When the news got out about the vandalism at the Starbucks in Glen Rock, New Jersey, with antisemitic undertones, you might think that Jewish teens would be wary to meet and act openly Jewish at that site.

Well, think again.

In mid-February, employees found red paint splattered on the coffee shop’s sign outside and antisemitic stickers commenting on Israel’s war with Hamas on the sign’s posts. Starbucks took quick action and had the sign and the posts cleaned. Congressman Josh Gottheimer and the Anti-Defamation League spoke out to condemn the hatred behind the vandalism.

The local Jewish Student Union (JSU), part of the public school division of NCSY, regularly meets at another location. With the encouragement of their adviser, New Jersey JSU Director Rabbi Reuven Lebovitz, the club decided that they would relocate to the Starbucks for their next weekly meeting as a show of support for the business.

As Rabbi Lebovitz shared with The Jewish Link, the students “wanted to show that we are proud to be Jewish and are not afraid. Love will always win against hate.” The JSU also wanted to show support for Starbucks and to thank them for taking quick action to report and clean up the vandalism.

As the accompanying photos illustrate, the JSU get-together at the Starbucks attracted dozens of teens who were pleased to make a statement of support and a public show of pride in their heritage.

JSU clubs meet weekly in Bergen County public schools in BCHSJS, Bergen Academies, Cresskill, Fair Lawn, Glen Rock, Pascack Hills, Ridgewood and Teaneck. With anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiment on the rise in many public schools across New Jersey, the Glen Rock JSU offers a welcome model of positive activism by Jewish public school students.

Harry Glazer is the Middlesex County Editor of The Jewish Link. When he’s really lucky, he gets to cover breaking news in Bergen County. He can be reached at [email protected]