When Education Becomes Allyship

As a Filipino immigrant studying international affairs at Kennesaw State University, Orlando Valdez was struck by how one-sided conversations about Israel felt on his campus. “I felt it was my duty as a scholar to understand what was really going on,” he recalls. In May 2022, that sense of responsibility led him to Jewish National Fund-USA’s Caravan for Democracy, a fully subsidized 10-day program that brings non-Jewish student leaders to Israel for an immersive educational experience focused on history, geopolitics, and people-to-people connections.

For Orlando, Caravan offered not only factual context and understanding, but also meaningful relationships and a passion for Israel advocacy. “Meeting the actual people shaped my view on Israel and what life is like there,” he explains.  

Orlando was especially moved by his visit to South Israel, where he toured GrooveTech, a state-of-the-art safe indoor playground and experiential learning center dedicated in honor of Betsy Fischer. “Seeing all of the resources for kids and the surrounding communities really stuck with me,” he says. Visiting communities near the Gaza border also deepened his understanding of the region’s challenges, an impression that took on even greater weight after October 7. “It hit especially hard,” Orlando reflects, “because I had met people who live there.”

When Orlando returned home, he felt compelled to act. He stepped into student leadership and, in partnership with campus organizations such as Students Supporting Israel, helped advance state legislation that secured a definition of antisemitism in Georgia law. Orlando continued his advocacy through international fellowships and, in 2023, spoke on a panel at Jewish National Fund-USA’s Global Conference for Israel in Denver, addressing antisemitism on college campuses.

Today, Orlando views advocacy as an ongoing commitment. His message to other non-Jewish allies is clear: Challenge your assumptions, seek truth at the source, and stand unequivocally with your Jewish and Israeli friends. 

To learn more about Caravan for Democracy, email caravan@jnf.org or visit jnf.org/caravan