The research she did for her paper alarmed her, and Valdary resolved to do what she could to fight Jew-hatred.
There hasn't been a lot of good news recently for
pro-Israel watchers of campus culture, but in the unlikeliest of places, by the
unlikeliest of Zionists, there is finally good news to share. The University of New Orleans has nearly 13,000 undergraduate students, fewer than 100 of whom are Jewish. There are no Jewish studies courses, there are no Jewish services available and there is no kosher food available on campus. But what UNO does have is Chloe’ Simone Valdary.
Valdary, a sophomore, majors in international relations. Her particular interests are history, religion, philosophy, politics and current events. Although she is Christian, Valdary decided to write a major paper her freshman year on the Arab-Israeli conflict.
The research she did for her paper alarmed her, and Valdary resolved to do what she could to fight Jew-hatred. She created an organization on Campus, “Allies of Israel.” There are currently only nine members of the group, but the membership is likely to soar soon. Their first major event will be held on January 28.
For their kickoff event Valdary chose to aim high. She contacted Dr. Daniel Pipes, the executive director of the Middle East Forum, and one of the best known and respected authorities on the Middle East and radical Islam. To the delight of the Allies, Pipes agreed to be the keynote speaker at their upcoming Declare Your Freedom event, which she describes as a “pro-Israel, pro-America event.”
The goal of this project, Valdary told The Jewish Press, is to publicly express a pro-Israel position, but also to talk about how to combat anti-Semitism in innovative ways. She has a number of ideas she is already working on which she believes will have a real impact on the widespread hatred of which she only recently became aware.
In an announcement for the January 28 event, Chloe wrote:
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