shabbos Kestenbaum is a student activist and the lead plaintiff against Harvard University, alleging pervasive and systemic antisemitism. He is a regular contributor on national media, has testified in front of the United States Congress multiple times, and lectures internationally on Jewish communal issues.
Shahar Azani is a veteran Israeli diplomat, passionate advocate for Israel and a frequent contributor to various media outlets focusing on Israel, Jewish issues and the Middle East.
Rawan Osman is a Syrian-Lebanese/German activist advocating for peace with Israel. Rawan previously served on the executive committee at PeaceComms and as a speaker at SharakaNGO. Currently, she is studying Islamic and Jewish Studies at Heidelberg University and is the founder of ArabsAsk. Additionally, Osman serves as the Chairwoman of PostOctober7 e. V.
Colonel Richard Kemp was a British infantry commander who spent most of his life combating terrorism and insurgency in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Balkans and Northern Ireland, where he was wounded in a terrorist attack. His name appeared on an Al Qaida kill list in 2013.
Dalia Ziada is an Egyptian award-winning writer, peace activist, and political analyst specializing in governance, geopolitics, and defense policy in the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean. She has been globally recognized for her leading role as a civil rights activist in the Arab Spring revolutions of 2010-2011 and for her uncommon stance as an Arab Muslim intellectual in support of Israel’s war against Hamas in 2023.