AJC Project Interchange 2022 Year in Review

In Jewish tradition, 40 is the beginning of wisdom, a moment of transition. Project Interchange’s 40th was a banner year, as we returned to delegations in Israel and explored new opportunities to build peace and lasting partnerships.

“The experience I had here is so important. I can't be quiet about it. I need to share it with others.” - Nawaf Alsayed, Legal Consultant, Trust Partners Law Firm, Middle East and North African Leaders. Read more from recent alumni “In Their Own Words.”

We are making a difference—one delegation, one participant at a time—connecting global leaders to Israel and each other.

• In 2022 we brought 12 U.S. and 7 international delegations to Israel, including participants from North America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. See the full delegation calendar.
• We introduced 178 leaders to the real Israel.
• In addition to our flagship programs, we ran 3 groundbreaking new delegations: Deans and Vice Presidents of Student Life, Presidents of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Austrian Parliamentarians.
• We added Bahrain as our 121st participant country.
• We held 11 in-person and virtual alumni programs.

This is our mission, but we can’t achieve it alone. Please join us. We’re confident that working together, Project Interchange’s next 40 years will be the best yet.

We Celebrated PI Turning 40!

Our PI at 40 Video celebrated 40 years of bringing global opinion leaders and policy makers to Israel. We also held six in-person events for lay leaders, alumni and local community leaders in partnership with our regional offices. Five PI at 40 Virtual Speaker programs brought the perspectives of PI speakers and participants to a global audience. See photos.

Alumni Impact

How PI Alumni made an impact in 2022:

• More than 1,000 alumni combated antisemitism and promoted Israel’s place in the world with concrete actions.
• PI alumni participated in American Jewish Committee’s Summit to Combat Antisemitism in April, AJC Global Forum 2022 in June, the Miami-Israel Innovation Conference in November, and countless regional AJC programs.
• Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou announced the opening of a trade office in Jerusalem.
• The PI alumni-led Transatlantic Friends of Israel robustly advocated for Israel in the European Parliament through resolutions, amendments, letters, and parliamentary questions.
• Alumni Venture Fund recipients created reports, public programs, awards, apps, and videos.
• Alumni wrote about their recent delegation experiences in Tampa Bay Times, The Oklahoman, and Inforum, and were featured in Israel InSight and Inside Higher Ed.
• French Parliamentarian Yael Braun Privet became president of the National Assembly, where she is countering antisemitism and advancing the Abraham Accords.
• Read our curated collection of alumni impact stories from the last 10 years.

Case Study: Middle East and North African Leaders

Project Interchange’s “Theory of Change” brings our participants from:

Awareness: new knowledge about the realities of Israel → Will: desire to collaborate with AJC and Israel because of ongoing education and relationship-building → Action: alumni become strong advocates and partners in AJC initiatives.

Here’s how it looks in practice:

• Awareness: In March 2022, PI brought a delegation of Middle East and North African Leaders (MENA) to Israel on a program designed to expand the opportunities of the Abraham Accords by introducing a select group of leaders to Israeli innovation, politics, and culture.

• Will: Since they’ve returned home, the group has shown an incredible commitment to expanding the circle of peace through people-to-people encounters, as organizers and participants.

• Action: Building on the success of this delegation, an alumnus has collaborated with PI to create two delegations of MENA leaders for 2023.

AJC Abu Dhabi is creating a powerful network of like-minded partners through the power of Project Interchange.

Thank You for Your Support

Project Interchange’s tremendous return to delegations in 2022 was made possible by your ongoing generosity and your steadfast belief in the transformative power of firsthand experience in Israel.

We are excited to launch more groundbreaking delegations in 2023, but we need your help.
Please donate today.