4 | MAY 16 • 2024
J
N

A

few days ago, one of
my closest friends
called to talk about a
scene that is unfolding in many
families around the country.
She noticed that
her niece, a col-
lege student, had
posted an image
on Instagram
that included
Palestinian flags
and asked people
to donate money
to a new “bail fund” that had
been set up to pay for students
who might get arrested protest-
ing against Israel on her campus.
My friend loves her niece
dearly — and this is a girl who
grew up with a strong Jewish
identity, is active in her commu-
nity and has been to Israel more
than once. But that post seemed
to be taking sides with those who
have spent decades violently tar-
geting Israel and Jews worldwide,
massacred our people on Oct. 7,
and have been more than clear
in stating that they intend to do
it again and again.
It has been staggering to
see the hate and vitriol wash-
ing over campuses across the
country for the past six months.
Although some label them as
“Pro-Palestinian” protests, their
character and messages are over-
whelmingly pro-Hamas and/
or anti-Israel. Jewish students,
whether actively/outwardly sup-
porting Israel or not, have been
demonized, harassed, threatened
and attacked.
A rabbi at Columbia recently
told students they should go
home, since he didn’t believe
they would be safe on campus.
USC canceled its main grad-
uation ceremony over safety
concerns. Police at Northeastern
University donned riot gear
to remove students and make

arrests after demonstrations
included chants of “Kill the
Jews.
” Also at Columbia, one of
the primary organizers of these
student events was banned from
campus for proclaiming “I feel
very comfortable calling for
(Zionists) to die.
”
The latest iteration of these
demonstrations are “encamp-
ments” springing up on campus
after campus — students (and,
often, non-student activists who
are joining or leading these
events) setting up tent villages
and taking over campus proper-
ties. Most of these encampments
violate school policies, and some
are illegal.
They have become launching
pads for violent rhetoric, “exclu-
sion zones” where Zionists (read:
almost all Jews) are not allowed,
and places that encourage direct
antisemitism (keeping Jewish
students from accessing their
own campuses or suggesting that
Jews should go back to Poland).
To be clear, there are certainly
people out there (including on
college campuses) who really
are concerned about the grow-
ing death toll among innocent
civilians or simply want to see
the violence stop. But so much
of what we continue to witness
since Oct. 7 has been heavily

tilted toward antisemitism and
anti-Zionism.
Administrators are struggling
to respond — in part because
of their “commitment to free
speech.
” We all know that free
speech has limits, and that
harassment or incitement or
violent threats are not protected.
But many university presidents
are talking more about the ideal
of free speech than the legal con-
cept. They recognize that their
campuses are tinderboxes right
now, ready to explode — and
they seem to fear that if they
enforce their own policies or take
(appropriate) steps to counter the
shocking harassment endured by
Jewish students and others, they
will ignite a greater firestorm.
It is frustrating and frighten-
ing to witness so many college
leaders holding up the banner
of free speech, when it is clear
that if such vitriol and hate were
publicly expressed toward other
minorities or vulnerable popu-
lations, it would be shut down
immediately.
Which brings us back to the
question from my friend —
What do we do when our own
kids are drawn into this frenzy of
Jew-hatred? When they believe
that they are expressing compas-
sion and working toward justice,

when they are sure they are
doing the right thing?
Although it’s maddening, it
shouldn’t be entirely surprising
that some of our students are
caught up in what has become a
popular and enticing moment.
The anti-Israel cause has spent
years wrapping itself in the lan-
guage and imagery of goodness.
Young Jews want to be included
rather than excluded, they want
to help people who are suffering,
they want to see themselves as
part of the solution.
As a result, we risk alienating
them even further if we push
too hard right now. Over time,
our job is to help them under-
stand the reality of Israel. No,
it’s not a colonialist project. No,
it isn’t apartheid. No, there is no
genocide happening. Yes, what’s
occurring in Gaza right now is
tragic. Yes, Hamas is 100% to
blame. Israel is not the aggressor
in this war, and Israel is not the
bad actor on the world stage.
None of these concepts are sim-
ple, and it is going to take time
for us to win over their hearts
and minds.
As painful as it is right now, I
hope we can find the deep well
of patience that is going to be
necessary for us to (1) continue
battling the misinformation and
hate that continues to spread,
(2) expand our support for the
many Jewish youth who are on
the front lines, responding with
passion and smarts to all this
madness, and (3) find creative
and respectful ways to approach
those who seem lost right now,
so that we ensure they have a
path toward an active future in
the Jewish community.
Pray for the peace of
Jerusalem.

Rabbi Mark Miller is the spiritual leader

of Temple Beth El.

essay
Supporting Our Young People

Rabbi Mark
Miller

PURELY COMMENTARY

WIKIPEDIA

George Washington
University in Washington,
D.C., pro-Palestinian
encampment, April 28, 2024.