Being in college right now may seem scary, but we’ll come out stronger!
By Jon Greenspan, SSI chapter at the University of Minnesota
I want to give my perspective as a current student in college, and as a proud Jewish Zionist.
To put it frankly, it is difficult. I had a friend who I’d known since high school. They were a member of my fencing club, we’d always hang out, we had movie nights. The usual stuff. Then she found out that I had gone to the Israel rally in DC in November. She decided to reprimand me and tell me how disappointed she was in me. Eventually the conversation soured and we never spoke again.
Last semester I had a friend in my ornithology class. One day I was working on a speech for my public speaking class. The speech was on antisemitism on college campuses. She asked to read it, and afterwards she never talked to me again, never sat next to me in class. Nothing. I hadn’t pushed anything on to her, I hadn’t brought it up to her. However, upon reading it, I was no longer a friend.
When I was standing with an Israeli flag at a protest where they were waving the flag of the PFLP -a terrorist group known for multiple plane hijackings, and suicide bombings on innocent civilians, which also was founded in collaboration with the Soviet Uninon- and chanting for an Intifada, I saw two of my best friends, one of whom was a current roommate, and both roommates for next year, join the pro-Hamas crowd and join in with the chanting. I’ve known these people for two years, and I know they’re not bad people. I know they don’t want to kill all 7 million Jews in Israel, or even any antisemitism at all. They almost definitely don’t understand what the Intifadas were, and what calls for them mean. This is an example of exemplary, and noble people being corrupted into vocally supporting terrorism through misinformation and propaganda.
I’ve been accosted by flyers ranging from anti-Israel to blatantly anti-Jewish, including one which showed a crossed out Jewish Star.
In fact, the representative of the very district I go to school with, Ilhan Omar joined the illegal occupation (encampment), congratulating the pro-terror mob for their crimes, which included: support of terrorism, harassment, assault, intimidation, discrimination based on ethnicity and religion, wrongful detainment, trespassing, and vandalism. Omar also engaged in Blood Libel, accusing Israel of Genocide, and regurgitating misinformation. She also later made a tweet, accusing JEWISH (not Israeli, but JEWISH) students of being “pro-genocide.” Once again engaging in blood libel.
So yes, anti-Zionism and antisemitism are unfortunately very prevalent on campuses, in our country, and in the hearts of our politics. And it makes it hard for Jewish and Zionist students.
HOWEVER,
For every one of these stories about antisemitism, I have countless stories about friends I’ve met while defending Israel and Zionism. I’ve been able to get much closer with my Jewish and Zionist peers than before. I’ve also become closer with myself and my own Jewish identity. I’ve begun attending Chabad every Friday night for Shabbos, and I’ve also been attending other Jewish events during weekdays.
I’ve met many amazing people in and out of the local communities, and I’m excited to meet many more. I’m also excited to meet the many students who are already going to or will be going to our colleges.
This has also given us Zionists a great chance to educate those who may be less educated on these issues. With so much press and discussion on these issues, every fact, and piece of information we give, will be heard by many more people, as people have renewed interest in learning about these complex issues.
Ilan Sinelnikov, who founded the international SSI movement, at our very own University of Minnesota campus once told me “The worst thing we could do is leave.” If we abandon our universities, and our communities due to the antisemitism present, we only allow that antisemitism to fester, as it goes unchecked. Instead, we need to stand our ground, and show that we have a right to exist, just as Israel does! No more will we be pushed out of our universities, communities, homes, friendships, or even our own country of Israel. Instead we’ll battle antisemitism and anti-Zionism head on, until we’ve eradicated this hatred which has plagued us for millenia, once and for all!
So yes, being a college student right now is scary for Jews and Zionists. However, by standing strong, and reinforcing ourselves with our values and communities, we’ll come out stronger!
