A Letter to Jewish Students: The Thin White and Blue Line

The role of Jewish students in preventing antisemitism on college campuses.

Graphic made by Florida Finibus Team

College may be the transition period from being a kid to an adult, but right now, Jewish students need to grow up. This is not a criticism of individuals, but rather an emphasis of the reality that we cannot rely on anyone to do anything for us. The world is changing under our feet, and antisemitism is quickly growing in our communities. Now, as we approach the one year anniversary of October 7th, Jewish students across the nation feel betrayed; betrayed by their administrations, their professors, and worst, their friends. They’ve felt unsafe, uncared for, and unwanted all across the country. The more than six thousand of us here at the University of Florida have thankfully not felt those emotions to the same degree as those at Cornell, UCLA, University of Michigan, and others, but we should still feel outraged over the insanity that has occurred. Jewish students have been intimidated, assaulted, and . The solution is not the acceptance that the modern higher educational administration has failed us, as many Jewish people posit, and that we must look elsewhere for education, as that is an admission of defeat. Instead we must express our outrage.

Why is it that so few students have spoken out? They shouldn’t have to be stabbed in the eye with a flagpole to gain enough media attention for their voices to be heard, as what happened to Sahar Tartak at Yale. This public outrage is so rare that Harvard student Shabbos Kestenbaum’s angry and witty tweets got him a speech at the Republican National Convention. Shabbos, Sahar, and all other loud and proud Jewish students are ‘The Thin White and Blue Line’. The expression plays on the phrase The Thin Blue Line, which refers to the idea that the police are the only thing between social order and chaos. Regardless of your opinion of law enforcement, I believe that the concept translates to antisemitism. If we stop standing up for ourselves and our people, in person and online, the environment we are in devolves to antisemitism. Here at UF there is a large and unified Jewish community, and the protest on October 7th was relatively small with no interpersonal antisemitic incidents, but on other campuses with a lesser Jewish presence, antisemitic incidents tied to protests are a lot more common. This may be an incredibly cynical view of the world, and again, it is not an attack on any individual person, but I have read too much history, to accept that the Jews will indefinitely live favorably in the eyes of the world.

So, what should Jewish students do? First, check your shame at the door. Second, engage, both with your community and with those you disagree with, if they will let you. Third, speak out, be loud, and add your individual voice to the growing unified front.

This coordinated effort begins with shedding any self-hatred. Never follow up the phrase ‘I’m Jewish’ with a ‘but…’.  Regardless of your opinion on the Israeli military campaign in Gaza or your political affiliations, there must be an understanding that violence and intimidation on the basis of religion has no place in our country. There must also be an understanding that denouncing such actions is morally right, no matter who is perpetuating them..

Engagement means that all are free to participate in discussions that sometimes might be immensely tough, Jewish and non-Jewish people alike. The more engagement, from all sides, the better. Everyone has a responsibility to find the people that will accept them for who they are. Finding new friends is daunting, but I promise that having people that share your values, namely defending Jews from hatred, is well worth trying to find them. When I spoke to Shabbos Kestenbaum on the phone, he told me that “College is a microcosm of democracy.” We are living in a miniature version of the real world, and  Regardless of any differences in politics, religion, or background, even embracing and incorporating them, we all have a responsibility to stand up to antisemitism. When accepting his Nobel Peace Prize, the great writer Elie Wiesel declared “Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere.” It is the responsibility of Jewish students to interfere. The University of Florida jewish community is very lucky to have a series of presidents that stand up for us, but we also have to stand up for ourselves. It is up to us to show that we are a strong community that is worth defending. 

I asked Shabbos what he thought was the best way for people to engage with this issue; He told me this: “When you are facing a crisis of such magnitude you don't have the luxury of choosing specific methods and tools for dealing with it.” That is to say, do so however you can, and to the highest degree you feel comfortable. Speak up in class, in conversations, or even in front of Congress when the time demands it. In this day and age, for better and for worse, the internet is the easiest way to connect with the most people. You may be afraid to sully your Instagram reputation, fearing that you will get hate online or that you will lose friends, but we all need to face our fears and speak out. There is an undeniable strength in numbers. The more we stand up, the more resolve we have. Everyone must use all faculties available at all times.

There is a tendency in this day and age, to attempt to prove the great thinkers of the past wrong, to show some sort of superiority, however, as the great writer Mark Twain once said, “All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains.” The prescription is this: we must do everything in our power to ensure his words endure. The Jewish people have always been resilient; all we have to do is continue the pattern.