What Students Said at ICC's 2026 National Leadership Summit

From August 2 to 4, 2026, more than 800 students came to the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C., for the Israel on Campus Coalition's (ICC) National Leadership Summit. Including staff, speakers and other participants, more than 1,200 people took part, from 308 schools across 43 states and the District of Columbia. The Jewish Journal called it the largest gathering of pro-Israel students in the U.S.

"Even though the challenges are rising very quickly, we're seeing unprecedented interest among Jewish and pro-Israel students," ICC Chief Executive Officer Jacob Baime told The Jerusalem Post. The Summit had a waiting list, and he said ICC could have doubled its attendance if it had the capacity.

The theme was "American. Zionist. Proud." Baime said the message was meant to counter growing hostility toward Israel and Zionism on campus. "This is who we are, this is what we believe, and we're not going anywhere," he said.

What Students Told Jacob Baime

"It was the most inspiring three days that we've had in a year," Baime said. For him, one of the most striking parts of the Summit was the students' reaction. "Every few minutes, another student came up to me and said, 'Thank you. It's meaningful that we know we're not alone,'" he told The Jerusalem Post.

"If you're on a college campus and you're a pro-Israel activist, it can feel isolating sometimes in the current environment," he said. "The number one sentiment that I heard from the students I spoke with was just, 'Thank you. Just thank you for having us. Thank you for caring. Thank you for supporting us.'"

Both Parties in One Room

ICC builds bipartisan support for Israel, and the Summit put that into practice. Opening night included both a Young Conservatives Reception and a Young Progressives Reception. Speakers included Democratic Sen. John Fetterman and Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik. About 15% of participants came from outside the Jewish community, Baime said.

Baime told JNS there is "a lot of concern" about whether Democrats and Republicans in the pro-Israel community can still have a constructive conversation in the same room. "This summit is proof positive that it is possible," he said. "We really want to encourage young Democrats, who are Zionists, to be leaders in the Democratic Party and young Republicans, who are Zionists, to be leaders in the Republican Party."

On the Main Stage

The Summit closed with Jacob Baime's conversation with freed hostage Omer Shem Tov. Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin, the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, also spoke. Shem Tov urged the students to keep speaking out. "I wish for you to keep being proud," he said.

Jacob Baime on the Campus Climate

The highly visible encampments are gone, but Baime told The Jerusalem Post how the campus climate is shifting. "It's not so in your face as it was when the encampments were active," he said. "But people on the Left and on the Right are coming out against Israel and are railing against Israel."

He also pointed to social media. "The campus conversation is completely integrated with the online conversation," he said.

He remains optimistic. "You can change minds. You can win hearts," he said. "And we have the truth and morality on our side."

Part of a Year-Round Effort

The Summit is one part of ICC's support for pro-Israel students on college campuses. In the 2025-26 academic year, ICC staff engaged 316 campuses, made 362 campus visits and backed 255 students in campus leadership races.

Looking Ahead to 2027

ICC's next National Leadership Summit is August 8 to 10, 2027, in Washington, D.C. Students can sign up at israelcc.org/summit to hear when registration opens.

Jacob Baime is the Chief Executive Officer of the Israel on Campus Coalition in Washington, D.C., a role he has held since 2013. Before joining ICC, he worked at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), where he served as National Field Director and as an Area Director in its New England region.