|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) led a delegation of state legislators from Arkansas, Utah, Missouri, Texas, Ohio, Kansas, and Florida on an educational mission to Israel this week.
The trip offered lawmakers a unique opportunity to gain insights into Israel’s history, learn about its security realities in the aftermath of October 7th and the war with Iran, experience its economic and cultural vitality, and explore ways states can fight the rise of antisemitism back home in the U.S.
Delegation members included:
— State Representative Aaron Pilkington (Arkansas)
— State Representative Debra Tendrich (Florida)
— State Representative Pat Proctor (Kansas)
— Senate Majority Leader Tony Luetkemeyer (Missouri)
— State Senator Mary Elizabeth Coleman (Missouri)
— State Representative Meredith Craig (Ohio)
— State Representative Matt Shaheen (Texas)
— State Representative and House Majority Whip Candice Pierucci (Utah)
— State Representative Karianne Lisonbee (Utah)
CAM Director of State Engagement David Soffer said the purpose of the mission was to give participants an “unfiltered, on-the-ground perspective on what Israel and the Jewish people have endured since October 7th.”
“These leaders will return to their states equipped with the knowledge and tools to translate what they’ve witnessed into meaningful advocacy and policy,” he added.
The itinerary included a tour of the Knesset for discussions with Israeli counterparts, a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, a visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s national Holocaust memorial, and a briefing by the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS).
Ambassador Huckabee spoke with the delegation about regional security issues, the Abraham Accords, and the U.S.-Israel relationship.
“Great time to be in Israel,” he said. “I’m very happy to see state legislators taking time to visit Israel, especially now.”
Ambassador Huckabee pushed back on how Israel was often portrayed abroad. “Most of what you hear from the American media about Israel is untrue,” he said. “I’ve never seen a more resilient people than the Israelis.”
He also warned of the threat posed by Iran. “When it comes to Iran, their interest in killing has placed Israel as the appetizer and America as the main course,” Ambassador Huckabee said. “The Iranian danger should matter to all Americans.”
Missouri State Senator Mary Elizabeth Coleman said, “Israel’s relationships with its regional neighbors keep evolving because of the Abraham Accords. These agreements aren’t just diplomatic milestones but real partnerships that are improving lives across the region and creating a foundation for lasting stability.”
In Jerusalem, the delegation toured the major religious holy sites, including the Western Wall and Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Coleman said, “Just as we work to combat antisemitism here at home, we have a responsibility to be a voice for Christian communities living in the Holy Land.”
The delegation later visited the ancient Shiloh archaeological site and Psagot winery in Samaria.
“Israelis have a profound historical, cultural, and religious connection to the Land of Israel,” said Missouri Senate Majority Leader Tony Luetkemeyer. “It has been home to the Jewish people for thousands of years and remains central to Jewish identity and faith.”
A particularly powerful part of the trip for delegation members was the day they spent in southern Israel, near the Gaza border, where they witnessed the impact of the October 7th massacre. They visited Kibbutz Nir Oz that was devastated in the attacks, as well as the Nova music festival site, where massacre survivor Shalev Biton shared his story with them.
They also met with Almog Meir Jan, who was kidnapped by Hamas from the Nova festival and held hostage in Gaza for eight months.
“Hearing firsthand accounts of the sheer horror survivors endured on October 7th at the hands of terrorists is something I won’t forget,” Coleman said. “Their courage in sharing those experiences puts everything else in perspective.”
Luetkemeyer called his conversation with Jan the most meaningful of the trip. “His story of resilience was deeply inspiring,” Luetkemeyer said. “Despite everything he endured, he emerged with hope for a more peaceful future in the Middle East.”
In northern Israel, the delegation was hosted at a military base where they viewed a Hezbollah weapons exhibit illustrating the threats Israel’s northern communities face from Lebanon. Experts from the Alma Research and Education Center briefed the lawmakers on Hezbollah’s capabilities and the broader strategic challenges on the northern front.
The delegation also met with leaders of Habayta, an initiative helping residents of northern Israel return to their homes after being displaced by war.
On the final day of the mission, the delegation members traveled to Reichman University in Herzliya for a briefing on Israel’s high-tech sector and an International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) simulation. They also participated in a roundtable discussion on the rise of antisemitism in the United States.
“Even when surrounded by their enemies, they remain unwavering in their faith, courage, and love of country,” Ohio State Representative Meredith Craig said of the Israelis she met during the trip. “The bond between the United States and Israel is built on our shared values of freedom and democracy, and it is a partnership that must remain strong.”
Arkansas State Representative Aaron Pilkington said, “I witnessed a people of extraordinary resilience. Despite the trauma of war and the constant threat of violence, Israelis continue to rebuild, raise their families, defend their homeland, and preserve a vibrant democratic society. I came away convinced that they are standing on the vanguard of civilization, defending not only their own nation, but the shared values of freedom, human dignity, and democratic government.”
Over the past year and a half, CAM has prioritized educating state legislators across the U.S. on antisemitism-related issues and potential policy remedies.
In this time, CAM has tracked legislative initiatives put forth in Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, and eight of these states — Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Nevada, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Missouri — have enacted new laws since April 2025.
In June 2025, lawmakers and executive officials from 17 states convened in Kansas City, Missouri, for the first-ever CAM-hosted State Leadership Summit on Antisemitism.
