Changed Identity, Unchanged Faith: My Story 

I never thought I would feel unsafe as a Jew in America, a land my family and friends assured me we were safe in. However, since the October 7th attack, in which Jews were raped, mutilated, and murdered, antisemitism has been on the rise in the United States. How safe do I really feel as a Jew living in a country where people don't necessarily like me? 

A few months ago at our very own capital, many people gathered to support the ‘Free Palestine movement.’ This however quickly turned into an antisemitic rally. 

Besides the fact that it's not so reassuring to live in the United States, some say that even though there is an ongoing war in Israel they feel safer there than here, where anti-Semitism and Jew hate crimes are committed every single day.

The thought of many people around the world is that war is just war, and the war in Israel has nothing to do with the Jewish people in America. However, Jewish people still get backlash from the war as if we have control over what is going on abroad. We have no control over what goes on in Israel and if there is a ceasefire or not, yet, people automatically assume you do. I receive messages and comments such as ‘free Palestine’ or ‘ceasefire now,’ like I control what is going on in Israel.

While I have no control over what goes on, even outside my own home, being a Jew does in fact make me have at least some sort of connection to Israel. It is our homeland. The home of the Jewish people. How could I not?

It's hard, it really pulls you into it even though you are physically not there. The thoughts racing through my mind as I lay safe in my home, while hundreds are being killed overseas. It is if I’m doing nothing but I need to be doing everything.

In many ways, all Jews are connected and almost all of us know someone struggling so we must struggle for them from afar. Anti-Semitism is on the rise. Almost everyone I know has experienced it, including me. Yet we cannot let the bombardment of antisemitism change how we practice Judaism. It is in these times of conflict, that we the Jewish people are the strongest; we must stick together and not let anyone change who we are. We are the Jewish people, we are proud, strong, and never give up. Am Yisrael Chai.