Antisemitism is the Curriculum! How Safe Are College Campuses Like Columbia for Jewish Students?

Jewish college students are standing up—and they’re not backing down. In this powerful episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, Jonah sits down with two outstanding Jewish student leaders: Tessa Veksler (former UCSB Student Body President) and Eden Yadegar (Columbia University senior). These passionate advocates open up about what it's really like to be Jewish students facing antisemitism on college campuses today, no matter what you might see (or not!) on the news. Armed with their voices, courage, and personal histories as daughters of immigrants who escaped anti-Jewish regimes abroad, they’re reclaiming Jewish identity, challenging misinformation and demanding visibility, safety, and truth. And they’re doing it all in some of the most charged environments in higher education. We dive deep into: ✅ The shocking and pervasive rise of Jew hatred on college campuses ✅ The difference between more assimilated American Jews and those from families who fled persecution ✅ What Jewish student leaders are doing well — and where we need to go from here ✅ Engagement with the World Zionist Congress and global Jewish identity ✅ What inspires the next generation of Jewish advocates and how YOU can make a difference Whether you're a Jewish student, parent, educator, or ally, this episode offers honest insight, personal stories, and empowering takeaways. 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations about Jewish identity, culture, advocacy, and leadership. This episode is sponsored by PJ Library, the amazing non-profit that sends FREE age-appropriate Jewish storybooks and activities every single month to families with kids age 0-12. Did we mention, it’s free! Sign up today at pjlibrary.org/Jonah 00:00 Introduction and Guest Backgrounds 00:56 Experiences of Antisemitism on Campus 04:23 Personal Stories and Advocacy 07:27 Building Coalitions and Leadership 12:37 Reflections on College Experiences 32:26 Family Histories and Cultural Identity 34:41 Growing Up with a Soviet and Jewish Identity 35:54 Family's Perspective on Jewish Identity 37:48 The Impact of an Israel Trip 39:55 Experiences of Antisemitism and Advocacy 41:43 October 7th and Its Aftermath 48:37 Campus Reactions and Challenges 52:44 Future Aspirations and Advice 59:17 Lightning Round and Closing Thoughts Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://beingjewishwithjonahplatt.transistor.fm/subscribe Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BeingJewishPodcast Follow Jonah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonahplatt/ Follow the Show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beingjewishpodcast/ Join the conversation on Twitter: https://x.com/JonahPlatt TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beingjewish Threads: www.threads.net/@jonahplatt MENTIONED IN EPISODE: Sign Up for PJ Library To Receive Free Jewish Children's Books www.pjlibrary.org/jonah Follow Eden Yadegar on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/edenyadegar/?hl=en Follow Tessa Veksler on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tessaveksler/?hl=en Students Supporting Israel (SSI) - On-Campus Organization https://www.ssimovement.org/ Host & Production Team Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sean Leviashvili; Editor: Nathan Wheatley); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Creative Associate: Rachel Stern; Social Media Manager: Yuval Yosha; Graphic Designer Noah Bell