The legacy left by Home Depot's Bernie Marcus is a model to build on

(JNS) - As I walk into the still relatively new school year, I find myself reflecting on an honor I received this summer, the Bernie Marcus Award, and on the journey to Israel that helped me see what it truly means to be a pro-Israel advocate. They both came at pivotal moments, offering me fresh eyes and a renewed sense of purpose for the year ahead.

The Bernie Marcus Award is given to young leaders who demonstrate a deep commitment to strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship. For me, that recognition is not just a personal achievement, but a reminder of the responsibility that comes with leadership and advocacy, especially at a time when campus antisemitism has surged after Oct. 7.

On campuses across America, standing up for Israel is not always easy. But it is precisely in such moments of challenge that we are called to step forward. In the wake of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on a college campus, it feels more important to stand up for what I believe, even if it feels scarier to do so.

When I first became involved in pro-Israel advocacy at Oral Roberts University, I approached it mostly through news articles, policy debates and political conversations. Israel was real to me in my heart and my mind, but still something I understood at a distance. That changed when I traveled to Israel with the Israel on Campus Coalition's Geller Senior Fellowship last winter.

Nothing prepared me for the moment I stepped off the plane at Ben-Gurion Airport. The land, the people, the resilience I witnessed; these were not ideas or headlines anymore but lived realities. Walking Jerusalem's streets, visiting communities under threat and meeting Israelis who embody strength and hope every day transformed the way I think and speak about Israel. It shifted my advocacy from abstract argument to personal testimony.

At ORU, a Christian university in Tulsa, Okla., I lead the United for Israel group and serve as vice president of the College Republicans. What I have discovered is that being a non-Jewish advocate for Israel is not a limitation but an opportunity. Many of my peers expect Jewish students to defend Israel, but when someone like me, someone without a direct personal connection, makes the case, they often listen more carefully. Authenticity breaks down walls.

That principle is also at the heart of Marcus's legacy. A philanthropic magnate and co-founder of Home Depot, he understood something essential: Success without service is hollow. His business career was not just about building a retail empire, but about empowering communities, one project at a time. His philanthropy was never mere charity; it was a strategy for lifting people up and investing in their futures.

Marcus's work with the Israel Democracy Institute showed the same strategic vision. He knew that Israel's strength rests on its ability to integrate all parts of society-Jews and Arabs, religious and secular alike-into a shared national project. That kind of leadership teaches us that advocacy cannot just be about defending the status quo; it must be about building a better future.

For me, the Bernie Marcus Award is meaningful precisely because it recognizes not just accomplishments, but authenticity. Advocacy without authenticity is just noise. True advocacy begins with a lived connection. It grows when we invest in relationships, tell our stories honestly and model the resilience we hope others will embrace.

This past year, I've also been able to expand that work beyond the campus. Fellowships with AIPAC, CAMERA on Campus, StandWithUs and Israel on Campus Coalition have given me tools to connect, mobilize, and amplify the message. With Israel on Campus, I even traveled to the United Arab Emirates to explore regional partnerships made possible by the Abraham Accords. That experience helped me see Israel not only as a nation defending itself, but as a partner in building a hopeful regional future.

As I begin this school year, I do so with the conviction that pro-Israel advocacy is not only about arguments and policy papers. It is about stories, relationships and a commitment to truth that others can feel. Marcus showed that leadership means using success to serve others. My responsibility now is to follow that example in my own context; on campus, in my community and wherever I am called to speak.

The challenges of this moment are real. Antisemitism has not faded; if anything, it has intensified. But Marcus's legacy, and the inspiration from my time in Israel, remind me that resilience, authenticity and service can overcome ignorance and hate.

My generation of leaders must safeguard the U.S.-Israel alliance, not only by preserving it but by deepening it. The story of Israel is too important to be left untold. And the lessons of leaders like Marcus are too valuable to be forgotten. As I move into this new school year, I carry these with me: an award that affirms my commitment and a vision of Israel that has become personal, real and enduring.