Perspective: Being a Jewish student at Yale amidst the protests

Ian Berlin, a member of the Yale class of 2024 majoring in ethics, politics and economics, shares his personal views in this commentary. You can find more opinions like his on CNN.

Last week, I gathered with around 50 classmates in Yale University’s Beinecke Plaza to lead a session of nigunim, wordless melodies from the Jewish Hasidic tradition, along with other Jewish songs and prayers. Despite not being Jewish, many of my classmates joined in and sang along, creating a spiritually uplifting experience for all of us.

Ian Berlin

Ian Berlin

Ben Weiss

Jewish and non-Jewish students came together for a week-long sit-in at Yale. They were inspired by past anti-Apartheid protests in Beinecke Plaza. The students were demanding that Yale divest from stocks of military contractors. These contractors provide weapons to Israel for the conflict with Hamas in Gaza. The protest was organized by the Occupy Beinecke coalition, which includes Yale Jews for Ceasefire. This group of Jewish students is dedicated to advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza and promoting sustainable peace and equality in the region.

Recent incidents of student arrests on campus, similar to those at Columbia last week, have once again brought attention to clashes and concerns surrounding antisemitism in the news.

There has been a noticeable increase in antisemitic incidents over the past few months, including some troubling occurrences at Yale and in New Haven. Last fall, a professor's social media post seemed to support Hamas' attack on October 7th, leading to a petition calling for her dismissal.

I have had numerous difficult conversations with close friends where I've tried to explain how their words sometimes downplay the violence against Israeli Jews, which can be hurtful to Jewish people like me and our classmates.

When people see pro-Palestinian protesters being arrested while warnings about a rise in antisemitism on college campuses are being issued, they often fall back on the same old narrative - portraying supposedly antisemitic pro-Palestine activists against Jewish pro-Israel activists at Yale. As a fourth-year student at Yale, I find this portrayal to be incredibly frustrating and far from the truth. In my experience, I have found a community of activists and organizers who are open to listening, eager to learn, and dedicated to including Jewish voices and perspectives.

In the process of creating an inclusive protest environment, the coalition has taken into account the opinions of Jewish individuals when deciding on the language to be used. As a result, it was agreed not to promote chants like, “There is only one solution: Intifada revolution,” which caused discomfort among some Jewish students. Despite being heard on Yale’s campus, this chant was not endorsed or initiated by the protest organizers due to the continuous communication and discussion with the Jewish community.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 18: Students and pro-Palestinian activists face police as they gather outside of Columbia University to protest the university's stance on Israel on April 18, 2024 in New York City. The protests come after numerous students were arrested earlier in the day after setting up tents on the university lawn in support of Gaza. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Students and pro-Palestinian activists gathered outside Columbia University in New York City on April 18, 2024, to protest the university's stance on Israel. The protesters faced police as they demonstrated against the university's policies.

Earlier in the day, several students were arrested for setting up tents on the university lawn in support of Gaza. The protests reflect growing tensions and disagreements over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within the university community.

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Last semester, I participated in lighting Chanukah candles outside the house of Yale President Peter Salovey each night. We would then come together for communal singing and praying until the candles burned out. Our goal was to urge Yale to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and to support campus free speech following the ban on pro-Palestinian student groups at Columbia University.

This semester, students have been meeting every Friday afternoon in Beinecke Plaza. Our Jewish classmates have been leading us in more singing and prayer, this time in protest against the war in Gaza. Throughout the week, students of various faiths have come together to sing “Mi Shebeirach,” a Jewish prayer for healing, and “Olam Chesed Yibaneh,” a call for a world built on compassion.

On Saturday evening, we gathered for havdalah, marking the end of Shabbat. And on Monday night, students and residents of New Haven worked together to host a Passover seder right on Yale's campus.

These experiences have been deeply meaningful for me, not just on a political level, but also on a fundamentally spiritual one. To see Yale protests once again swept up in accusations of antisemitism denies this experience and invalidates the Jewishness of those calling for an end to the violence in Gaza.

Indeed, Yale Jews for Ceasefire exists because of — not in spite of — our Jewish values. On the issue of divestment, for example, the Talmud teaches us that we may not sell weapons to those we suspect of using them criminally. Therefore, we have a duty to disrupt the manufacture and sale of military weapons that kill others, including those killing Palestinians.

According to a recent UN report, over 1 million people in Gaza are facing the threat of starvation. Aid workers are still in shock after seven World Central Kitchen workers lost their lives in an Israeli airstrike earlier this month.

During Passover, a holiday that holds special significance for Jews, we are reminded to empathize with the suffering of oppressed individuals. Through rituals like eating bitter herbs and dipping parsley in salt water, we recall the bitterness of slavery in Egypt and the tears shed by our ancestors. The Jewish community understands the story of oppression all too well, and it is our responsibility to stand against oppression in all its forms, whether it affects Jews or non-Jews.

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Learn about Nachshon, a brave individual who led the Jewish people as they escaped Egypt by taking the first steps into the turbulent Red Sea. Despite the uncertainty, he trusted that he would reach the other side. His courageous act inspired others to follow him into the unknown, making him a respected leader among his people.

Our current time is challenging for the Jewish community, as we grapple with differing interpretations of our Jewish values. However, the story of Nachshon shows us that by taking the lead, we can inspire others to progress with us towards a future without oppression and violence. At Yale, organizers from various faith backgrounds are working together to create a supportive community that embraces Jewish students, fostering collaboration rather than conflict.

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