Amidst the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, people, communities and brands have not been shy about their stance — even those who do not have any relation to Israel or Palestine. Protests surrounding this issue have emerged all over the U.S. in locations, especially big cities, like New York City and college campuses. As someone who resonates enormously with my Jewish identity, anti-Israel protests are extremely painful to witness.
Jewish people have been targeted for centuries, dating back to the Holocaust. Antisemitism was the foundation of the Holocaust and the entire ideology of the Nazi party. This prejudice resulted in the mass murder of six million Jews, many of whom were killed in concentration camps (specially designed killing centers). After 1945, thousands chanted the words ‘never again,’ but history and the recent rise of antisemitism have proven otherwise. The terrorist attacks evoke excruciating memories for people all over the world, and to make matters worse, with this war, there has been a rise in Holocaust denial. The day following Hamas’ invasion, pro-Palestinian protestors crowded Time Square, waving signs that displayed swastikas, the Nazi symbol.
Another example dates back to 2021. When a Jewish group gathered in Boca Raton, Fla. in support of Israel, a van passed by painted with the phrase “Holocaust never happened, Hitler was right” and displayed a Palestinian flag.
Despite history, facts and stories from people who experienced the Holocaust first-hand, notions that it did not happen or that it was exaggerated, unfortunately exist. This propels antisemitism and antisemitic acts. It disregards the idea of preventing history from repeating itself, which is what feels like is currently happening.
In the early 1900s, Jewish people sought Israel as a state of refuge from violence occurring everywhere else in the world. For my ancestors, it was a place of freedom. This place of freedom currently does not exist. Innocent lives are being taken away, and Israel may be destroyed and replaced due to these motives.
To me, it feels like those who march in support of ‘Freeing Palestine’ are undereducated on this topic. Support for Palestinians desiring their freedom from oppression has no distinction from support for violence and terrorism by groups such as Hamas in the eyes of many. Supporting Palestine is not the same as supporting Hamas, but by displaying this support it feels as if the suffrage that is placed upon Israel is being dismissed. Despite that, pro-Hamas protests, in which people express their hate towards Jewish people and the Israeli state are inhumane and devastating. These protests have promoted antagonizing misinformation regarding the Jewish population and the state of Israel. This is increasing anti-semitism worldwide.
Demonstrators at a London rally organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign chanted “From the River to the Sea,” calling for Palestinian control over Israel. This is viewed as an act of antisemitism because it implies support for the disgusting actions committed by Hamas, and ultimately rejects the existence of Israel. Terminating Israel denies Jews the right to independence within their home country. On Oct. 8, in London a stranger called out “Dirty Jew, no wonder you’re all getting raped” to a Jewish person entering a synagogue. Additionally, A Jewish man wearing a yarmulke — a skullcap worn in public by Orthodox Jewish men or during prayer by other Jewish men — was brutally attacked in Times Square. Palestinians yelled out antisemitic terms “Dirty Jew. Filthy Jew. Hamas is going to kill you. Go back to Israel.” The term ‘dirty’ or ‘filthy’ is incredibly offensive and a form of antisemitism, as it places Jewish people in a negative stereotype of being greedy and unclean. Greed is a continuing Jewish stereotype, labeling them as materialistic, selfish and controlling of the world’s finances. Nazis were aware of the portrayal of Jews as money-hungry, which played a significant role in their antisemitic campaign. This portrayal impacts society today and is spreading through media and Hollywood television. For example, a Jewish character in the popular T.V. Show, “Never Have I Ever,” was painted in such a light.
Anti-Israel protests are simply an act of anti-semitism in and of itself. Judaism directly links to the state of Israel. I especially feel connected to Israel because I lived in Hod Hasharon, Israel for six weeks just a few months ago. There, I expanded my knowledge about my Jewish identity and learned more about Israel and its history. Hod Hasharon is only 51 miles away from Gaza, the area that is facing the most violence and terrorism. I even visited the border of the Gaza Strip and learned about the dangers those living there face. To know now that those people I heard from are likely no longer alive or in danger is heartbreaking. The madrichim, or counselors, whom I formed close relationships with, live in Israel and have all returned to the Israel Defense Force, fighting for their country. The stresses and fears those in the IDF are currently facing are so sudden and terrifying. I fear for the lives of my close friends living there. My madrichim have informed me that there is nowhere safe in Israel anymore. Even the town where our campus was located is in danger, with rockets landing there. I am horrified as I see images of the once beautiful places I visited and the town I lived in now blown up and crumbling.
With the rise of these protests, especially on college campuses, I am terrified for my safety during a period where I am forced to start making decisions about where I want to attend college. My anxiety has risen as I see anti-semitism taking over college campuses, and administration looking the other way. For example, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, a school with a heavy Jewish student population, faced extreme anti-semitism while a Palestinian advocacy group protested against Israeli and Jewish students. Additionally, the student body will vote on an anti-Israel resolution, accusing Israel of genocide. If this bill is passed, it will leave me and thousands of other students and Jewish people all over feeling unsettled and targeted.
Ongoing circumstances are causing a rise in antisemitism and one of these acts includes promoting the denial of Jewish freedom and attempts to eliminate the state of Israel. This is a personal attack. This is a personal attack on me, on Israel and all Jewish people.
