On Saturday evening, February 24, HIR’s Social Action Committee’s Antisemitism Subcommittee presented a virtual panel discussion on campus antisemitism. Since October 7, many Jewish college students report not feeling physically or emotionally safe on campus. Panelists shared personal experiences of antisemitism, discussed sources of support and recommended action steps.

The panel included Yola Ashkenazie, a Barnard senior; Shabbos Kestenbaum, a second-year master’s student at Harvard; Rabbi Joel Dinin, MIT-Hillel’s director of education: and clinical psychologist Dr. Dahlia Topolosky. The moderator, Dr. Laura Shaw Frank, is the American Jewish Committee’s director of contemporary Jewish life.

HIR Rabbi Steven Exler opened, “It’s a most central issue of concern for modern Orthodox communities. Campuses have been a central part of how we envision the trajectory of our children. We value deeply the humanities and liberal arts education they receive and the independence they develop.

“Suddenly, they are feeling that they are not safe to live comfortable Jewish lives on campus,” he added.

Shaw Frank, citing AJC’s recently published The State of Antisemitism in America 2023, stated, “94% of American Jews see antisemitism as a problem in the US. 20% of college students reported they felt or were excluded from campus groups or events because they’re Jewish. 24% of students reported feeling unsafe on campus. 25% of students avoid wearing, carrying or displaying things identifying them as Jewish. 26% avoid expressing views on Israel because of fear of antisemitism.”

Kestenbaum has filed a lawsuit against Harvard. “In the lawsuit, we do a pretty good job painting a picture of antisemitism at Harvard.” He noted that antisemitism at Harvard did not begin on October 7. “It wasn’t that students suddenly woke up and decided globalizing the Intifada was a normative opinion and a thing to interrupt classrooms with. This has been building for years. Jews have always been targets of hatred, bigotry, and discrimination at Harvard.”

Kestenbaum recalled the night of October 7. “Our fellow classmates jumped out of bed, many of them in their pajamas, to draft an emergency statement that directly blamed Jews for the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. It was signed by 34 student groups representing more than 1,000 students.”

Ashkenazie began, “Prior to October 7, if you would have told me that there was a point in which I would feel unsafe or wary on Columbia’s campus, I would have told you you’re crazy.

“There are two kinds of antisemitism that manifest at Columbia,” Ashkenazi continued. “One is the overt antisemitism that you see on the news. Then, there’s quiet antisemitism that sort of gets swept under the rug. I think that’s really what’s been affecting students the most in our day-to-day experiences.”

On facing pushback on campus that it’s just criticism of Israel and not antisemitism, Ashkenazie described speaking to a student very involved in Students for Justice in Palestine. “I had reached out to her after a particularly problematic Instagram story she put up and explained to her why it’s riddled with antisemitism. She went on and on about how she was criticizing Israel and its government. I said criticism of Israel and its government is absolutely okay, in the same way that we could criticize America and its government. But standing in protests, where there’s a huge sign saying resistance is justified by any means necessary, there’s no room for nuance.”

Regarding sources of support on campus, Ashkenazie responded regarding the Columbia administration. “I think they don’t know what to do with all of this. And I don’t think they’re trying to figure it out.”

Kestenbaum noted the only time Harvard responds to him is after he has gone on national media.

“Harvard created an antisemitism task force and appointed Derek Penslar as the chair. He is someone who has said three times publicly and in two publications that claims of antisemitism at Harvard are exaggerated. Harvard felt that the best person to tackle and combat antisemitism at Harvard would be someone who actually doubts that antisemitism is a real thing happening on campus.”

Kestenbaum has found the real sources of support are the people not connected to Harvard. “It’s the anonymous billionaire who’s paying for my lawsuit. It’s the Fox News producer who wants me on his show. It’s the Times of Israel and journalists who want to quote us.

“Our support is you guys, the guys who are on the Zoom tonight listening to us and giving students a platform.”

Asked what the community should be doing, Kestenbaum offered, “Go through the proper channels and places where you’re supposed to report instances of antisemitism. Second, speak to elected officials. Third, just get the word out there. “

The panelists noted that there are bright spots in this situation. Dr. Topolosky mentioned, “I’m seeing a lot of very empowered students who are really being strengthened by each other and coming together in a way they never thought they would.”

Kestenbaum noted, “I and hundreds of other Jewish students have felt a new sense of pride and confidence in our religious identity in a way that we really would never have felt had this not happened.”

Ashkenazie expressed, “The way the Jewish community at Columbia has come together, I didn’t even think was possible.”