{"id":99268,"date":"2022-11-05T17:05:02","date_gmt":"2022-11-05T15:05:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=99268"},"modified":"2022-11-02T14:22:17","modified_gmt":"2022-11-02T12:22:17","slug":"31-05-43","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=99268","title":{"rendered":"US students report jump in mental scarring from campus antisemitism, but see no end"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>US students report jump in mental scarring from campus antisemitism, but see no end<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h5>\n

CATHRYN J. PRINCE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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From a Jewish sexual assault survivor targeted by her support group, to a pupil afraid to wear a Star of David, young Jews say they walk on campuses in fear of hate crimes<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
\n

\"Ofek<\/a><\/p>\n

Ofek Preis and Cassie Blotner of SUNY New Paltz said they have faced antisemitism at the school. (Courtesy: Ofek Preis)<\/em><\/span><\/div>\n
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NEW YORK \u2014 Ofek Preis won\u2019t walk to class by herself anymore. She\u2019s afraid of being harassed for being Jewish.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just so burnt out from this. I just want to go to class and have a normal class. Then I remember that there is so much antisemitism here. It can be really debilitating,\u201d said Preis, a 21-year-old senior at State University of New York (SUNY) New Paltz.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s shocking and triggering. You start to feel you have no control of your learning environment; you feel unsafe everywhere,\u201d she told The Times of Israel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Preis isn\u2019t alone: Jewish students across the United States report being excluded from campus organizations, targeted on social media and harassed in classes by students and professors alike. Additionally, they\u2019ve seen dormitories and sidewalks<\/a> vandalized with swastikas, and buildings plastered with flyers that equate Birthright trips to Israel with genocide and call for Zionists to \u201cfuck off.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet, often lost in the coverage of these incidents is the emotional toll they take on the Jewish students.<\/span><\/p>\n

One in three college students personally experiences antisemitic hate during the academic year, according to an October 2021 survey<\/a> conducted for the Anti-defamation League (ADL) and Hillel International. The survey found that 32 percent of Jewish students experienced antisemitism directed at them, and 79% of those students reported that it happened to them on more than one occasion.<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, over 350 anti-Israel incidents occurred on campuses nationwide during the academic year 2021-2022, according to the ADL\u2019s annual Campus Report<\/a>. The most common means of harassment involved excluding Zionist students, supporting anti-Israel violence and perpetuating antisemitic tropes, according to the report.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHate crimes, including those derived from antisemitism, can have dangerous physical, psychological and societal consequences. Research demonstrates that acts of discrimination affect the immune systems of victims and those who witness hateful acts, and the effects of hate crimes change attitudes and behaviors at a societal level for years,\u201d says a June 2021 American Psychological Association statement.<\/span><\/p>\n

For Preis, the ordeal began after she transferred to SUNY New Paltz from SUNY Geneseo in the fall semester of 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n

An Israeli studying abroad, Preis was allegedly kicked out of New Paltz Accountability<\/a>, a sexual-assault survivors\u2019 support group, together with classmate Cassie Blotner, for posting about their Jewish identity on social media. Accused of white supremacy, the girls were targeted on the YikYak social media platform in the spring of 2022 with an anonymous post encouraging students to spit on \u201cthe Zionists.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Pilloried on social media and vilified on campus, Preis said the situation became unbearable. Jittery, anxious, and unable to concentrate, she took most of her classes online for several weeks. She also moved into an off-campus apartment. The decision helped her emotionally but not academically.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once a double major in political science and sociology, Preis said she fell behind in her studies. Forced to choose between graduating later to make up political science credits or dropping it as one of her two majors, she\u2019s now a sociology major with a political science minor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to muster up the energy to just get through my day. As a sexual assault survivor it was already a struggle, but this [antisemitism] added another layer to feeling that our safety and well-being is not protected here,\u201d Preis said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n
Illustrative: Anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian activists in New York City, May 15, 2021. (Luke Tress\/Times of Israel)<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The US Department of Education\u2019s Office for Civil Rights is now investigating SUNY New Paltz for not protecting Jewish students and addressing campus antisemitism. The investigation will determine whether the university violated Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race and religion.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe unequivocally condemn any attacks on SUNY students who are Jewish, and we will not tolerate anti-Semitic harassment and intimidation on campus,\u201d says to a SUNY New Paltz statement, which adds that the university will \u201ccontinue our active engagement to support our Jewish students and employees around the rise of antisemitism.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Department of Education is also investigating complaints against the University of Vermont (UVM), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and University of Southern California (USC). The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, a legal advocacy group, filed the complaints with Jewish on Campus, a student-run nonprofit organization.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen someone experiences antisemitism and then feels the university won\u2019t do anything, it makes you feel sort of stuck in that experience,\u201d said Julia Jassey, a fourth-year at the University of Chicago and co-founder of Jewish on Campus.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jassey said she too experienced antisemitism on campus. For example, on Instagram last February, the University of Chicago chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) told students not to take \u201cShitty Zionist classes\u201d and to \u201cSupport the Palestine movement for liberation by boycotting classes on Israel or those taught by Israeli fellows.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hiding in plain sight<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\u201cI think people need to realize that antisemitism is incredibly painful for these students. This is not what college is supposed to be,\u201d said Alyza Lewin, president of the Brandeis Center.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n
When Micah Gritz, a junior at Tufts University, goes to class he makes sure to tuck his Star of David under his shirt to avoid antisemitic harassment. (Courtesy: Micah Gritz\/ Photo credit: Shahar Azran\/ WJC)<\/em><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cThe bad news is everything you\u2019re hearing about rising antisemitism is true. The good news is, you\u2019re hearing about it. Denying it or downplaying it only compounds the anxiety students are feeling. It makes them think maybe it\u2019s not real, or maybe they should hide who they are, which is not an acceptable reality,\u201d she added.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, hiding one\u2019s identity is the reality for many students, including Tufts University junior Micah Gritz.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 20-year-old international security and Jewish studies major tucks his Star of David necklace under his shirt whenever he gets to class. Before university, he never thought twice about the necklace.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

That changed before move-in day of his freshman year. Gritz was one of many incoming undergraduates who sought to connect with fellow classmates on the social media platform GroupMe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe were chatting on it and then someone happened to mention they were Jewish. \u2018Israel or Palestine?\u2019 came the response,\u201d said Gritz.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once on campus he heard comments like, \u201cYou\u2019re Jewish, you must be rich,\u201d or \u201cSo you kill Palestinian children, right?\u201d A professor in one of Gritz\u2019s political science classes also insinuated that the Jewish lobby controls the government, he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes I\u2019d push back, but you can become exhausted and burnt out fighting for your identity. Sometimes you just need to prioritize your mental health,\u201d Gritz said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Getting involved with Jewish on Campus as its chief operating officer helped Gritz cope. Refraining from social media also helps, he said, adding that he uses Instagram infrequently and keeps his Twitter account private, primarily using it to follow the news.<\/span><\/p>\n

Anxious and angry<\/strong><\/h4>\n

That around 2,000, or 20%, of UVM\u2019s 11,626 undergraduate students are Jewish was a draw for one student, who, fearing a backlash, spoke on condition of anonymity.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was so important to me to go to a school with a strong Jewish presence that I wrote about it for my college application essay,\u201d said the UVM junior.<\/span><\/p>\n

When she arrived at the bucolic school situated a mile from Lake Champlain, she appreciated the variety of student organizations. Some were dedicated to climate change, others to books. Some to crafts, others to social justice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her excitement soon evaporated.<\/span><\/p>\n

In May 2021, UVM Empowering Survivors, a sexual assault survivor support group, posted antisemitic comments on Instagram. Then a university teaching assistant reportedly targeted student supporters of Israel on Twitter. For example, on April 5, 2021, the TA wrote, \u201cis it unethical for me, a TA, to not give zionists credit for participation??? i feel its good and funny, -5 points for going on birthright in 2018, -10 points for posting a pic with a tank in the Golan heights, -2 points just cuz i hate ur vibe in general.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n
An Instagram post from a University of Vermont sexual assault survivors support group announcing the exclusion of Zionists. (Courtesy)<\/em><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The university and its president, Suresh Garimella, declined to comment about the school\u2019s handling of claims of antisemitism<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead, the president\u2019s office referred to Garimella\u2019s statement regarding the Title VI investigation, in which he said the media coverage of the Department of Education\u2019s investigation \u201chas painted our community in a patently false light.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUVM is home to a strong and vibrant Jewish community and is recognized as a place where \u2014 year after year \u2014 many Jewish students, faculty, and staff choose to study, teach, conduct research, practice medicine, and work,\u201d the statement said.<\/span><\/p>\n

The UVM junior found no solace in his statement.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n
University of Vermont President Suresh Garimella speaks with reporters on Monday, July 1, 2019, in Burlington, Vermont. (AP\/Lisa Rathke)<\/em><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cJust because a school has a big Jewish community doesn\u2019t mean there isn\u2019t antisemitism outside of those spaces. It got harder to be a Jew outside of those spaces,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m no longer comfortable sharing my Jewish identity in class. I\u2019m scared to bring it up during discussion, even though everyone else is free to talk about their identity and not feel intimidated.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Liora Rez, executive director of StopAntisemitism, said Garimella\u2019s email is another example of an administration\u2019s failure to act.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey are not protecting the mental health of Jewish students,\u201d Rez said. \u201cSo many of these students feel tremendous insecurity. Some ultimately feel the need to hide their Jewish identity or support for Israel. On the macro level that leads to stress and many students have a tough time throughout the day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the watchdog group\u2019s latest report, 55% of respondents answered \u201cyes\u201d when asked if they\u2019ve experienced some form of antisemitism at their school. Only 28% of students said they feel their school administration takes antisemitism and the protection of Jewish students seriously.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lingering effects<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Rose Ritch graduated from USC two years ago. Her experiences there still reverberate.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was August 2020 and Ritch, then a rising senior, was elated. She\u2019d just been elected undergraduate student government vice president. Her joy was short-lived.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some students launched an impeachment campaign. Multiple Instagram posts called her a racist for supporting Israel. Tweets celebrated \u201cthe zionists from usc and usg getting relentlessly cyberbullied.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt escalated like a tornado. I was so nauseous from anxiety. I couldn\u2019t eat for eight days. It was hard to sleep. It definitely was not a healthy moment in my life,\u201d said the 24-year-old Ritch.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n
Rose Ritch graduated from USC two years ago; her experience with antisemitism still haunts. (Courtesy: Rose Ritch)<\/em><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Isolation compounded the stress. It was the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and she was living alone. A steady stream of supportive texts, phone calls and video calls helped, \u201cbut a hug would have been nice,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although some in the administration were sympathetic, there was no public condemnation of the harassment, Ritch said. She weighed her options.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople said if I stayed I would win, and if I left I would be letting them win. It was presented as a binary choice,\u201d Ritch said. \u201cI realized I wouldn\u2019t be a successful student leader, student or person if I stayed. Winning for me was canceling out the noise. I had to take my physical and mental health into account.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The harassment continued.<\/span><\/p>\n

She\u2019d be in psychology class \u2014 held on Zoom because of pandemic measures \u2014 when private messages would pop up calling her a racist, she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ritch welcomes the Title VI investigation into USC as well as the university\u2019s announcement that it is developing partnerships with national organizations including the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nevertheless, she remains troubled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a traumatic experience and impacted me mentally for a lot longer than I care to admit. I\u2019m much more cognizant that there are people out there who don\u2019t like that I hold this identity,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Changing the scenery<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Some Jewish students like Gritz choose to stick it out. Others, such as Avi Zatz, decide enough is enough. The agroecology major transferred from UVM to the University of Florida this year, ahead of UVM\u2019s Title VI investigation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI love it here. The administration is supportive. People are comfortable being who they are and bigotry is shut down quickly, where at UVM it was accepted,\u201d Zatz, a junior, said of his new school where of the 34,881 undergraduates, 18%, or just over 6,000, are Jewish.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n
Avi Zatz says he transferred to University of Florida from the University of Vermont because of antisemitism. (Courtesy: Avi Zitz)<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Zatz said he felt something was amiss at UVM when students marched down Burlington\u2019s main street in support of BDS during the High Holy Days in 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was uncomfortable. There were also really popular clubs on campus that I wasn\u2019t able to join because of my background,\u201d he said. For example, the UVM Book Club, a university-recognized student club, has a group \u201cUniversity of Vermont Revolutionary Socialist Union.\u201d In May 2021 that group publicly announced it would ban Zionists.<\/span><\/p>\n

No longer comfortable wearing anything that might identify him as Jewish, Zatz went to the administration.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLong story short, they didn\u2019t care. They made it clear they were not going to condemn antisemitism,\u201d Zatz said. \u201cI felt isolated and insecure. I thought I\u2019m not supported and no one is being held to account. I didn\u2019t know what to expect in college, but nobody expects to be excluded based on their background.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

While the Department of Education continues its investigations and antisemitic incidents continue unabated, SUNY New Paltz\u2019s Preis said she hopes people will consider the emotional toll antisemitism takes on students.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis will follow me, this feeling that our safety and well-being as a Jewish student is not considered,\u201d Preis said. \u201cAll of it has made me question why I am here in America studying, whether I even want to stay here after I graduate. I\u2019m not sure I see a future here anymore.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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US students report jump in mental scarring from campus antisemitism, but see no end CATHRYN J. PRINCE From a Jewish sexual assault survivor targeted by her support group, to a pupil afraid to wear a Star of David, young Jews say they walk on campuses in fear of hate crimes Ofek Preis and Cassie Blotner […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[26,24],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99268"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=99268"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99268\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":99352,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99268\/revisions\/99352"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=99268"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=99268"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=99268"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}