The Moment Is Now

It’s a dynamic that’s played out in Jewish history so many times… a spiritual airbag, if you will. When Jews don’t make Kiddush, the world makes Havdalah, and we’re painfully reminded of our unique status. Since October 7, there’s been much discussion about the blatant, horrifying anti-Semitism emerging on university campuses, to the point that Jewish students fear for their physical safety. But at the same time, the cycle is turning upward, as it inevitably does — and campus professionals report an enormous uptick of interest among students exploring their Jewish identity

ON October 7, Rutgers student Gabby Rubin, a proudly Jewish although non-observant sophomore, was studying in her room when her phone began ringing incessantly. It was her mother with terrible news: Hamas terrorists had infiltrated Israel’s security fence and were gleefully parading about on an indiscriminate killing spree, murdering and maiming thousands and taking hundreds hostage. Gabby broke down.

“I just started sobbing and stayed like that the rest of the day,” she recalls. But the next morning, Gabby, who is double majoring in political science and journalism, pulled herself together to go to class. When she got to campus, Gabby saw other students had gathered in protest — but not to support her brothers and sisters across the ocean, victims of a heinous slaughter. Instead, many in the crowd were waving Palestinian flags and sporting keffiyehs.

“That was the last thing I was expecting,” Gabby says. “I never thought anyone could support terrorists. Personally, I know the whole area in Israel, so I understand the reality in ways that I can’t expect from everyone — but how can you be on the other side?!”

That “protest” — held in the heart of an ostensibly inclusive and diversity-obsessed liberal university — shocked Gabby to the core.