UR Students Fight Antisemitism On Campus
Last semester, several students from the University of Rochester (UR) met with the university senate to address rising antisemitism on campus. Their decision to make this presentation was fueled by a growing sense of fear among their friends and a perceived lack of action from the university. Gil, a medical student and a leader of the Jewish Association of Medical Students, felt compelled to speak up for his peers whose voices were not being heard. “It would be absurd for anyone to make a decision based on one side of an argument, and the other side being far louder made me worry because I knew that they weren’t telling the whole truth, only their own,” Gil stated.
Preparing for the presentation was not without its challenges. The students encountered resistance, including attempts from groups like Jewish Voices for Peace (JVP) - an anti-zionist organization whose political views are not representative of the majority of the Jewish community - to join the conversation at the last minute as well as open hostility from some faculty members. Despite these hurdles, the students reported that the presentation was generally well-received and yielded productive dialogue, though they’re not certain anyone’s minds were changed.
Moving forward, students are hoping for a university commitment neutrality and affirmation to ensure the safety of all students. Jordan, a 4th year phD candidate, highlighted the need for the university to provide protections for Jewish students in the same way other marginalized groups are protected. While the students acknowledged that social dynamics play a large role in the current hostilities, they expressed a desire for greater understanding of the complexities surrounding these issues and emphasized the importance of respectful discourse. “I really just hope that people [will] come to understand that this is a very complicated situation… I’m all for people supporting a cause they believe in but there is no reason to have this come between people. We can all have our opinions and support those causes while maintaining a respectful relationship with one another,” Gil stated.
While Gil has made it a policy to not speak about this issue with any of his peers at school, Jordan noted that many students are “absolutely staying vigilant.” They are following what student groups like Students for Justice in Palestine are planning, and are prepared to address the UR Senate again if needed. “It’s important to stay vigilant and be willing to speak up at this time. It’s amazing what you can do to disrupt herd mentality when you speak up as a voice of reason.”