The University of Florida was selected to host the next conference and nearly doubled its capacity!

The University of Florida was chosen to host the second annual Florida Loves Israel conference. The conference, dubbed by UF as “FLI 2.0,” began on April 12^th, 2013 and lasted until April 14^th, 2013. The goal of the conference was to build on the goals of the first: to educate and inspire those in attendance. However, UF took these goals to the next level by instating the overall theme of their conference as “Inspiring, Connecting, and Empowering” (ICE).

That they did.

The conference hosted 150 students from 9 major universities throughout the state of Florida.  The number of local, national, and international sponsors also rose with FLI 2.0.

UF’s vision of FLI led to many diverse breakout sessions, including discussions revolving on topics such as gender roles in Israel and sexuality in the IDF. Speakers from across the world also attended FLI 2.0. The Counselor for Public and Academic Affairs at the Embassy of Israel in Washington, DC, Oren Marmorstein, gave a particularly memorable speech, which ended with almost every student’s hand raised for a question. Other big speakers included Carl Bernstein Pulitzer Prize Winner for his coverage of Watergate for the Washington Post. In addition, Professor Kenneth W. Stein, President of the Center for Israel Education, and Director, Emory Institute for the Study of Modern Israel, spoke. He is currently a contributing editor for Vanity Fair and was a contributing writer to Time, USA Today, Rolling Stone, and The New Republic.

2013 Conference ScheduleBIG NAME SPEAKERS

FLI 2.0 included a moving and extensive exhibit documenting the sacrifices of Israeli soldiers. A highlight for many students was the last night of the conference, which was home to a lively Yom Ha’atzmaut party. Students were able to come together and celebrate the 65^th anniversary of the independence of the State of Israel. The joy and pride emanating from every student there was one of the most profound moments of the weekend.

Another thrilling moment of the weekend was the opportunity to listen to keynote speaker Carl Bernstein, who gave an intriguing speech on the media’s effect on Israel.

FLI 2.0 was 3 days, one day shorter than the previous year to accommodate for students who could not miss school. However, most students left on sunday wishing it was one day longer!