With the one year anniversary of Hamas’ attack at Israel’s Re’im Music Festival rapidly approaching, the discussion on Zionism along with Palestinian liberation has continued steadily from many different parties.
This is an important time for the Jewish community. Rosh Hashanah began on the evening of Oct. 2 and ended on Oct. 4 at sundown, with Yom Kippur happening on the evening of Oct. 11 and into Oct. 12. These are two of the principal holidays and celebrations in the Jewish faith. It is not shocking that Jewish people need support, especially now. Although Israel is not a direct reflection of the Jewish people, the rise of antisemitism since Oct. 7, 2023 has been substantial, with a 360% increase according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in early 2024.
There have been direct attacks and thousands of threats to synagogues across the country. Even here in the Twin Cities, most synagogues hold closed services with heightened security. This began pre-Oct. 7 and has continued to increase as the rise in threats continuescontinuously rises. WCCO reporter Ubah Ali reported on Oct. 6 that there was a notable increase in police patrols surrounding Twin Cities synagogues after a man was arrested for threatening to shoot up (direct quote from Ali) a Minneapolis synagogue. With this increase in antisemitism, it becomes much more vital to protect those directly impacted by this bigotry. We as students, Jewish or non-Jewish, have the ability to speak up and defend the ethnic and religious identity of our peers.
When we protect Jewish people, we protect other religious identities, ethnicities and races. We can condemn this violence, and condemn all violence against all civilians. We as a community must stand with Hamline students, faculty, and staff during these unprecedented times. Hate is the killer that silences democracy. It stops our hearts from beating and it splits the very core of what it means to be human, and what it means to be a Piper.
Universities should allow us to grow, change and challenge everything we thought to be true. As James Baldwin puts it, we need “‘to create ourselves without finding it necessary to create an enemy.” Yet, the Hamline administration has not been vocal about condemning the terrorist attack on Oct. 7, nor the inhumane Israeli government attacks that have demolished Palestinian cities and murdered thousands of innocent women, men and children in the last year. The university’s sense of inaction under the guise of faux-neutrality speaks volumes. Each day, there is an opportunity to release a statement regarding these atrocities. Each day, we are met with silence while we watch new atrocities being committed.
Without a statement, there is still hesitation from students who are struggling to grapple with the harsh reality of this war and find spaces on campus to share their perspectives and the direct repercussions of what has been happening. As a community, we are going to face adversity; however, we can not allow the leaders of this community to continue to silently sit while in the face of constant community pressure. When we sit in silence, we show our Jewish peers that the very real and terrifying antisemitism they continue to face is invalid due to the governing body of a country where they do not reside. When we sit in silence, we show our Palestinian peers that we are ignoring the erasure of their home and culture on a massive scale.
Inaction in the name of neutrality is a killer in itself. Jewish students, faculty and staff are dependent on all of us to stand beside them, alongside our Palestinian students, faculty and staff—two groups that are foundational in the culture we create as Pipers. Hamline is a home, community and life for students. Whatever decisions administrators make will impact all of us. And yet, that’s why this response matters the most: to be the voice of the students and the community. Our university has that obligation, and to do so in a timely manner. As we wait for their response, more lives will be affected by the deaths and the damage.