What people don’t understand about October 7 is that for most Jews, what happened “over there” in Israel deeply affected us here.
asserted
happened → understand → us
Not just because of close family and religious ties to Israel, but because of the wave of antisemitism we’ve had to face.
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we → have → antisemitism
Ever since Oct. 7, 2023, my mornings seem to start the same way: My mom and I discuss the news about another tragedy happening to Jewish people around the world.
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mom → seem → world
Start your day with all you need to know
Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.
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Report → start → news
A shooting at Bondi Beach in Australia; a violent takeover of the Columbia University library where my older sister was studying; or a terrorist attack at a temple in Michigan.
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sister → study → Michigan
Then I go to school like any other student.
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I → go → student
Everyone scrolls past the same headlines on Instagram: “Rockets launched into Israel.” “Shooting at local synagogue.”
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Everyone → scroll → synagogue
My cousins live in Israel.
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cousins → live → Israel
One of my cousins, drafted into the military like everyone else, was posted in the West Bank, where the Israeli military has been trying to keep another front from opening.
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military → draft → opening
They’re reality.
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They → ’re → ?
My friends see them, maybe feel bad, and keep scrolling.
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friends → see → them
I see them and feel queasy the rest of the day.
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I → see → day
When I read that there was a shooting at a synagogue, I wonder, “What if I know someone there?” or “What if my synagogue is next?”
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synagogue → read → someone
Being a Jewish student after October 7th means living with a constant fear of showing who you are.
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you → mean → fear
I live in LA, home to one of the largest Jewish populations outside of Israel, and even here, many of my friends are afraid to wear religious jewelry or mention their Jewish identity to teachers and peers.
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many → live → teachers
I’m outspoken about being Jewish and a proud Zionist, and even I get scared sometimes.
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I → ’m → ?
It’s unsettling to share your identity and risk your grade in a class or risk being shut out of your friend group.
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It → ’ → group
I’m a junior now, but freshman year, I was ostracized by my friend group because of my Zionism.
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I → ’m → Zionism
I responded by becoming more involved in Students Supporting Israel (SSI) at my school, and organizing a field trip to the Nova Exhibit, a memorial to the hundreds of young people murdered by Hamas at the music festival in the desert.
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I → respond → desert
I took 150 students, most of whom weren’t Jewish or knew little about Israel.
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most → take → Israel
Inside, I overheard a group of students ask, “Is this really what Israel did to Palestine?”
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Israel → overhear → Palestine
My friend and I stepped in right away to explain that this was what Hamas did to Israel, not the other way around.
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Hamas → step → Israel
That moment was a turning point for me, because it showed me that so much of the hate and confusion around Israel isn’t malice.
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much → show → Israel
It’s that no one has ever told these students what truly happened.
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what → ’ → students
The misinformation doesn’t stop at the exhibit.
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misinformation → stop → exhibit
In recent months, groups including CODEPINK and the misnamed Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) went before the LAUSD Board of Education to promote anti-Israel protests on October 7.
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groups → include → October
Those protests would have encouraged students to walk out of class.
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protests → encourage → class
Whether the participants knew it or not, they would have been walking out in support of terrorism.
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they → know → terrorism
When I saw that, I knew I had to act — because if I didn’t, who would?
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who → see → that
And so, a week later, another Jewish student and I stood in front of the same board.
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student → stand → board
We explained that the fringe groups do not speak for the Jewish community.
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groups → explain → community
It was disturbing to have to explain that to the adults who run our schools, and to counter protests organized by other adults, and aimed at kids my age.
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who → have → kids
I’m constantly surrounded by rumors, propaganda, and hostility toward Jews and Israelis, and it’s a lot to carry.
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it → surround → Jews
When I try to explain that to friends who aren’t Jewish, I’m told not to get political or that they “don’t understand the situation.”
But you don’t need to understand the entire Middle East to understand a friend who is scared.
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who → try → friend
You don’t have to agree with me about Israel to ask how my family is doing, to sit with me at lunch after a hard news day, or to speak up when someone makes a joke at a Jewish classmate’s expense.
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someone → have → expense
Jewish high schoolers aren’t asking their friends to choose a side or get political.
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schoolers → ask → side
We’re asking for empathy and support.
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We → ask → empathy
I’d rather be worrying about my next test.
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I → worry → test
For now, I’ll keep walking into school as a proud Jew, ready to defend my rights.
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I → keep → rights
All I’m asking is that my friends walk beside me.
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friends → ask → me
The Aporia
