for college students by college students

Aug. 25, 2016 / 21 Av 5776

VOLUME 7, NO. 3

Photos by Ian Wendrow

OK Not To Be OK

U-M senior lets freshmen know
support is available on campus.

Sierra Stone } jewish@edu writer

ear College Freshmen:
You’re preparing to embark on a journey that is said to be “the
best four years of your life.” Soon you’ll meet your future best
friends, bridesmaids, groomsmen, mentors and role models. You’re going to
be independent — no one will be holding your hands or telling you what to
do, how to do it or when to do it. You’re going to be challenged, excited and
happy. Well, maybe not so happy.
For some of you, just like me, you’re not going to be
happy — not right away at least. You may be seemingly
happy your first week and then realize something is not
right. You may portray happiness through your Instagram
and Facebook, when deep down you’re not. You may feel
lonely, stressed, vulnerable and unsure of yourself — and
that is OK. If you fill out every transfer application by the
end of first semester — that is OK. If you feel like you
have nobody to talk to — that is OK.
Sierra Stone
Remind yourself that you are not the only one feeling
this way. You are not alone. It is OK not to be OK. It is OK
to talk about not being OK.
It might take some time to find your niche, find your new normal and find
your home away from home. I was lucky enough to find those things in Greek
life, student government, Hillel and, most importantly, the Wolverine Support
Network (WSN).
With help and support from, and in partnership with the George Orley
Mental Wellness Initiative, WSN is the University of Michigan’s first peer-to-
peer support group. WSN is a student organization dedicated to promoting
the emotional well-being of students and creating a supportive campus com-
munity united against the stigmas of mental health issues. WSN establishes
peer-to-peer support groups where students can share their struggles with
peers in a safe, healthy and confidential way. We also host Kickback Fridays,
twice a month, which are fun events that strive to create a strong and safe
campus community.
If you are heading to Ann Arbor in the fall, I highly recommend joining WSN
— especially if you find yourself not being OK. If you’re not heading to Ann
Arbor — have no fear. We are in the midst of beginning expansions to other
college campuses. @

D

Sierra Stone of West Bloomfield is a senior at the University of Michigan. For details or
to donate to Wolverine Support Network, visit umichwsn.org.

The executive team and facilitators of the
Wolverine Support Network at U-M

A sticker bearing the Action Francaise logo, a far-right political
group with a history of anti-Semitic thought, is posted on
the street sign leading to Vichy’s only synagogue.

Soujourn In France

MSU student looks at violence in
France through Jewish eyes.

M

laborationist government. Its many hotels were
y fingers twitch slightly as I try
co-opted as housing for the new administration,
to light my cigarette. It’s the
first time I have ever smoked to taking on roles such as Ministry of the Interior or
Ministry of Propaganda. These ministries were
try and ease my stress, fixated
largely responsible for French-Jewish deportation
on a tragedy I had read about that morning.
and justifying such actions as beneficial for French
There was another terrorist attack the night
national recovery.
before. A policeman stabbed to death
You can see here why a Jew visiting
in his home, his girlfriend’s throat slit
France would find Vichy to be subtly
in front of their young son. The vicious
oppressive. It’s a surreal feeling to walk
attack was carried out by a French-born
the same streets as policy makers who
jihadist who had pledged allegiance to
had made it their mission to hand over
ISIS just three weeks prior.
Jews to the Nazi death machine or just
I found myself dwelling on that child,
discard them in concentration camps out
only 3 years old. He was robbed of his
in the countryside.
innocence by someone consumed by
Today’s Vichy is far removed from
hate. I still wonder if that child, seeing
Ian Wendrow
its bleak past. The French in Vichy are
such malice firsthand, would give into it
Commentary
extremely welcoming, kind people. I
himself.
freely expressed my Jewish heritage to
That tragedy arrived near the begin-
many of them, the worst reaction being a complete
ning of my two-month stay in Vichy, France, to
indifference to this new information.
learn French. It was the beginning of a string of
This isn’t to say that extremism is completely
incidents that seemed to feed into the narrative of
absent from Vichy. On numerous street light poles
a violent and demented world surrounding me.
are stickers bearing the insignia of a far-right
The irony of it all is that, in this progression of
group known as Action Francaise (AF). Branding
terror around Vichy, I came to feel safer and more
itself as a pro-Catholic, pro-monarchist move-
secure within it.
ment, AF has an uneasy history of anti-Semitism
Some historical context is needed to fully grasp
given that its philosophical figurehead, Charles
this irony.
Maurras, was himself an outspoken anti-Semite.
Following Nazi victory over France, the nation
Almost like a tasteless joke, I stumbled upon
was split in two. There was the northern zone
Vichy’s sole synagogue after spotting one of these
occupé, under full military control of the German
stickers. It had been placed over the street sign
Nazi regime. The southern zone libre was gov-
leading to the shul with more than likely a deliber-
erned and run by Frenchmen, though they still
ate intention.
collaborated with the Nazis.
I attended Shabbat services a few days later
Vichy became the de facto capital of this col-

continued on page 50

August 25 • 2016

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