34 | NOVEMBER 21 • 2024

I

n the 1970s, Wayne State
University (WSU) had a Jewish
population estimated in the thou-
sands. Fast forward to 2024, and that
number has dwindled to just a few
hundred. Considering WSU’s proxim-
ity to a large Jewish community, which
had an estimated population of 71,000,
according to the 2018 Detroit Jewish
Population Study, one might wonder:
Why is the Jewish population at WSU
declining?
On Sunday, Aug. 25, WSU hosted
its annual FestiFall. While most orga-

nizations enjoyed positive interactions
with students — such as sign-ups and
engaging conversations — the newly
reinstalled Students for Israel (SFI)
experienced both positive and negative
encounters.
One of the most troubling expe-
riences was being videoed and pho-
tographed without consent, multiple
times. In addition, we were confronted
by an individual shouting, “Free, free
Palestine!” and another who sarcasti-
cally exclaimed, “You’re with Israel?!?
Seriously?!?”

One student who approached our
table was quickly pulled away by
friends who whispered, “They are
Jewish.
” The most vulgar comment
directed at us was, “F*** you! How
dare you?” Lastly, a student approached
our table and aggressively asked,
“Why?” Confused, we responded,
“This is a group that teaches about and
celebrates Israeli culture.
” The student
clarified, “No, why war?” We tried to
engage, saying, “That’s a great question;
the more you talk to us, the more you’ll
see we might agree.
” Unfortunately, the

student was pulled away by a friend
before the conversation could continue.
This is not the first time Jewish
students on campus have encountered
both microaggressions and macroag-
gressions. Some have reported being
followed to and from classes, while
others have had “Free Palestine” shout-
ed at them while visibly displaying
their Jewish identity, such as wearing a
kippah. One student described being
socially isolated by classmates after
being identified as a Zionist Jew.
We are sharing these experiences to

for college students by college students
Nov. 21, 2024 / 20 Cheshvan 5875

By Jared Pazner, Carolyn Klausner and Kaitlyn Arnston } jewish@edu writers, pictured above at the WSU FestiFall

Why are WSU’s Jewish students being targeted?
Why are WSU’s Jewish students being targeted?

Microaggressions
and Macroaggressions

Jared Pazner, Kaitlyn Arntson
and Carolyn Klausner from
Students for Israel at Wayne
State University representing
Students for Israel at FestiFall.

continued on page 36

for college students by college students
Nov. 21, 2024