Millions of American university students will begin their summer break in about two weeks. The encampments on college campuses will end, and the anti-Israel protests will probably calm down – but everyone knows this is just the beginning of a massive wave of antisemitism and attacks against Jewish students.
Who knows where these young pro-Hamas, progressive American students will spend their summers, and whether religious leaders – or even terrorists – will influence them to step up their anti-Zionist and anti-Jewish activities on campus?
How should we prepare to return to school at the end of the summer? This is a challenging and complex question. There is no good answer, but Jewish leaders, donors, and professionals should utilize this time to find intelligent and practical solutions.
Jewish safety has been compromised
Relating to this issue, a survey by Hillel International this week found that many Jewish students feel less safe due to pro-Palestinian protests on campuses, encountering antisemitic rhetoric and disruptions. Conducted by Benenson Strategy Group, the survey polled 310 Jewish college students and revealed that 61% of those who witnessed protests found the language antisemitic, some 63% felt less safe as a result, and 40% reported feeling the need to hide their Jewish identity. Additionally, 72% of students at schools with encampments wanted them removed to prevent disruptions, though this has sparked controversy.
University leaders need to investigate why some students are feeling unsafe after a series of anti-Israel protests led to encampments, mass arrests, and accusations of antisemitism on campuses, according to Shai Goldberg-Kellman, a Jewish student at Brandeis University. He emphasized to Fox News the mental toll of facing daily hostility and the importance of universities addressing these issues.
While Brandeis earned high marks for handling antisemitism and promoting a safe environment, other schools like Columbia have seen protests escalate, leading to virtual learning and canceled commencements.
Goldberg-Kellman, who has friends feeling unsafe at different universities, praised Brandeis for upholding its founding values of being a safe place for Jews and suggested that universities should work with students to ensure safety and promote free speech. He advocated for civil dialogue and understanding among students to address concerns and foster a more supportive campus environment.
Eretz Nehederet
IRONICALLY, the best and most effective counterargument against the pro-Hamas activists has become Eretz Nehederet (A Wonderful Country), Israel’s local version of Saturday Night Live. In an earlier sketch, the show humorously criticized the actions of woke college students who were protesting in favor of Palestinians in general and often in support of Hamas specifically. This marked the show’s third time addressing such protests since the war began.
One notable parody involved Johannah King-Slutzky, a real-life PhD student who had issued a warning that students illegally occupying a building could “die of dehydration and starvation... Like, could people please have a glass of water?” This humorous take on a severe situation sets the tone for the skit.
In the skit, which was almost indistinguishable from the actual event in its absurdity, her character was depicted asking for various kinds of non-dairy milk to accommodate the food sensitivities of the protesters. The exaggerated nature of the requests underscored the skit’s satirical edge.
“We also need organic tents, free-range blankets... sunscreen; we need sun and rain, at the same time,” she continued, heightening the comedic effect with her increasingly outlandish demands. “This is basic humanitarian aid!”
THIS WEEK’S skit featured two fictional Columbia students, Kelcy and Wordle, portrayed by Eretz Nehederet regulars Liat Harlev and Tamir Bar. In an article by Jerusalem Post culture correspondent Hannah Brown, she explained that these characters had previously been shown tearing down posters of hostages.
In this skit, they were depicted chanting for an intifada. However, the humor escalated when they attempted to figure out the word’s meaning, eventually deciding it was a salad “with sprinkles of jihad on top.”
Adding to the parody, the show incorporated an actual news clip of a campus protester asserting that Hamas members are not terrorists. The popular parody show cleverly changed the clip’s soundtrack, having the protester claim that “October 7 is not real. October is not a month. Sugar is not sweet.” This surreal alteration continued until the protester said, “Beyonce’s ‘Jolene’ is good,” a statement that the protesting students could not agree with, highlighting the situation’s absurdity.
In another segment, Kelcy is shown calling her father to express her disdain for him, her newfound love for Hamas, and her need for money to get “Hamas” tattooed all over her face. The skit didn’t shy away from mocking the cringe-worthy contemporary dance numbers performed at the protests, which were also brought under scrutiny.
“I’m going to die for this cause. Can someone please Google for me what the cause is?” one protester pleaded, adding to the comedic portrayal of misguided activism.
The skit reached its peak of satire with the appearance of Adolf Hitler at the protests. In this exaggerated scenario, he stated, “These demonstrations are not antisemitic. I have no problem with the Jews. The Jews are very nice. It’s only against Zionists. Zionists should be exterminated!” This hyperbolic statement underscores the skit’s critique of the often blurred lines between anti-Zionism and antisemitism in such protests.
IT’S INTERESTING how Eretz Nehederet, a show that usually promotes a more left-wing approach, has become very similar to a cult online series established about 15 years ago by Latma, a satirical right-wing Israeli website created in 2008 by journalists to expose media bias, particularly left-leaning satire in Israeli media.
Edited by then-Jerusalem Post editor and columnist Caroline Glick, Latma critiqued politically biased journalism and produced a weekly satirical news show, The Tribal Update. It gained attention for its viral videos like “We Con the World,” parodying the Gaza flotilla incident, and “Primi Primi Primitive,” mocking Swedish allegations against the IDF. Latma was affiliated with the Center for Security Policy, with Glick serving as Adjunct Senior Fellow.
The Tribal Update had a short run on national Israeli public television, but it didn’t last long. They were good, but not as good as Eretz Nehederet, for the simple fact that they weren’t on prime-time, commercially funded television. They didn’t have the resources to create high-level content, and maybe the Israeli public wasn’t yet ready to internalize the woke antisemitism that really was – and still is.
Some great quotes from the 2010 song “We Con the World” by Latma feel as if they were written today. For example: “We’ll make the world abandon reason; we’ll make them all believe that Hamas is Momma Theresa,” “The truth will never find its way to your TV,” and “We are peaceful travelers with guns and our own knives… We’ll make the world believe the IDF is Jack the Ripper.”
Here’s another: “Ooooh, we’ll stab them at heart; They are soldiers, no one cares; We are small, and we took some pictures with doves; As Allah showed us, for facts, there’s no demand; So we will always gain the upper hand.”
Back to college campuses in the US, but also all over the world: This is a huge threat, a huge problem, something which can even, God forbid, result in bloodshed. Jewish donors, foundations, and legacy organizations must use their resources more innovatively and strategically. They need to stop funding buildings and campuses but rather influence the content being taught in these institutions.
We must all look into ourselves and reconnect to our Jewish heritage, culture, and traditions. We need to strengthen our roots in our Judaism. Only then will we be able to combat the pathetic campaign on college campuses – not as a victim or minority, but as a small and proud group of interconnected individuals.