A couple of weeks ago, we put out a statement after swastika graffiti was found on campus at UC San Diego. And once again, late last week, more vile graffiti was discovered in a different location.

It’s disgusting, unacceptable, and we’re sick of it. That someone (or multiple people) thought it would be a good decision to deface the university with a vile symbol demonstrates so clearly that hate has not left our campuses; it’s just left the news cycle.

We have continued to deal with incident after incident at all of our campuses in San Diego. From a swastika found multiple times on campus, a “Kill all the Zionists” sign held in front of the Jewish fraternity house, to a professor encouraging students to follow Hamas on social media, it has not stopped.

But we’ve changed. We’ve been forged. We’re stronger.

We are pushing back and it’s working. At SDSU, their response and accountability are immediate. In fact, President De La Torre personally called me after the attack in Michigan to check in and tell me that she had directed university police to do more patrols near Hillel, just in case. Suspensions for perpetrators, support for victims, deep communication and collaboration with Hillel…SDSU is a masterclass in best practices.

At UCSD, CSUSM, and USD, strong relationships between your Hillel and the senior administration have been critical to moving processes, protocols, and action forward. All of our campuses are in the process of moving in the right direction. This is possible because YOU’VE invested in systems and people who make this work happen through Hillel. Our Campus Impact Initiative, funded generously by the Jewish Federation, Leichtag Foundation, Chortek Weisman Family Foundation, and donors just like you, allows us to track and respond. It is your impact on campus in real time. 

But wait, there’s more.

I’ve said it again and again, we will NOT let this generation define their Judaism by the antisemitism they may experience on campus. They will define their Judaism by the JOY they create. We are building communities of young people that can feel freedom again on campus – to wear their Jewish stars proudly, to share their Jewish identity in any space, to feel safe, seen, and valued.

Hillel of San Diego’s award-winning Peace in Israel Week at UCSD is coming up May 11-15, and it is a perfect demonstration of Jewish joy and freedom. Students have been working all year for this, from our Sababa Fair on Monday where San Diego Jewish organizations can join us on Library Walk (the heart of UCSD’s campus) to teach about Israel and Jewish life (sign up here), our massive Israeli Carnival on Tuesday where the entire UCSD community will be taught about the beauty of Israel through FUN, our partnership Wellness program with Sha’ar HaNegev’s Beit Melecha Art Therapy program on Wednesday, our amazing Shuk culinary fair on Thursday, and our Shabbat celebration on Friday. It is a week of JOY and FREEDOM. You can, and should, absolutely be a part of it. You can learn more about that here.

Combatting antisemitism on campus and creating Jewish joy are core to our work at Hillel of San Diego. They are efforts that run in parallel and are shaping the next generation to be a more resilient, proud, joyful, and connected Jewish community, and that is good for all of us.

Shabbat Shalom,

Karen