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How the Jewish Community Must Respond to the New Face of Antisemitism

A pro-Hamas demonstrator uses a megaphone at Columbia University, on the one-year anniversary of Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack, amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, in New York City, US, Oct. 7, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Mike Segar
The notoriously hostile anti-Israel encampments on college campuses during the last year may be mostly gone, but the storm of antisemitism has not disappeared. Instead, it has transformed — becoming more ingrained and widespread. The hatred is no longer confined to a handful of extremists attracting public attention, but has been woven into the fabric of academic culture, social movements, political discourse, and even sports.
At major universities like NYU and Tulane, calls for “resistance by any means,” including violence, have become a routine part of campus life.
At Columbia University, a student group recently published a chilling manifesto titled “The Columbia Intifada,” glorifying violence against Jews. Meanwhile, the media and human rights organizations — which should be sounding the alarm — continue to downplay or ignore the growing problem.
What we are witnessing as a society is the normalization of prejudice against Jews, where hate has become routine, crazy is the new normal, and acts of antisemitism are simply dismissed or downplayed.
As Jews and as human beings, we cannot accept this.
The Jewish community must respond decisively, not with fear or retreat, but with pride, clarity, and an unwavering commitment to our values. If we have learned anything from the past few years, it is that when we unite, we achieve extraordinary things. It was unity that brought Jewish students together to successfully challenge negligent university administrations. It was unity that amplified our voices in courtrooms, on social media, and in classrooms. And it is unity that will allow us to rise to this new challenge.
Embracing Jewish Pride
Antisemites thrive on fear and silence. They want us to hide who we are — to shrink away from confrontation. But we must not give them that victory. The first step in combating the new face of antisemitism is to unapologetically display our Judaism with pride. Every Shabbat dinner, every holiday celebration, every mezuzah hanging proudly on a dorm room door is a statement: we are here, and we will not be erased.
This is not about defiance for defiance’s sake. It’s about reclaiming the narrative by living and embodying the values that define us.
For example, Judaism teaches us the importance of tikkun olam — repairing the world — by spreading justice, kindness, and compassion. It urges us to love the stranger, to pursue peace, and to see the divine spark in every person. These values are not just theoretical; they are meant to guide our daily lives. Every act of kindness, every moment of empathy, and every effort to build bridges reflects the principles that have sustained our people for generations.
When we lean into these values, we send a powerful message to the world: Fighting hate with hate has never worked and will never work. Our answer to the abhorrent antisemitism on and off campus is not to mirror the venom of our enemies but to live out the principles that define us. Our message to the world is one of peace, love, and justice. It is a message that grows louder when the Jewish people come together, united by our shared history and values.
The Power of Community
Consider what happens when we celebrate as a community — when we gather for a Passover Seder, dance on Simchat Torah, or light Shabbat candles together. These are more than just rituals; they are moments to pause to honor family, community, and the belief that there is always a brighter tomorrow. Living our Judaism out loud strengthens the bonds between us and proclaims to the world that we are a people who choose life, who choose joy, who choose hope.
Over the course of the past year, I’ve seen countless times how this sense of community empowers individual students. When surrounded by the support of their peers, students are so much more likely to openly celebrate and embrace their Jewish identity with courage and confidence. They feel emboldened to wear symbols of our faith, like a kippah or a Star of David, even in challenging environments. They speak up in class when faced with misinformation or bias, and they take pride in their heritage rather than feeling the need to hide it.
This courage doesn’t just benefit individuals—it strengthens the entire community. It is this spirit of unity around our values that makes the difference. When we stand together, others take notice. Antisemites may spread lies, but when the Jewish community is united, their hate falls on deaf ears. The people around us—our neighbors, our colleagues, our classmates—see us for who we are: a community rooted in justice, peace, and an unwavering commitment to the dignity of all human beings.
When we embrace our Judaism fully, the hate around us begins to lose its power. This is why Jewish pride is not just an act of self-preservation — it is a form of resistance that can change hearts and minds. It tells the world that we are not victims of history; we are participants in its betterment.
The current reality is daunting, but it is not without hope. The same unity and determination that have sustained the Jewish people for centuries can guide us forward — but we must act now. We cannot allow the normalization of antisemitism to take root any deeper. We must confront antisemitism wherever it appears, even when it is uncomfortable or inconvenient.
At the same time, we should be reaching beyond our own community to engage with allies and build coalitions, because antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem — it is a societal problem. When hate is normalized, it endangers everyone. It creates a society where intolerance is allowed to fester, threatening the safety and dignity of all marginalized groups. This is why, when our communities are at their strongest, we must seize the moment to forge partnerships that unite us and amplify our efforts in the fight against hate.
The stakes are high, but so is our capacity for resilience. Our community has faced hate before, emerging stronger each time. We will do so again — not by retreating into silence or mirroring the hatred directed at us, but by standing firm in our values and letting our pride outshine their prejudice. And above all, we must show the world the beauty, strength, and vibrancy of Jewish life.
Rabbi David Markowitz, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Vision and Partnerships at Olami, has been fighting campus antisemitism since October 7, where he led a delegation of Jewish students to speak with policymakers and politicians at The White House, as well as the Knesset.
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Israeli Strike on Tehran Kills Bodyguard of Slain Hezbollah Chief

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi lays a wreath as he visits the burial site of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, on the outskirts of Beirut, Lebanon, June 3, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
A member of Lebanese armed group Hezbollah was killed in an Israeli air strike on Tehran alongside a member of an Iran-aligned Iraqi armed group, a senior Lebanese security source told Reuters and the Iraqi group said on Saturday.
The source identified the Hezbollah member as Abu Ali Khalil, who had served as a bodyguard for Hezbollah’s slain chief Hassan Nasrallah. The source said Khalil had been on a religious pilgrimage to Iraq when he met up with a member of the Kataeb Sayyed Al-Shuhada group.
They traveled together to Tehran and were both killed in an Israeli strike there, along with Khalil’s son, the senior security source said. Hezbollah has not joined in Iran’s air strikes against Israel from Lebanon.
Kataeb Sayyed Al-Shuhada published a statement confirming that both the head of its security unit and Khalil had been killed in an Israeli strike.
Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli aerial attack on Beirut’s southern suburbs in September.
Israel and Iran have been trading strikes for nine consecutive days since Israel launched attacks on Iran, saying Tehran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons. Iran has said it does not seek nuclear weapons.
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Hamas Financial Officer and Commander Eliminated by IDF in the Gaza Strip

Israeli soldiers operate during a ground operation in the southern Gaza Strip, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, July 3, 2024. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/Pool via REUTERS
i24 News – The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), in cooperation with the General Security Service (Shin Bet), announced on Friday the killing of Ibrahim Abu Shamala, a senior financial official in Hamas’ military wing.
The operation took place on June 17th in the central Gaza Strip.
Abu Shamala held several key positions, including financial officer for Hamas’ military wing and assistant to Marwan Issa, the deputy commander of Hamas’ military wing until his elimination in March 2024.
He was responsible for managing all the financial resources of Hamas’ military wing in Gaza, overseeing the planning and execution of the group’s war budget. This involved handling and smuggling millions of dollars into the Gaza Strip to fund Hamas’ military operations.
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Report: Wary of Assassination by Israel, Khamenei Names 3 Potential Successors

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves during a meeting in Tehran, Iran, May 20, 2025. Photo: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS
i24 News – Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei named three senior clerics as candidates to succeed him should he be killed, the New York Times reported on Saturday citing unnamed Iranian officials. It is understood the Ayatollah fears he could be assassinated in the coming days.
Khamenei reportedly mostly speaks with his commanders through a trusted aide now, suspending electronic communications.
Khamenei has designated three senior religious figures as candidates to replace him as well as choosing successors in the military chain of command in the likely event that additional senior officials be eliminated.
Earlier on Saturday Israel confirmed the elimination of Saeed Izadi and Bhanam Shahriari.
Shahriari, head of Iran’s Quds Force Weapons Transfer Unit, responsible for arming Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, was killed in an Israeli airstrike over 1,000 km from Israel in western Iran.
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