MARCH 28 • 2024 | 7 J N continued on page 8 continued on page 8 I found my why. Why did I decide to go to Israel with my daughter at this time during a war? Some would say that it is unsafe. Some may say that this is not the right time. I know my why. On 9-11, I lost my husband, Kenny, to terrorism when the World Trade Center was attacked and he was trapped on the top floors of the first tower hit by the plane. This is why my why led me to Israel. While suffering the lifelong effect as a spouse of a 9-11 victim and standing today because of the support system of family and friends and even strangers, it’s central to my being to pay it forward to the people of Israel in their time of need. My daughter, Maya, and I did just that. When our Excel Mission trip to Israel began, the group was introduced to Tomer Zisser; my life story runs parallel to Tomer’s. I see a photo of Tomer with her late husband, Ilay, just married and starting to build their home together in the moshav/kibbutz where Tomer’s parents live. Ilay was a high-ranking soldier, beloved by his peers and most beloved by Tomar for they were each other’s best friend. Tomar described Ilay as kind, loving, brilliant — played chess like a champ and taught himself to play the guitar. Since his death, Tomer is trying to live for both of them and carry on with their shared plans. He wanted her to go back to school and get her master’s — finish building their home and live a long happy, meaningful life. She hears his voice in her head reminding her of her strength. Tomer and I had a private talk in the rain while in Hostage Square in Tel Aviv. The rain allowed us to huddle close and hide our matching tears as we shared our common bond. Our connection became even more special when Maya joined us in that huddle and spoke to Tomer with such compassion, knowl- edge and empathy — once again, demonstrating her transforma- tion into a caring and capable young woman who knows the meaning of tikkun olam. While walking through Hostage Square, I was over- whelmed by the poster-lined walls of the kidnapped children, woman and men of Israel. In Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square, like NYC of 2001, no one would ever think to desecrate or rip down posters of victims. It made me remember how the world came together in times of tragedy not too long ago, but now it seems that anger and misguided Karen Simon and daughter Maya OR DRAGA REAL LIFE EXAMPLES After several presentations, we broke into smaller discussion groups, where I learned of what other faculty have experienced. One highly accomplished senior professor reported on feeling isolated because the professional organizations on which she had always relied had condemned Israel as an apartheid state and white settler colony guilty of genocide. The organizations she spoke of were anything but marginal. The AAUP — the largest associ- ation of faculty and academics, traditionally champion of aca- demic freedom — in February 2024 called for an immediate ceasefire without condemning Hamas to show solidarity with Palestinian unions and faculty. The National Women’s Studies Association issued its condem- nation of Israel with no mention of Hamas only four days after the slaughter of 1,200 and the kidnapping of 251 Israelis. The association did not need any time to know who the bad guys were. The academic hostility to Israel has a history. The American Studies Association and Association for Asian American Studies were in the vanguard of activism against Israel as they were the first two professional bodies that endorsed the BDS movement in 2013, to be followed two years later by the National Women’s Studies Association. Not to be outdone, the Anthropology national associ- ation hopped on the BDS train in 2023, after voting against the boycott seven years earlier. The Radical Caucus at the MLA national convention on Jan. 6, 2024, called a special meeting of delegates to issue a statement of support for pro-Palestinian stu- dents and faculty; the delegates rejected a counterproposal that called for protecting the free speech rights and safety of all students no matter their politics. According to eyewitnesses, during the debate over the res- olution, speakers pointing to the Hamas hostage taking and sexual assaults were met with hissing for even bringing up Hamas violence. The Executive Committee framed the emer- gency in a one-sided way by singling out the pro-Palestinian academics who needed the most support and protection. The truly vulnerable were “those who have been targeted for speaking out against Israel’s violence in Gaza. ” The ” opponents” of Israel’s actions have been “suffering harassment, doxing and threats related to their teaching, writing and speech on issues related to Palestine. ” The threats originate “outside the university, ” which has become subject to “donor influence on hiring and other issues of collegial process. ” Aggression comes only from essay Finding Hope HAMAS AND ACADEMIA continued from page 6 KAREN SIMON SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS