“I’m tired of debating the encampments,” said one student as others nodded. Here I was, a fly on the wall, during an open-space dialogue about antisemitism, self-facilitated by Jewish college students from across North America.

“What I’d like to better understand is,” said a different student, “When we refer to antisemitism on campus, what do we actually mean? Is it antisemitism that happens to take place on campus, or is it something distinct?”

Students continued to share their nuanced stories and questions, without fear of saying the “wrong thing,” wrestling with complexity while demonstrating a sense of confidence made possible by a compassionate environment.

The students didn’t come to a consensus — nor was that the goal. What they, and I, left with was a deeper understanding of the variety of ways antisemitism manifests on campuses and how differently students experience and respond to it. My work leading a program aimed at supporting pluralism for Jewish college students has reinforced for me that the pressures facing Jewish college students are uniquely heavy today, far beyond what I experienced a decade prior when I was in college. This kind of pressure requires a system-wide response that goes beyond simply investing in greater “protection,” Jewish students need a greater sense of agency to lead. 

The........

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