Beyond the Headlines: Muss High School Israel Empowers Students to Navigate Media and Misinformation

Muss High School Israel welcomed Dr. Logan Levkoff of HonestReporting to present HonestIQ an engaging conversation on media literacy, Jewish identity, and finding one's voice in an increasingly complex world.

Today’s teens must learn how to distinguish truth from misinformation online, especially in conversations surrounding Israel and identity. Jewish National Fund-USA's Muss High School Israel (Muss) shows young people what the headlines and social media posts miss.

This transformative study abroad program goes beyond traditional textbooks and classrooms, allowing students to engage with the people of Israel, explore every corner of the land, and discuss the country’s challenges and opportunities so they can gain the knowledge and confidence to form their own informed opinions.

In that spirit, Muss welcomed HonestReporting’s Program and Strategic Partnerships lead, Dr. Logan Levkoff, Ph.D. to campus, who spoke to students about media literacy, misinformation, and the power of narratives through HonestIQ, an educational initiative of HonestReporting. HonestIQ was developed to equip Jewish teens and young adults with the critical thinking, media literacy, and communication skills needed to navigate today's increasingly complex information environment.

Dr. Logan Levkoff, Ph.D. speaking to Muss students.

"At HonestReporting, we believe media intelligence is about more than recognizing what's true or false," said Dr. Levkoff. "It's about understanding how stories are told, whose voices are amplified, and what's being left out."

These conversations are especially relevant to Muss students, who live in a country that frequently makes international headlines. Despite the noise, their daily encounters with Israeli society, culture, history, and people offer a more nuanced perspective. The students responded enthusiastically to Levkoff's presentation, engaging with the material and enjoying the opportunity to discuss issues that directly affect their generation.

“There's just an abundance of joy and beautiful nature here [at Muss],” said Rachel L., a high school senior from Illinois. “On social media, it's all the horrors and the bad stuff that propaganda wants you to focus on. But being here, you realize that's maybe 2% of the story. From Dr. Levkoff, I learned how to navigate that on social media and how and when to respond if I decide that's necessary.”

Educational opportunities like these are part of Jewish National Fund-USA's broader commitment to strengthening the connection between the next generation of Jewish leaders and Israel. The Muss experience is designed to shape not only how students understand Israel, but how they understand themselves and the world around them.

“I enjoyed how Dr. Levkoff took the time to show us examples of what we see on social media and explain how information can be presented to influence certain audiences, compared to what actually happened,” said seventeen-year-old Noa A. “I plan to use the de-escalation skills and fact-checking she taught us to reason with people.”

In an era when young people are constantly exposed to competing narratives and an overwhelming flow of information, the ability to think independently, evaluate sources, and engage in meaningful dialogue is more valuable than ever.

“What impressed me most about the Muss students was their willingness to engage, challenge assumptions, and ask difficult questions,” Dr. Levkoff added. “Our hope is that they leave with the tools to question narratives, think critically, and engage with confidence and pride. We don't want to tell young people what to think. We want to teach them how to think.”

By combining firsthand experiences in Israel with expert-led conversations like those led by Dr. Levkoff, Muss High School Israel is helping students develop the tools to navigate those challenges with knowledge, confidence, and curiosity.

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About Muss High School Israel

Since 1972, Muss High School Israel (Muss) has been the premier study abroad program for North American teens dedicated to rigorous academics, college prep, and lifelong Zionist engagement. Through its fully accredited curriculum, experiential Israel education, leadership development, and immersive cultural experiences, Muss helps students grow into confident, resilient, and independent young leaders. Full semesters, two-month mini-mesters, and summer sessions are built on the philosophy that witnessing Israel firsthand and experiencing its history are vital to both the enduring story of the Jewish people and continued Zionist philanthropic engagement, as evidenced by its past success with over 35,000 alumni. Muss offers generous financial aid through regional grants and Jewish National Fund-USA's $25 million Dream Israel: Teen Travel Initiative, empowering students to choose the program that fits their interests and schedules. Learn more at muss.org.

About Honest Reporting

HonestReporting is a pro-Israel information watchdog. We put the facts about Israel front and center and equip communities to know them, share them and stand behind them.

The media landscape has changed. News no longer lives in newspapers. It moves through social feeds, AI tools and algorithms that reward speed over accuracy.

So we move faster. Our expert analysts work alongside our proprietary AI to get the truth about Israel to audiences worldwide, before the lies take hold. Learn more at HonestReporting.com