About Us

Overview

Jerusalem. Our home. | Israel. Our focus. | Impact. Our goal.

Upstart Activist educates about Israel. We develop and deliver unique media-rich presentations, effective leadership training seminars and creative educational resources that draw upon deep knowledge of Israel and decades of proven activist experience in N. America.

Upstart Activist also specializes in developing successful marketing strategies for Israel-related initiatives.

Educational Impact

Created in 2001 by Michael Eglash and Eric Esses, Upstart Activist has informed and trained thousands of student and community leaders in seminars in North America, Israel and England for a wide variety of clients.

In its short history, Upstart Activist has made a big impact. Upstart Activist was the driving force behind numerous unique projects such as the widely successful IsraelVotes.com mock Israeli election initiative (2003). We also developed the first IsraelonCampus.org Network of customized pro-Israel web sites (2003-4) and published widely distributed primers that were featured in the national and local media. Primers included The Israel Activist X-Files (2002), Defeating Divestment (2002) and Options for Peace: Israel's Demographic Dilemma (2004). For more information about the our projects, click here.

Marketing Acumen Means Amazing Results

Upstart Activist leverages knowledge of the young adult and student market in North America and advanced training in business strategy for the benefit serious Israel-related projects.

Oranim Educational Initiatives (www.IsraelFREE.com) retained Upstart Activist in January 2002 to market its birthright israel product within this key demographic. By summer 2004, Oranim - a small Kfar Saba based venture - had become birthright israel's largest trip organizer and had captured a staggering 33% of the entire birthright israel market. Upstart Activist continues to play an essential role in Oranim's exponential growth and success and has been actively involved in other successful projects targeting the student and young adult market in North America.

Upstart Activist also developed the first ever Israel Trip Playbook: A Tour Planning & Promotion Guide for the Israel Ministry of Tourism. The Playbook, which draws upon Upstart Activist's marketing success in promoting Israel at the grass-roots level, is a step-by-step guide for organizing and marketing community and affinity group trips to Israel and is intended to serve Jewish communities throughout North America. Learn more about Upstart Activist's marketing services.

The Principals of Upstart Activist

Michael Eglash
Eric Esses