Amid the ongoing anti-Israel demonstrations on college campuses which have taken a violent and antisemitic turn, Arutz Sheva-Israel National News spoke with Jack Landstein, a student at the University of Michigan and the Vice President of Engagement of the University of Michigan Hillel.
Landstein describes the demonstrations currently going on at his school: "There is a lot of antisemitic rhetoric on campus, from chants such as 'Intifada, Intifada, globalize the Intifada' to 'There's only one solution Intifada revolution.' It could be very scary being a Jewish student on campus currently."
He explains that "it becomes scary when students are studying inside the undergraduate library and protesters march through the buildings with bullhorns shouting these chants. That's when it starts becoming intimidating and harassment. Furthermore, if you're in the Ross School of Business and the protest comes through chanting these things, it's at the wrong place at the wrong time, and that leads to it being scary."
Landstein has personally attempted to hold dialogue with the protesters, but he says it could be challenging since many of them have "do not engage" policies in which they will not talk to Zionists. He adds that even in conversations that he felt were productive, it would reach a point where the other side refuses to validate that the October 7th massacre occurred or refuses to condemn Hamas' atrocities. At that point, he says, he knows he can not have a conversation.
As a Jewish student leader on campus, Landstein is not afraid to wear his Star of David and "Bring Them Home" necklaces in public. "I want students to know that I show my support for Israel and every hostage who is still stuck in Gaza, I want them to come home now. I also know that wearing my Magen David and dog tag lets other students know that there's still life on this campus, there's still hope, they shouldn't give up, and when they see the star out, they could look at me and say thank you or smile and be very proud that they have this type of support during such a challenging time."
He recounts that friends have called him, sometimes crying, to tell him how bad the situation is for them. "Some events are emotionally and mentally traumatic. Luckily we do not have a ton of physical violence on campus, but ultimately, it is not an excuse to justify antisemitism on campus."
Turning to Israelis, Landstein says: "I want all my Israeli friends to know that the Jewish community out here thinks so much of Israel. It's so important to everything we do and they have our support. Israel is key to my personal identity, having traveled there twice, I'll be going there in a few weeks. Israelis should be proud to have all the communities here in the United States supporting them as well."
Lanstein concludes by calling on Jews on US campuses to be strong and unified: "Our Jewish community doesn't succumb to fear."