CW: This article discusses antisemitism and violence against Jewish communities. Please refer to the end of the article for on- and off-campus resources.

On Saturday, Jan. 15, an armed man walked into the Beth Israel Synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, and took four hostages. 

One of those hostages was the congregation’s rabbi, Charlie Cytron-Walker, a beloved community member who spent the COVID-19 pandemic supporting the Fort Worth area and continuing the interreligious outreach that has been a staple of his career. Cytron-Walker stood up for people in need and called for solidarity with other marginalized groups; he sowed nothing but love and inclusion among his congregation. And yet, an antisemite still took him and his congregation hostage. There is no such thing as a “good Jew,” and consequently, there is no such thing as a safe Jew. Young Jews and non-Jews alike have an urgent responsibility to pay attention to antisemitism today. 

When I started at Georgetown this fall, I stopped wearing my Star of David necklace. I did not make this choice becuase I expected to be physically harmed on campus, but I did expect to be tokenized, put on the spot to explain or defend my position on Israel and minimized for considering antisemitism an issue. I expected this because I had experienced all of it, even at my 50% Jewish high school. At Georgetown, Jews make up only 6% of the undergraduate student body. On many occasions, I’ve been made aware that I am the first Jew someone has ever met or been friends with, and I feel immense pressure to represent my community well. Even in writing this article, I feel pressure to be a “good Jew.”

Antisemitism thrives on college campuses across the globe. Even supposedly “progressive” student organizations at colleges across the United States have spent the last decade defunding Hillels and Chabads on the grounds that they are “Zionist groups.” Like any national student group, these organizations have official stances. Their presence on campuses, though, is most felt as a shelter for Jewish students, a place to access kosher food, religious services and solace. To deprive Jewish students of access to safety or food that they can eat is irrefutably antisemitic, regardless of the excuse presented. Progressives seem more willing to punish or “cancel” people for being “Zionists” than for being antisemites. In fact, according to reporting by CNN, there are higher rates of antisemitic ideology among younger generations than older ones, unlike most forms of bigotry. Many young progressives justify the hatred of Jews with claims that they are defending human rights. 

Antisemitism functions differently from most other forms of bigotry. Modern Jewish stereotypes do not usually accuse us of inferiority, but rather of wielding conspiratorial amounts of power. The man who took the Beth Israel Synagogue hostage did so because he truly believed that an ordinary rabbi had the influence to free convicted terrorist Aafia Siddiqui from an eighty-year prison sentence. The belief that hating Jews is “punching up” only functions as an endless loop of gaslighting; when Jews complain about violence, we are accused of “playing the victim.” We make up 2.4% of the U.S. population, but roughly 60% of U.S. religion-based hate crime victims. The truth is, American Jews do, on average, tend to go to college at high rates and make above the national average in annual income. This has never precluded us from being assaulted or killed. 

Antisemitism is not simply a social prejudice, but a conspiracy theory about how the world operates that blames Jews for the world’s failings. Bipartisan agreement is alive and well when it comes to the exclusion and persecution of Jews in America, and antisemites across the political spectrum share many of the same talking points. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Sen. Ted Cruz are happy to argue on Twitter over who is more antisemitic, but neither one is willing to stand up for Jews’ safety in any substantive way. Those on either side of the aisle only call out antisemitism when its most obvious forms surface among their political opponents.

Last weekend proved it doesn’t matter what kind of Jew you are –– a Jew is a Jew, and thus, a target. When I returned to campus last week, I started wearing my Star of David again. I have chosen pride over virtue signaling to antisemites. It is up to non-Jewish allies to meet us where we are. 

I am addressing those who jump to Holocaust comparisons for emphasis in political debates but stay silent when Jews are pushed onto subway tracks while trying to get to work. I am addressing those who post infographics on Instagram for every progressive cause, but choose not to extend even performative outrage when Jews are attacked in their places of worship. Understand that we are afraid and ask you to help to keep us safe. When we speak about our historical and present experiences, listen. 

Yana Gitelman is a first year in the School of Foreign Service.

Resources: On-campus resources include Health Education Services (202-687-8949) and Counseling and Psychiatric Service (202-687-7080); to report an incident of hate or bias on campus, refer to the Georgetown University Bias Reporting website. Off-campus resources include the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). In the event of an emergency, dial 911. To report a Hate Crime, contact the MPD Hate Crimes Voicemail (202) 727-0500 or the Hate Crimes Coordinator ([email protected]). 

Correction: This article was updated Jan. 29 to clarify that Beth Israel Synagogue is located in Colleyville, Texas.