US college students stand up for Israel with cross-campus network - opinion

In today’s world, being a Jewish college student can be terrifying. Having attended a Jewish day school, this sentiment has been drilled into my brain since the first day of my freshman year of high school. My parents and my teachers have worked tirelessly to prepare me for the inevitable hatred that might exist on campuses in this country – but nothing could have prepared me to have been called slurs, and had a swastika drawn on a friend’s apartment door. This is a universal experience for the Jewish college student. Year after year, antisemitic acts occur and make students nervous to be outwardly Jewish.

This is nothing compared to what the men and women my age face in Israel. This past week, young Israeli adults were called to serve in the IDF. They have to risk their lives to protect the Jewish homeland, a place that American Jews take for granted. We use social media to combat hatred, they use their bodies.

It’s easy to feel helpless in this situation – what can one Jewish student on a campus of 40,000 do? The answer is connect with thousands like them around the country.

Forming a cross-campus network to support Israel at US universities

This week, members of the Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity and the Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority at University of Texas Austin launched Yalla For Israel @yallaforisrael, a network connecting students at over 100 college campuses. In under 24 hours, over 5,000 students joined Yalla’s work. and, in less than one week, have raised over $150,000 dollars for Friends of the Israel Defense Forces.

In addition to fundraising, affiliated organizations at schools like the University of Michigan and University of Maryland have been making “misheberach videos” (the Jewish prayer for healing), expressing their support for the people of Israel. Yalla has created an unprecedented sense of unity among Jewish college students. I no longer feel helpless.

Let me be clear, being pro-Israel doesn’t mean blindly defending every choice the state makes. I don’t think Israel is perfect. Israel makes mistakes, just like being proudly American doesn’t mean defending everything that America does. However, I unequivocally defend Israel’s right to exist, and condemn Hamas’ acts of terror. They have abducted and murdered hundreds of Israelis. They have killed babies in their cribs and slaughtered Holocaust survivors. This is not freedom fighting, this is terrorism. 

The University of Texas’ core belief is that “what starts here changes the world.” Yalla exemplifies the truth behind this statement and demonstrates the ability we all have to make the world a better place. I urge you to speak up when you see injustice and hatred, the worst thing anyone can do is stand silently and watch. 

In this time of crisis, I pray for the safety of all impacted by the conflict, for peace, and for the state of Israel. Am Yisrael Chai.

The writer is a student at University of Texas-Austin, class of 2027. For more information check out: www.YallaForIsrael.com.