To say this week’s campus celebrity goes above and beyond is completely an understatement when describing Junior Lila Greenberg. Political science major, President of Badgers for Israel, and an extremely involved AIPAC member and enthusiast, Lila is the definition of involved, both on campus and off. I recently had the pleasure of catching up with Lila and interviewing her via email and Facebook (gotta love being abroad) to get the scoop on her busy life.
I know you’re majoring in poli sci, what is your favorite thing about that major?
My favorite part about being a political science major is the professors. I really think the professors in the Political Science Department challenge their students in all the right ways! It’s really rewarding to have a professor that cares about my learning and my academic growth.
For those of us who don’t know what is AIPAC?
AIPAC is the pro-Israel lobby! That means AIPAC works to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship by focusing on Congress. AIPAC is unique because it relies on a network of citizen activists, who are regular people like you or me, that care a lot about the U.S.-Israel relationship!
When did you decide to get involved with AIPAC?
I got involved with AIPAC my senior year of high school after attending one of their advocacy trainings for students. I loved that I could get involved and make a difference at such a young age!
I know you went to DC this year for it, what was this year’s conference like?
This year, I was able to bring over twenty student activists to AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington D.C. Policy Conference is the premiere pro-Israel gathering with over 15,000 people, and the best part? 3,000 of those are students! Policy Conference this year, like every year, was AMAZING! The speakers in both the large plenary sessions and the smaller breakout sessions are unmatched. Beyond that, I met many students across the country who are engaged with pro-Israel advocacy on their campuses… so it’s a great way to make new friends and share best practices! The best part of policy conference was definitely lobbying a few members of Congress and a Senator on Tuesday! Being able to sit in a Congressional office and tell a member of Congress how much you care about everything… Well, that’s an incredible feeling.
I know you had the privilege of speaking at AIPAC last year. What was it like addressing all of those people when you spoke? How did you prepare?
Last year at Policy Conference I had the opportunity to address 14,000 people in the opening plenary session! A video played about my activism at Wisconsin and then I stepped onto the stage and was able to say a few words to everyone directly. One of the most amazing parts about that experience was that I actually didn’t get to see the final video (which had been filmed the previous November) until right before I was going to step out on stage! Actually stepping out on stage was surreal and amazing all at the same time. I couldn’t believe that I was standing in front of so many people! I’m so fortunate to have received that opportunity.
You do such a great job advocating Israel on campus, can you tell us a little bit about the club you’re involved in Badgers for Israel?
Badgers for Israel is the pro-Israel, political organization on campus! Basically, we work with student leaders, candidates, and current members of Congress to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship. That means we set up one-on-one meetings with key individuals, we work on larger events that incorporate fun, cultural experiences with political advocacy, and we dedicate time every day to spreading the word about Israel activism on campus!
I know you’ll be interning in DC this summer (so Olivia Pope), will your work be correlated with AIPAC?
This summer I am fortunate enough to participate in AIPAC’s Diamond Summer Internship in Washington D.C.! I’ll be living at George Washington University for the summer and I’ll get to spend every day working as an AIPAC intern! In addition to the other D.C. interns, I will also have a network of other Diamond Summer Interns in AIPAC offices across the country! I can’t wait!
What would your dream job be after graduation?
My dream job after graduation would definitely be working at AIPAC! I care so much about the U.S.-Israel relationship and I want to dedicate my time to something that matters to me!
Thanks Lila, keep on being your rock star self!