Last week, on the heels of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, this board spoke of the importance of diversity on campus and the positive externalities that follow. We reiterated the importance of clubs and communities, which may not have a connection to each other, interacting and learning from one another. However, the importance of diversity goes beyond the realm of personal interaction. The acceptance of diverse opinions is essential to the success of any campus atmosphere.

This past week, Brandeis Visions for Israel in an Evolving World achieved that very diversity of opinions with their first annual conference. bVIEW, a joint coalition of many clubs on campus that "care" about Israel, invited students from both Brandeis and 15 other schools to "change discourse regarding Israel on American college campuses, for a better future for Israel and the region," according to the bVIEW website. This board is excited about the prospects of bVIEW and the conversation that it produces. However, the diversity of opinion that bVIEW strives towards must continue to be developed.

The conference boasted many impressive guest speakers with a wide variety of opinions and backgrounds including Dr. Aaron David Miller, a former advisor to six different United States Secretaries of State; Bambi Sheleg, a prominent Israeli journalist and founder of the magazine Eretz Acheret, in English "A different Land [of Israel]"; and Shai Bazak, Counsel General of Israel to New England and the former media director and spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his first term in office. Each speaker came with their own political ideas and effectively spoke about those issues sensitive to them.  The diverse group truly inspired and enlightened.  

The speakers featured at the bVIEW conference presented an array of engaging and multi-faceted viewpoints. We applaud the informative dialogue, but also call attention to the need for a greater presence of more varied organizations. bVIEW has thrived as a model for an enriching debate on Israeli affairs, and so, it would be beneficial for Brandeis to further expand upon the scope of debate.

We would like to see the bVIEW team continue to look towards other campuses to ensure that all opinions about Israel are properly represented and discussed at future conferences.
Additionally, we hope the concept of bVIEW spreads to campuses across the country. Universities with larger student bodies may have more varied opinions to share, which may lead to an even more vibrant conversation than one that Brandeis has to offer.

The bVIEW conference showed that diverse opinions can co-exist in a conversation.

We hope that bVIEW continues to further its efforts to promote a varied conversation about the discussion on Israel both on our campus and others around the country.
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