This week on Word on the Street Live, I spoke with three Jewish student leaders on the front lines of campus debates over Israel, Palestine and antisemitism:
Hannah Gabelnick, a senior at Princeton and co-chair of J Street U there, who also leads Princeton’s Reform Jewish Community.
Matan Berg, a junior at the University of Michigan and former J Street U chapter president, now serving as Midwest VP of J Street U.
Tova Kaplan, a senior at Harvard who co-founded Students for Freedom, pushing back against government attacks on academic freedom and student rights. Read about Students for Freedom’s work.
We dug into the big questions: What does antisemitism on campus actually look and feel like nearly two years after October 7? What happens when Trump twists the fight against antisemitism into an excuse to go after free speech?
Tova described how Trump’s efforts to weaponize antisemitism at Harvard – slashing billions in funding and forcing the University to court – have left students chilled and wary. Matan reflected on the fallout at Michigan, where DEI initiatives were gutted under government pressure. And Hannah shared how Princeton’s leadership has been at the forefront of pushing back.
A through line in all three conversations was frustration that so much discussion in the media, off campus and in establishment Jewish organizations doesn’t reflect the reality of campus life – or the values of this rising generation.
As our guests put it, Jewish students want both: Protection from antisemitism and solidarity with their peers fighting for justice, including Palestinians.
I hope you’ll find our conversation enlightening and inspiring.
