Upstream But Not Alone

Since fall of 2023 my freshman year, my college experience has been marked by a post-October 7 reality. I found the tiny, new Jewish club on campus and joined its leadership board, where I still serve now in my senior year as its vice president. I studied, worked out, and cried to a soundtrack of Hebrew pop in my AirPods. I tacked a giant Israeli flag to my dorm wall, wrote poetry about Israel, and I carried the ache of a war-torn country into my sleepy morning classrooms. I stood my ground as a Jew and Israel advocate in the face of apathy and TikTok slogans. 

But when you are fighting upstream for a cause you believe in, it’s easy to believe you’re alone. Although I wear my Jewish star on campus, I typically keep a low public profile as an Israel supporter, because students like me tend to be outshouted and outnumbered. 

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend a National Leadership Summit in D.C., hosted by Israel on Campus Coalition. I walked into the beautiful hotel (only blocks away from the White House) and was met with the summit’s slogan, tacked to walls and pillars: “American. Zionist. Proud.” 

Over the next few days, I stood in a room of 800 student leaders across the country and listened to over 40 incredible speakers as they encouraged us in being pro-Israel leaders. We heard from politicians, activists, entrepreneurs, and influencers. I was impressed by the quality of the venue, the significance of the location, the credentials of each speaker, and the large number of attendees. 

Several sessions particularly stood out to me. In one of them, Noah Pollak, senior advisor for the Department of Education, and Jonathan Rauch, activist and author of nine books, debated with each other on stage. Their topic was on the constitutionality of both the post-October 7 antisemitic activity on college campuses, and the presidential administration’s campus crackdown. But more than the issue being debated, I was encouraged by the debate itself. Both men were highly educated and well-spoken, and both were friends. 

In a digitized era where algorithms cultivate polarization, I was struck with the healing power of respectful, educated debate. Rather than leaving me angry at one side, the debate showed me that I was actually out-educated by both sides, and inspired me to do my own research.  

I also had the opportunity to meet some of the speakers. After one breakout session, I stood in line to meet Miri Eisin, a retired colonel in the IDF, and internationally recognized for her expertise in intelligence, security, and geopolitics. In another powerful breakout session, I met Daniel Rubenstein, Middle East analyst and former advisor to two Israeli Prime Ministers. In that session, his complex, rapid-fire answers to students’ questions inspired me to want to learn more about the landscape of the Middle East, including its geo-politics, histories, demographics, tensions, alliances, values, and resources. 

In another session, we heard from international hostage advocates Rachel Goldberg-Polin and her husband Jon, parents of Hersh, a young man taken hostage and eventually murdered by Hamas. I was haunted by the grief in Rachel’s eyes as she spoke, and struck by her strength—not only in bearing it, but in beautifully voicing the pain and wisdom of countless others silently wrestling with losing a loved one. 

In the last session, we heard from Omer Shem Tov, former hostage who was held in Gaza for 505 days. He described his vulnerability and surrender to G-d, and how G-d met him and showed him light, even 120 feet underground in a tiny dark cell. He reminded us that everything is a miracle, even sunshine. He also cheered us on as leaders on our campuses. 

Attending the ICC summit encouraged me to stand strong as a Jewish leader and Israel supporter. Hearing and meeting the experienced, intelligent speakers reminded me that I am not crazy or uneducated for being a proud Zionist. And standing in a room of hundreds of student leaders reminded me that yes, we are swimming upstream, but not by ourselves. We are part of a people. We are not alone.