DALLAS, TX January 14, 2025 — With hundreds already registered for Jewish National Fund-USA's annual Global Conference for Israel, set to take place this year in Hollywood, FL between October 23-26, inspiration from last year's speakers continues to radiate.
Barri Seitz, a sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin and alumnus of Alexander Muss High School in Israel (AMHSI), delivered a compelling address at last years conference, where she shared her transformative educational experience and current role in campus advocacy. Her speech highlighted the crucial role of Zionist education in preparing students for current challenges on college campuses.
Seitz's connection to AMHSI runs deep, with both parents having attended the school in the early 1990s. "Since the day I was born, I always knew I would attend the Alexander Muss High School in Israel," Seitz shared. "Both of my parents attended the school in the early 90s, and their first date was dinner before a local Muss reunion in Atlanta."
During her time at AMHSI, Seitz studied under teacher Reuven Spero in Hod HaSharon, experiencing the school's unique approach to Jewish and Israeli history. "There's something so special about learning something in a classroom and then standing at that very site the next day," Seitz remarked. "Muss's curriculum chronologically covers 4,000 years of history, beginning with Adam and Eve in Genesis and ending with the current events page of the Times of Israel."
The impact of her AMHSI experience led to significant changes in her educational journey. Following her return from Israel, Seitz transferred to a local Jewish community high school and became heavily involved with Jewish National Fund (JNF), serving as an AMHSI Ambassador and on the Board of Trustees in Atlanta. She even chaired the High School Summit at the Boston Conference.
Now at the University of Texas at Austin, Seitz has emerged as a prominent voice for Israel advocacy on campus. As founder of Longhorn Students for Israel and chair of Texas Hillel's Israel Block Party - the largest pro-Israel event on any North American college campus - she continues to channel the knowledge and passion ignited during her time at AMHSI.
Addressing the recent challenges faced by Jewish students on college campuses, Seitz spoke about how her AMHSI education has proven invaluable. "Standing on the front lines of these 'encampments' is a terrifying thing," she acknowledged. "Through these difficult days, it was my Muss education that I could rely on." She emphasized how the school's comprehensive historical education has equipped her to counter misinformation: "After my summer at Muss, there is not a single lie about Israel that I cannot immediately confront and dispel with facts, historical record and personal sentiment."
A Plan II Honors student pursuing additional majors in Human Dimensions of Organization with minors in Hebrew and Philosophy, Politics & Economics, Seitz represents the transformative impact of AMHSI's educational mission. "My time at the Alexander Muss High School in Israel upended the way I viewed my place in Jewish history, repositioning myself as the newest link in a generations long chain that carries the hopes of our ancestors into modernity," she reflected.
Her message resonated strongly with conference attendees, particularly as she emphasized the importance of understanding Israel beyond its modern context: "Israel is not just a modern state. Israel is our people, our land, our state, our heritage. Our nationality and culture are derived from this special place, and Zionism is thus a core tenet of what it means to be Jewish."
The speech concluded with a powerful call to action, emphasizing the continued importance of Israel education and advocacy, especially during challenging times. "Muss' experiential curriculum reaffirms why a love for Israel and Zionism is so important to our children, even in the darkest days of darkness of violence."
For more information about Alexander Muss High School in Israel and its programs, please visit https://www.amhsi.org/.
