The Vice President of Noles for Israel talks about the importance of conversation and finding a cause that matters to you.
Name: Jessica Rotterman
Year: Sophomore
Age: 20
Major: Psychology
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Photo By: Annie Grafe
Her Campus (HC): What organizations on campus are you involved in?
Jessica Rotterman (JR): I’ve been a part of Noles for Israel since I got to FSU, so a year and a half now. I was elected Vice President of that six months ago. I’ve also been a part of Hillel at FSU for a year now, and I’m also an inactive member of Sigma Delta Tau.
HC: So what got you interested in Noles for Israel in the first place?
JR: Well, I’m Jewish so that’s a big part of it since it personally relates to me. Growing up, I was taught that Israel is very important to the Jewish community as it was created as a safe haven for Jewish people after World War II. I realized that not a lot of people know about Israel or what it signifies and stands for. Since the media is often very biased against Israel I felt like it was my duty to advocate for Israel and show people that it is not just a political subject, it’s an amazing place with real people and cultures. It’s not about politics, it’s about people.
HC: That’s really great. What are some big events that Noles for Israel has hosted?
JR: Well, the graffiti wall was the biggest event of the year for us. We brought two artists from New York who are part of a group called “Artists for Israel” who want to spread a message of peace around campuses. We built a wall in the Union and then the artists painted a message of peace. They wrote wonderful things on the wall like “Israel” and “Peace” and even drew the FSU logo. We invited the students walking by it to also draw what peace meant to them on the wall. It was amazing because people would walk by and wonder what this big wall in the union was about and we got a chance to talk to students about Israel and the positive message we are trying to spread. The event wasn’t made to bombard people with information about Israel or anything, because that is overwhelming sometimes, but to just create interest and open dialogue around the subject for students.
HC: That’s amazing! You seem so passionate about this cause. Why is this all so important to you?
JR: I believe there has to be a presence of advocacy for Israel on every campus. It is so important to me because I’ve lived in Israel and I’ve seen what it’s really like, and I don’t think students know enough about it due to lack of unbiased information from the media. Because of my experience, I can tell people about that and show them what I’ve seen personally, that it’s not some crazy war-zone where you don’t feel safe. I walked through town every day and felt completely safe but the media doesn’t show it that way at all, so I feel like I must be a voice telling people the truth. Noles for Israel is all about creating an open conversation between opposing sides with this issue, and I believe it leads to peace. Doing this is hard though, because when the opposing side has openly declared that they want the entire country of Israel and its people wiped from the map, it’s very scary and it’s difficult to talk about it at all.
HC: That’s really amazing to have such a great home base to keep you grounded like that. So finally, what advice do you have for students that want to become more socially active in what they believe in?
JR: I know it sounds cliché, but don’t let time pass by just because you think you are not good enough or you think you do not know enough. You will always be learning, you will never know everything. All you need is to be passionate and happy about what you do. When you find a cause you find really important, it doesn’t feel like work. And I always say to remember to smile at least three times a day, it really does make you happier!