Personal Journal

It reminded me of that time when in YV's IED survey of UK teachers and educators, many chose to answer the question, "Who was Anne Frank?" with "A girl hiding for her life from the Nazis." When asked about the omission of the specific reason why Anne had to hide (meaning, why did they leave out that she was a Jew and was in danger because of it), their replies indicated that if students hear that Anne Frank was Jewish, then they're no longer interested in learning about her. I'll admit, I was shocked by this. If you leave out that Anne was a victim of specifically antisemitism, because of the students' antisemitism, what are you even teaching them anyway?

Similarly, in YV's IED international surveys of teachers and educators, when asked to choose a definition for what the Holocaust was, the most popular answer is the one that doesn't mention Jews.

Basically, the anti-Israel crowd isn't the start of the All Lives Matter'ing of the Holocaust, erasing Jews out of the story of our own persecution and genocide (which you can see even in the fact that too many don't realize 'The Holocaust' is a term coined to specifically talk about the Nazis' crimes against the Jews, and that there are other terms for the Nazis' crimes against other populations). But the anti-Israel crowd isn't just hijacking the Holocaust, it's also actively weaponizing it to be used against Jews, and it is even actively preventing Holocaust education altogether.

This should infuriate everyone.

I was walking through campus, as one does, when I came across a flyer for some sort of pro-Palestine (although pro-Hamas is more accurate, I'll elaborate later) teach-in for tomorrow. I take a photo and sent it to a Jewish group chat I'm in, asking if anyone knows what was going on with that.

After a bit of research, I found the promotional material on the Instagram page of a student organization on my campus. In that material they explain that the teach-in is a result of their dissatisfaction with another student organization being suspended by administration. Why was that organization suspended, you may wonder?

Well, they made a post a few months back in which they proudly refused to condemn Hamas and Oct 7th. (Hence why I said pro-Hamas would be more appropriate terminology for them.) In addition, they called for the death of Zionists in that post.

As I continued to look through the promotional material I came across the same call to action.

Taking all of this information into account, I asked the aforementioned group chat which areas of campus to avoid.

The answer?

Basically most of campus.

It's an all-day event.

Jewish students will have to feel unsafe and be on high alert for an entire school day because their peers are throwing a tantrum over not being allowed to celebrate terrorist groups and murder.

This isn't a fictional dystopia or a theoretical situation. This is the reality of being a Jewish college student.

The Jerusalem Post's frontpage to mark six months since the October 7 pogrom. May the victims' memories forever be a blessing.

I wish I could punch someone and call it 'activism'. I wish I could march in the streets begging for my family to be saved. I wish I could scream in the faces of the people who hang "rape is a valid form of resistance" posters. I wish I could do anything. but I can't even tell my classmates and coworkers why I'm not coming in on April 22nd, I can't explain why I can't answer an email on Saturday.

Thank you for reaching out again!

You know, it was quite cathartic to read your vent. I too feel angry, many of us do. And anger can be a scary emotion to have, especially when society tries telling us we're not allowed to feel it. But you are. Feel that anger, talk to it, understand it. It comes from a place of deep pain and betrayal, and like any other emotion it is not only valid but important. Hold your anger like it's a child and say what you wish people would say to you. Ask it things like "why do you feel angry? What do you want to tell me? For how long do you need to feel angry? How can I help you feel better when you're ready to feel better?". Within what's safe for you and others, don't shy away from your anger. If you need some ideas of ways to cope with that anger, to express it in healthy ways or to calm down, don't be afraid to reach out and ask.

Also important, don't let only anger exist. Remember to hold space for other emotions.

Stay safe, and honestly get rightfully angry once in a while