Avi Kumar 

The world closely watches as the Operation Swords of Iron war in Gaza unfolds. Hamas, the Sunni Islamist political and military organization that controls the Gaza Strip, claimed responsibility for the atrocities of October 7th. Over 1,200 Israelis were murdered, and over 200 hostages were taken captive. Israel mobilized 300,000 reservists to fight Hamas, and to locate and free the hostages.  

The Israeli army has penetrated deep inside the Hamas-controlled heartland in the Gaza Strip and has taken partial control of the northern end of the 140 square mile enclave. Clearly, Israel has a strong advantage militarily. However, Hamas has employed a number of stalling strategies to keep Israeli troops from advancing forward and now downwards in what has evolved into a subterranean war.  

Israel also faces external threats by Iran’s other proxies as they mount attacks on the northern and southern borders and from Yemen.  Every decision made by the leadership is a critical one as battling Hamas, rescuing hostages, and minimizing losses all are top priority.  

Early Timeline  

October 7th 

In response to the Oct. 7th massacre, Israelis put aside their differences and became united. Hamas’ actions declared to the world that they had little concern for the political leanings, ethnic affiliation, or religious views of any Jew who had the misfortune to be in their murderous path on October 7th. From foreign nationals to Israeli Arabs, from young to old, none were spared. The atrocities sent shockwaves across the nation and world.  

October 9th 

The Israeli Air Force began a barrage of airstrikes against Hamas. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that he had ordered “a complete siege” on Gaza and that there would “be no electricity, no food, and no fuel” entering the territory, while Energy Minister Yisrael Katz said he instructed the Water Authority to cut off Israel’s water supply to the Gaza Strip on the same day. 

But the provision of some supplies, including water, has resumed to a limited extent, following heavy international pressure – particularly from the Biden administration – amid concerns voiced by the UN and international NGOs that a humanitarian crisis could develop in Gaza. 

The IDF has ramped up intelligence operations to locate and assassinate Hamas leaders. On the top of the list is Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas in Gaza since 2017.  

October 27th  

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to end the threat of Hamas and refused to agree to any ceasefire until the hostages are safely released and are back home safely. Israeli troops first entered into the Gaza Strip on October 27th. Now there are over 20,000 troops deployed within Gaza, mostly in the north. The region is effectively split into two parts.  

This figure represents the largest number of Jews to have entered Gaza since Ariel Sharon’s unilateral disengagement in 2005, when all Jewish settlements were dismantled and abandoned.  

October 29th 

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said he expected the “second stage of the war” to wage on for “months.” Future stages include eliminating pockets of resistance.  Apart from Hamas, other militias that have armed presence are the PFLP (Popular Front for The Liberation of Palestine), PIJ (Palestinian Islamic Jihad), and DFLP (Democratic Front for The Liberation of Palestine).  

November 7th 

In Israel’s battle to wipe out Hamas, one of the main targets has been Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, said to be trapped inside a bunker in Gaza City, the Hamas stronghold in the north of the territory. 

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told a televised news conference that Israeli soldiers had advanced to the “heart of Gaza City” and “were tightening the noose.” Israeli troop presence within city limits is limited and a siege was undertaken.  

Diplomacy and the World Picture 

Diplomacy during this war is very different from times past. This is primarily due to two reasons – now Israel’s ties with the Middle East and the West are rapidly evolving and also because emotions run high. Following the Abraham Accords in 2020, a few Arab nations have warmed up and even recognize Israel including the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco. These Arab countries share a common enemy, the Islamic Republic of Iran.. Commentators point to the United States’ pro-Israel stance as connected in part to the US position on Iran. 

However, international attitudes could change. The  longer the war in Gaza continues there is a chance of media fatigue with the Middle East. For now, the media spotlight has taken our minds off the Ukraine War. The more things evolve on the ground and change, international pressure could change, for the better or for the worse.  

Inside Gaza 

So far, more than a million Gazans have been displaced and many traversed on foot south into Khan Younis and other towns. The IDF issued multiple warnings to the Palestinians to flee, including dropping leaflets in Arabic informing them of the upcoming military action, and promising them safe passage south if they waved white flags showing their desire to leave peacefully. Hamas allegedly prevented Gazans from evacuating by shooting them or hitting roads with mortar fire so they could not leave. The IDF also accused Hamas several times of using civilians as human shields. 

A recent image circulating on social media showed members of the IDF’s Golani Brigade sitting in armchairs inside Hamas’ parliament building in Gaza City, after its capture. This marked a strategic victory. 

The Shin Bet believes that Hamas members are hiding in tunnels and are using hospitals and ambulances to store and transport weapons, explosives, and rockets. These actions by Hamas have been heavily criticized. Captured militants told the Israeli intelligence that this strategy was employed to prevent them from being targeted by Israeli strikes.  

Thousands of people fled al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City. Israel claims the hospital is built over a Hamas command center. The U.S. says its intelligence backs this claim, but Hamas vehemently denies it. 

Health officials have claimed that the remaining patients inside the hospital would die due to energy shortages and cuts.  

However, Israel’s Channel 12 News have noted that if the IDF’s claims hold correct, Hamas had been hoarding enough fuel to keep all of the hospitals in the strip operating over a span of several days. The IDF on October 24th claimed that photos show Hamas holds half a million liters of fuel stored in Gaza. Clearly, local Gazans are not a priority for Hamas. 

Tunnel War 

Tunnel warfare first made headlines in 2006, when Hamas abducted and kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. He was captured in a cross-border raid via tunnels near the Israeli border at the Kerem Shalom crossing. He was released five long years later in a controversial prisoner exchange. Shalit was freed after the release of 1,027 Israeli-held security prisoners, 280 of whom were serving life sentences for planning and perpetrating terror attacks against Israeli targets. In this exchange, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was released, who Netanya described as a “little Hitler in his bunker” with “no care for his people.” 

Many have compared the war with Hamas  with the Vietnam War. The major difference is that Gaza is urban rather than jungle, and Hamas has had more time to expand its reach than did the Viet Cong.  

Israel controls the skies over the Gaza Strip, and has the edge on land, with troop numbers and tanks. They have controlled the seas and maritime boundaries long before the siege began. The IDF can destroy any building with a well-placed missile. But as the IDF forces advance through the urban jungle, they are uncovering another battleground: the vast network of concrete, reinforced tunnels built by Hamas as well as booby traps.  

The soil in Gaza is geologically softer than the soil in New York or Lebanon, where Hezbollah also uses tunnels. The soft soil is easy to dig and to build vast networks with. The tunnels network is comparable to the New York subway system, but rather than being built for commuter transport for daily work and activity, it is custom built for guerilla warfare and to hide militants.  

The IDF has a sub-unit dedicated to fighting in these quarters that is a part of Yahalom, the special forces unit of the Combat Engineering Corps. The tunnel sub-unit is called Samur or “weasel” in Hebrew.  

The tunnels stretch 15 feet to 200 feet in length and can descend approximately 20-30 stories below the ground. Inside the tunnels there is no GPS availability. Communications are very inconsistent in this type of environment, so the troops cannot communicate with the outside world.  

Before the IDF can go into a tunnel, an autonomous robot scouts the terrain, using lasers to navigate and operate on its own. This data is evaluated before they can send in humans to push forward.  

Influx of Israelis Return from Abroad  

Thousands of Israelis rushed back to Israel after October 7th. Reservists, many who were on vacation or had moved abroad for an extended period of time, dropped everything to rush home. In one day over 100 Israelis headed home from Katmandu.   

Israel’s army relies on an extensive reserve contingent, comprised of civilians who have completed their compulsory national service but can be mobilized again for duty until the age of forty or even older in times of emergency. 

Within the ranks of the reservists called up were many well-known figures including ex-prime ministers (Naftali Bennet), former Knesset members, actors, models, and pop stars. Many posted pictures of themselves in uniform on Instagram.  

Among those answering the call were many of the hit TV show Fauda’s cast and crew. Both Lior Raz and Avi Issacharoff were deployed. Raz stars as Officer Doron Kabilio and also produces Fauda along with series co-creator Issacharoff. Prior to the show, Raz was a soldier in a special forces unit. 

Master Sgt Matan Meir, a longtime member of the Fauda production team, was one of four soldiers of the 697th Battalion who was killed November 11 by a booby-trapped tunnel shaft next to a mosque. The troops were not inside the tunnel. 

Also, prominent Israeli social media influencer and Netanyahu aide, Hananya Naftali was drafted.  

Israel’s oldest active soldier, Ezra Yakhine, whose father was from Aleppo, Syria, volunteered despite his being 95. Having fought in the Lehi militia (whose mission was the violent eviction of the  British authorities in the 1940s) Yakhine returned to the front to give motivational talks to young soldiers before they headed off to fight.  

Outside of Israel 

Amid rising death tolls and an international outcry over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, however, the Biden administration has been warning Israel that its support may be waning. 

Diaspora Jewry has seen a dramatic rise in anti-Semitism, especially on university campuses.  Security has been beefed up in synagogues and Jewish buildings around the world.  

Pro-Palestinian marches have attracted thousands in Europe and the West. Israel’s supporters have held rallies of our own, with the most dramatic and well attended occurring in Washington, D.C.  Over 300 000 attended the Washington DC rally for Israel on Tuesday, November 14th.  

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also issued a warning to cabinet ministers to choose their words more carefully and not stoke controversy. “Every word has meaning when it comes to diplomacy. If you don’t know – don’t speak,” the prime minister said during a cabinet meeting after facing criticism about racist rhetoric including “nuking” Gaza (Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu claimed his comment about nuking Gaza was only “metaphorical” after it sparked controversy.) and a new “Nakba.” Nakba literally means “catastrophe” in Arabic, and refers to the 1948 War of Independence, when many Palestinians were displaced. 

Violence on Other Fronts 

While the IDF has been preoccupied in Gaza, other fronts have become volatile. Soldiers were deployed in the West Bank to battle insurgents – notably in Jenin, which has been a hub of instability and terrorism in the last few years. The Houthis, a Zaydi Shiite movement that has been fighting Yemen’s Sunni-majority government since 2004, is an Iranian proxy in Yemen. The Houthis also claimed responsibility for a drone attack on the southern city of Eilat on November 9th, making it the southernmost enemy to have directly engaged in war.  

Hezbollah in Lebanon have also attacked from the north using a “tit for tat” strategy. Hezbollah are believed to be the most powerful of the Iranian proxies, with an arsenal said to rival that of certain small nations. While their goal might be to keep the IDF distracted and spread their manpower and resources thin, all-out war has only been hinted at for now.  

The Future 

Noone can predict how long this war will continue or what will happen if Israel destroys Hamas completely. Gaza will never be the same. Hamas’ control and morale is shattered even if they survive politically and militarily. Hamas does not have the capability to destroy Israel, but they have already done great harm to Israel economically and psychologically.  

President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who have been allies of Israel, have spoken in favor of a “two state solution” after the war is over. However, even leftist Israelis are now more skeptical of the wisdom of a Palestinian state within Israel’s borders. Netanyahu has spoken against granting Mahmoud Abbas and the PLO in the West Bank power in Gaza in the future.    

Certainly, a post-Hamas Gaza would require significant international attention and assistance to rebuild. The UN has a long history of anti-Israel sentiment, and its role post-war is not clear.  

Conclusion 

Israelis are weary of war. Yet, the general consensus is that after the atrocities of October 7th, Israel is duty-bound to fight Hamas, to prevent a repeat of unspeakable brutal cruelty.  Israelis mourn the loss of every single soldier, from every community. The Druze community, for example, lost Lieutenant-Colonel Salman Habaka, who is believed to be the most senior Israeli officer killed in action.  

But Israelis are also looking at the positive. The country has united and Israelis from all walks of life have extended their hands to their brothers and sisters, hosting families who have fled their homes, cooking and preparing treats and sending essential items for soldiers, and holding vigils for the hostages. So far, four Israeli hostages have been released. And miracle stories abound about soldiers who miraculously escaped certain death. 

Israelis from around the world have returned to their homeland to fight. They and their comrades repeat and believe: Am Yisrael Chai.  

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to discern the critical difference between healthy guilt and unhealthy guilt, or what we call shame. Healthy guilt is the experience of realizing that our actions that lead us astray are beneath us, that we are better than our behaviors. It is simply not becoming for a prince of the King of the Universe to act in this way. The key here is to view ourselves as above our poor decision and actions.  

Conversely, unhealthy guilt/shame conceptually means equating our sins with who we are as a person. Our identity becomes what we have done, and we say to ourselves, “If I committed those aveirot, I am obviously an awful person.” When we identify with our flaws and our worst moments, that shame permeates our entire being, making it extremely difficult to return. We believe that the only way out of our despair is not to merely change our choices and actions, but to completely alter who we are. Yet since we perceive ourselves as despicable, the mere thought of becoming better can be overwhelming.  

The prince in our previous example does not have to change his identity. He is a prince, after all. He just needs to start acting like one. 

But he must be patient with himself. 

In many cases, this despair can be traced to the desire for instant gratification. We think, I am going to make sure to pray with kavanah, with concentration. We suppose that it is enough to try and then boom! – all of our tefillot are going to be filled with kavanah from beginning to end. And while we’re at it, we think, I’m going to go through Mesillat Yesharim and become an expert at every middah listed there. If I just stick to it – and there’s no reason to think I won’t – in due time, I’ll be the biggest tzaddik/tzaddeiket around! 

And then, how frustrated we become when we don’t see it happening! 

Slow and Steady Wins the Race 

Accordingly, we must bear in mind the all-important rule: Slow and steady wins the race. Don’t overload, don’t jump the gun. The Gemara (Kiddushin 17a) warns, “If you grasp too much, you’re not grasping anything. If you grasp a bit, you’re grasping something.” 

And even with that little bit that we can do, we’re going to flounder and mess up. That’s just the way the cookie crumbles. As Shlomo Hamelech states (Mishlei 24:16), “The tzaddik falls seven times and he arises.” 

Which brings us to a favorite theme of our society: diets. 

Beware: most diets don’t work. That is a researched fact, with myriad reasons behind it. One of those reasons is that it is only natural to succumb to temptation and eat the cookie that is against the diet’s rules and regulations…So we go ahead and eat the cookie.  

Make the Right Choice 

Now we are faced with two choices. Either we pick ourselves up and say, “Okay, I fell, that’s understandable. After all, I do love cookies,” and then get right back on track, and watch our food intake carefully for the rest of the day. 

Or, we make the unfortunate choice made by so many. “Look at me, so undisciplined! I promised myself I would be ‘good’ this time, and now I’m never going to lose an ounce.  Once I cheated and messed up today, I may as well finish the entire box of cookies!” 

That would be like the farmer saying, “Okay, that’s it. Forget it! I received a worthless field. I’m not working anymore. I’ll just throw in the towel!” 

Rather, we must not despair, but keep pushing forward, doing our best with the “field” we have been given. 

 TAKEAWAY 

Keep working steadily toward your goal. When you fall and fail, dust yourself off, stand up again, and get right back to work. If you stick to it, you will eventually succeed. 

For example, if you inadvertently spoke lashon hara during the hour in which you were meant to be extra vigilant about guarding your tongue, don’t drop out of the program altogether. Rather, figure out a way to remind yourself not to speak lashon hara during your designated time slot, and keep up the momentum!

Like dry kindling awaiting a single spark, the October 7 massacre (in which over 1,400 Israelis were murdered and hundreds more were injured and kidnapped) lit a bushfire of pro-Hamas rallies and confrontations in colleges and universities across North America. Before Israel had a chance to absorb, let alone respond, to the brutal attack, campuses were already becoming flashpoints of hateful rhetoric, anti-Semitic demonstrations, and confrontations. 

On October 9, a group of 34 student organizations at Harvard University swiftly issued a statement assigning total responsibility for the violence to the “Israeli regime.” This was followed by the national leadership of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) calling for a “Day of Resistance” on October 12, urging demonstrations across college campuses. Faculty members added to the anti-Israel fervor. At one demonstration, an associate professor of African American history at Cornell University, Russel J. Rickford, expressed his delight about the attacks, exclaiming, “It was exhilarating! It was energizing!” Later he issued an apology acknowledging that his words were “reprehensible.” A petition calling for his termination gained nearly 11,000 signatures. Cornell University confirmed his leave of absence and reassigned his course to another professor.  

A Stanford University lecturer has been suspended for allegedly making Jewish students stand in a corner and then branded them as “colonizers,” while also downplaying the Holocaust and defending murderous Hamas terrorists as “freedom fighters.”   

Joseph Massad, a professor of Modern Arab Politics and Intellectual History at Columbia University, wrote in an online article on October 9th that Hamas’  “awesome and incredible” offenses against Israel on October 7th were a “stunning victory.”  He faces calls for his removal in an online petition that has surpassed 30,000 signatures! 

At George Washington University,  the campus library’s exterior walls were turned into screens for slogans such as “Glory to our martyrs” and “Divestment from Zionist genocide now.” In New York, at Cooper Union College, Jewish students were forced to barricade themselves in a library as pro-Palestinian protesters banged on the doors and brandished wooden sticks and anti-Semitic signs in the window. An attempt by pro-Hamas demonstrators to burn an Israeli flag led to a violent altercation at Tulane University, resulting in a Jewish student suffering a broken nose after being struck with a megaphone. Multiple explicit violent threats targeting Jewish students were made on an online bulletin board. At Cornell University, multiple explicit violent threats on an online platform such as, “If I see a pig male Jew, I will stab you and slit your throat,” which caused the university to advise Jewish students to avoid the kosher dining hall, “out of an abundance of caution.”  

The incidents of harassment, intimidation, and violence against Israeli and Jewish students extend beyond these high-profile cases. Each day seems to bring new pictures and videos circulated on social media that capture the hostility they face. One recurring image, for example, is pictures of students at various universities holding a sign with a Jewish star being thrown into the trash alongside the words, “Let’s keep the world clean.” Videos of students coldly tearing down pictures of kidnapped Israelis and making anti-Semitic statements are likewise commonplace. Moreover, a video from Harvard University demonstrates the normalized hostility on campus. It shows a Jewish student enveloped by a crowd of peers instantly surrounded by a swarm of his peers holding up keffiyehs (a symbol of Palestinian resistance), obstructing his way and chanting, “Shame! Shame! Shame!” in unison. These examples are not merely anecdotal or isolated but are indicative of a pervasive trend that has sparked concern among students, parents, and faculty alike. 

Students Speak Out 

As tensions on campuses escalate, Jewish students are raising their voices, demanding action and protection from their universities. At a press conference, Columbia University and Barnard College students expressed their frustration with the administration’s lack of response to threats and called for more robust safety measures. 

A Barnard College psychology student, Jessica Brenner, shared her daily struggle. “Every day, as I walk on campus, I feel dehumanized. I feel unheard, and I feel unsafe. I feel abandoned.” Brenner’s sentiment was echoed by Yoni Kurtz from Columbia University, who criticized the university for responding to incidents with “empty statements” rather than concrete action. 

The students called for the university to clarify and enforce policies against identity-based bigotry, to increase funding and staff to support victims, and to create spaces for dialogue among students from diverse backgrounds. “This hate will not disappear on its own,” said Kurtz.  

Donors Take a Stand  

In a profound act of solidarity with students and in dismay at the universities’ inadequate response to the October 7 massacre and subsequent campus turmoil, Jewish benefactors are retracting their financial support from the academic institutions they have historically backed.   

At a grassroots level, former donors are taking to social media to showcase their marked donation cards, marked with handwritten declarations such as, “Until you protect and support your Jewish students, I am NOT donating ONE DOLLAR” and, “ZERO dollars to organizations that support Hamas.” 

Major donors are also taking a stand, attracting media attention as they withdraw their support from the universities they have championed. Leon Cooperman, a Columbia Business School alumnus and CEO of Omega Family Office, expressed his stance on Fox Business: “I’ve given to Columbia, probably about $50 million over many years, and I’m going to suspend my giving.” 

The University of Pennsylvania faces a potential loss of up to $1 billion in donations due to a campaign led by Marc Rowan, CEO of Apollo Global Management. Rowan, alongside other alumni, has paused donations, urging for a change in leadership due to their dissatisfaction with the university’s response to the Hamas-inspired violence. In an interview with CNBC, Rowan explained, “There has been a gathering storm around these issues. Microaggressions are condemned with extreme moral outrage, and yet violence, particularly violence against Jews, seems to have found a place of tolerance on the campus, protected by free speech.  

“Imagine telling a group of firefighters, a week after 9/11, that you’re sorry for their loss – and then adding the word ‘but’ – as if you’re going to explain the action of the terrorists. That’s kind of what happened on our campus. This has tapped into a nerve. Yesterday, my email and text blew up with people sending me photocopies of a $1 check to the University of Pennsylvania. Sometimes, when people don’t give to the university, the university can misunderstand it. By sending them $1, they’re sending the university a very important message, and trustees are really faced with a very difficult choice.”  

Similarly, the Wexner Foundation has severed ties with Harvard University, writing, “We are stunned and sickened at the failure of Harvard’s leadership to take a clear and unequivocal stand against the murder of innocent Israeli citizens…” The letter, signed by prominent figures including Leslie Wexner, marks the end of a longstanding relationship with Harvard, where a building at the John F. Kennedy School of Government bears Wexner’s name. Israeli businessman Idan Ofer and his wife have also resigned from board positions at the Kennedy School. 

This financial backlash from donors is a clear message to universities: the Jewish community demands action and accountability, not just words, in the face of anti-Semitic rhetoric, harassment, and violence. 

Beyond Financial Withdrawal – Additional Strategies for Combating Campus Anti-Semitism 

While the withdrawal of financial support is a powerful expression of opposition, it is one facet of a multifaceted approach needed to address anti-Semitism on university campuses effectively. 

Israeli President Herzog has penned an open letter to American universities, advocating for a balance between free speech and preventing violence-inciting speech. Among other suggestions, he has urged universities to establish task forces dedicated to developing comprehensive action plans against anti-Semitism for both campuses and the wider community. 

Dartmouth College has emerged as a model for constructive engagement, with Professors Susanna Heschel and T.K. El-Ariss spearheading forums for students to partake in respectful, scholarly discussions concerning the situation in Israel. These forums, endorsed by Dartmouth’s leadership, have cultivated an inclusive atmosphere for diverse student voices and perspectives, while also prioritizing mental health and spiritual support. 

In situations where students and faculty face anti-Semitic acts, the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, in collaboration with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Hillel International, and the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, has established the “Campus Anti-Semitism Legal Help Line.” This initiative offers crucial legal assistance and advice to those confronting anti-Semitism. 

If the situation becomes completely intolerable for students, Yeshiva University has forged a coalition of over 100 institutions ready to streamline the transfer process for Jewish students seeking to escape anti-Semitic climates in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attacks. The list is primarily composed of U.S. Catholic universities that are extending their campuses as sanctuaries for Jewish students subjected to harassment.  

A Call to Action: Universities, Donors, and Communities Unite Against Anti-Semitism 

As we look to the future, it is clear that the fight against anti-Semitism on campuses requires a collective effort. The measure of our success will not be counted in dollars withdrawn or statements issued but in the everyday experiences of students who should never have to choose between their safety and their education. It calls for the commitment of university administrations, the vigilance of legal and advocacy groups, the compassion of interfaith allies, and the unwavering support of the global community. Our academic institutions must remain places where all students, regardless of their background or beliefs, can pursue knowledge and growth without fear. 

By A Concerned College Student 

As a college student, I feel a great deal of discomfort writing this article about what’s happening on campuses over these last weeks, expressing my feelings about the current state of affairs in American colleges. For one thing, writing about this topic forces me to reveal the embarrassing truth that my kippah has been replaced by a baseball cap, borne out of a fear which I wish I did not experience. 

But I am writing nonetheless, because I cannot remain silent, and because I believe there remains some untrodden ground regarding this conversation. Yes, everyone has talked about the Harvard Student Group letter which begins with the outrageous declaration, “We, the undersigned student organizations, hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence.” Everyone has also seen the shocking footage of Cooper Union students locked inside a library, and the frightening student-organized protests held in NYU and a few of the CUNYs. 

Much has been made over what happened thus far, the current state of events, but far less has been said about how things like this were allowed to unfold. How could these types of statements – so blatantly false – be sanctioned, or even tolerated, by these schools? Why is no disciplinary action being taken against those who support Hamas terrorism?  

It is imperative, in my view, for us to address these questions in order to more precisely formulate our criticism of the academic institutions which are failing their Jewish students.  We need to be very specific in stating which actions or inactions we disapprove of. And, secondly, our sages teach us in Pirkeh Avot, “Eizehu hacham? Halomed mikol adam – Who is wise? He who learns from all people.” Clearly understanding the blunders made by others allows us to learn how to avoid those same blunders, both individually and collectively, as a community. 

The “They Do Not Speak for Us” Fallacy 

Allow me to begin with a point that should be obvious to all.  

Harvard President Claudine Gray issued this statement after the publication of the outrageous letter by the student groups blaming Israel for the October 7th atrocities: 

Let me also state, on this matter as on others, that while our students have the right to speak for themselves, no student group — not even 30 student groups — speaks for Harvard University or its leadership. 

This statement is an attempt to separate the leadership of Harvard – or rather, Harvard’s official stance on the situation in Israel – from the stance of the student clubs which signed the letter casting the blame on Israel. This is not acceptable. The reason, quite simply, is because student groups speak for the university from which they operate. If the Harvard Music Club, for example, puts their heads together and releases something big, that would be a reflection on the university where the club is based. If the admirable actions of student groups represent the university, then the condemnable actions of student groups do, too.  

Moreover, the student groups who signed the letter which solely blamed Israel for everything are built with Harvard’s funding, Harvard’s backing, and Harvard’s approval. Hence, these groups’ official statements are very much part – and an exceedingly damaging part – of the university’s public communication. The university cannot allow itself the luxury of conveniently dissociating itself from their outlandish statements. 

This is an illustration of the first problem, one which I believe many universities do not understand – the fallacy of “they do not speak for us.” President Gray said this explicitly in her statement: “…no student group — not even 30 student groups — speaks for Harvard University or its leadership. Another example is the statement issued by CUNY Chancellor Felix Rodriguez: 

And we wholeheartedly reject the participation of organizations affiliated with CUNY in demonstrations that glorify Saturday’s violence and celebrate the killings, injuries and capture of innocent people. We respect their right to free speech but condemn their support of these crimes against humanity. We want to be clear that students or anyone from CUNY who chooses to organize or attend these events are in no way speaking for or representing our University or its 25 campuses. 

CUNY sought to excuse itself by claiming that organizations affiliated with CUNY are not speaking for them. But it doesn’t work that way. 

Making a Kiddush Hashem 

If the letter is coming from within an organization you sanctioned, or an event is held on campus by a pro-Palestinian group that you funded, then you absolutely bear responsibility for what they say or do. As long as student clubs and groups are active, they speak for whichever university they find themselves in. Any one of them can speak for Harvard, since those groups are sanctioned by Harvard. That’s the way these things work. 

But if we hold universities accountable for their official student groups – as we of course should – then we must also assume responsibility for those who speak on our behalf. We need to be very careful when choosing whom we allow to represent us.  

If you’re running a company and something goes public for all the wrong reasons, this will damage the company; conversely, if a heartwarming, impressive story comes out of whatever organization you are a part of, the incident positively reflects on your organization’s work.  We, as Jews, must always look to create a kiddush Hashem, to bring respect and esteem to our nation. People are always watching us, and are forming opinions about the Jewish People based on their impression of our conduct. Accordingly, it behooves us to choose our spokespeople carefully, to ensure that Jews who step onto the public stage represent us nobly. We cannot allow ourselves to do what the aforementioned universities do, to conveniently distance ourselves from those speaking on our behalf. 

Where are the Consequences? 

There is also a second, especially troubling, aspect of the universities’ response, and that is a crucial element which is alarmingly absent from their statement: consequences. 

Nowhere in either statement (and in several more; I read them so you don’t have to…) is there any mention of consequences for the students’ actions. No disciplinary action has been taken against the CUNY students for what Chancellor Rodriguez called “their support of crimes against humanity.” Nor has anything been done about the 30 student groups at Harvard who solely blamed Israel for Hamas’ inhumane atrocities on October 7th. 

Even if we would concede that these student groups do not represent the views of the institution, should we not expect the school to actually do something instead of just trying to distance itself from these groups’ outrageous statements? Why not cut their funding, or threaten to ban these groups, if they are celebrating the murder, torture, violation and kidnapping of some 1,400 people? 

Imagine a baseball team just lost their first game of the season, and in the post-game interview, the losing pitcher says that he loves losing more than anything else, and that he hopes his team loses every single game going forward. The public is dumbfounded by the pitcher’s shocking remarks, and everyone eagerly awaits a response by the team’s leadership and front office. Several days later, the general manager, the manager, the team’s president, and the owner convene a press conference. The manager stands at the podium and announces, “We condemn the pitcher’s statement about wanting to lose every game going forward. This does not reflect the views of the leadership.” 

How would the public react? They would of course excoriate the organization for failing to hold the pitcher accountable, for continuing to pay his salary and to allow him to pitch more games. Does it make any sense for the leadership to simply distance themselves from the pitcher’s statement, and say that this doesn’t reflect their attitude, so everything is fine?  

This is precisely what the universities’ leaders are doing. The student clubs that run under their auspices are making appalling remarks that go against the institutions’ official position, and they are facing no consequences. The universities are simply letting them continue their activities, and letting them continue to embarrass the institutions.  

Importantly, this is something from which we can learn, as well. Sometimes, unfortunately, punishments must be given. Punishing is unpleasant, but we need to realize that it is occasionally necessary in order to teach a lesson and inspire better behavior. Misconduct must have repercussions, or else it will continue. 

In conclusion, I would advise youngsters planning to go to college to stay close to home if you can. Times are getting tough on campuses. The community is more important now than ever not only for our spiritual safety, but even for our physical wellbeing. 

In the meantime, we need to call out the failures of American colleges, and urge them to step up to the challenge and do what needs to be done to make their campuses welcoming for Jewish, pro-Israel students.