As a college student in the 1970s, I defined myself as a socialist Zionist and attended Israeli consulate-sponsored hasbara workshops.

The literal translation of hasbara is explanation, but specifically refers to Israel's campaign to promote its public image. These sessions taught a simple strategy for dealing with Israel's critics on college campuses.

Begin by speaking about Israel as having the most moral army in the world. Never address the content of your opponents' allegations.

Reference the Holocaust repeatedly, emphasizing the need for a Jewish homeland with a strong army so that those who hate the Jews will never again prevail.

And be sure to question the integrity of Israel's critics, insinuating that they are anti-Semitic (or, in some cases, self-hating Jews). Those of us in the room who supported a Palestinian state (and there were a few) recognized ourselves in their descriptions of who to watch out for.

I remained active on Palestine-Israel but left my identity as a Zionist far behind, recognizing the incompatibility of Zionism (and the reality of what it was) with my support for justice for the Palestinian people...