Iranium: More than an Israel Issue

Friends of Israel, on campus and in the community, have long considered Iran a clear threat to Israel’s security. However, the Islamic republic has more than just Israel on its radar and a new film screening at campuses across North America delivers this message loud and clear.

Iranium, directed by Alex Traiman, is a 60-minute documentary that draws attention to the global threat posed by the prospect of a nuclear Iran. It focuses on the actions of the Iranian regime and seeks to educate viewers about why the issue cannot be ignored.

Available since its debut in February, Iranium has been creating buzz on college campuses, where Hasbara Fellowships oversees distribution and promotional programming. Pro-Israel activists report that they have been able to partner with a wide range of groups to co-sponsor screenings and discussions.

One of the first campuses to screen the film was York University in Toronto. According to York’s Hasbara president, Adir Dishy, the group brought the film to campus with hopes that it would spark awareness and debate about events transpiring in Iran and the dangers of Iran’s nuclear aspirations.

“Many people are uninformed or misinformed about Iran and this documentary would help the average student understand the actual issues” said Dishy.

The film also offered York’s pro-Israel community a unique opportunity to join with other campus organizations such as York Campus Conservatives, Iran Human Rights Activists association of York University, and the Jewish Law Students Association.

“Building coalitions on campus is extremely important,” Dishy noted, “especially in this situation where the issue is non-partisan and people from all sides of the political spectrum can be on board.”

In recent weeks, other schools have followed York’s example.

A screening at Brandeis University on March 9th was hosted by the Brandeis Zionist Association, as well as campus Democrats, Republicans, Tea Party, and AIPAC groups.

John Hopkins University will screen the documentary on March 30th, and follow it with a panel discussion about Iran co-hosted by the College Democrats and Republicans. One of the program’s organizers, Aliza Fishbein, said the goal of the program “is to make the issue of dealing with Iran a more prominent concern among students and more visible in campus discourse.”

Students at Emory University screened Iranium with a similar goal in mind. Gail Axelrod, the Hasbara campus coordinator of Georgia and Florida, said the program aimed to “increase awareness about the violent and dangerous Iranian regime.”

UC Davis Jewish Student Union president Yael Steinberg stressed that Iranium can be an important Israel advocacy tool even though the film does not focus directly on Israel.

“Students need to know [about Iran],” she said. “If they do, they will be more inclined to support Israel's struggle for democracy and peace. Maybe seeing this film will motivate students who are not currently activists to feel more ready to participate in pro-Israel events in the future.

“Showing Iranium should raise campus awareness about Middle East issues other than what gets protested about,” she continued, noting that apartheid and BDS tend to attract the most attention on many campuses. “Students have a right to know that the largest obstacle to peace is not settlement freezes or Gaza. They should know that this is an issue bigger than Israel and that right now Iran's scope of influence is one of the largest obstacles to peace.”

When pro-Israel students at Hunter College decided to screen Iranium, they did not realize that they would learn as much as anyone else who attended. One of the organizers, Emily Young, said she and other activists had used the term “terrorism” for years, but it always had been a vague idea.

“Terrorism comes in many forms,” she said, adding that, “What Iranium has done for the students is define and crystallize, through its very vivid portrayal, the truth of terrorism, Iran's nuclear capabilities, and the potentially impending catastrophe that could occur, should they utilize this power.”

On many campuses Iranium has sparked discussions, raised awareness and served as an eye opener to the uninformed students.

“[Iran’s] potential threat is not only a threat to the Jewish community, but to every American, and everyone should be aware of it,” said Young.

Groups that plan to screen Iranium on campus receive a kit that includes the DVD, posters, flyers, invitations, tickets, promotional and marketing materials, and a link to a Moderator’s Manual to help facilitate discussion. Additional screenings are planned across North America through the spring, and students who want to bring it to their campus can begin by viewing the trailer and seeing the other information on the film's website.

For information about hosting a screening on your campus, please email nmenaged@hasbarafellowships.org.

• Aaron Jacobs, ICB Reporter, with additional reporting by Joseph Schwartz