Since the horror of Oct 7, anti-Israel rhetoric has continued to implode on college
campuses, and is risking the mental health and functioning of students in our community. In the last two weeks, I have met with students at three of our campuses: Guelph, Queens, and Laurier/Waterloo. In each setting, students described struggling with increased anti-semitism and anti-Israel sentiment in their social circles. These students were distressed, scared, and made anxious by these experiences. They described feeling ostracized, ignored, accused of supporting the “genocide” of innocent civilians, and accused of being racist for their connections to and support of the state of Israel. And I know that they are not alone, and many of you are experiencing the exact same types of stress. How do you continue to manage your day-to-day activities and responsibilities, and do the job of ‘just being a student’, while this is all happening?
As a therapist, I often hear from clients about challenges in relationships; I support clients in identifying abusive dynamics, and in developing standards for how they should be treated. This generally involves the development of boundaries to protect themselves from maltreatment, while also empowering them to feel stronger. I am now working with students and showing them how these forms of self-preservation apply here as well. Like a person in an abusive relationship, no young person should have to tolerate such maltreatment. Unfortunately, in the context of the late adolescence/emerging adult social landscape, this is easier said than done.
So what would I, as a therapist, recommend?
1. Be aware that experiences of racism, discrimination, and bullying (both overt and also by way of exclusion), are associated with increased levels of anxiety and depression. Give yourself permission to decline invitations to spaces where you may not feel safe.
2. If you find yourself in a situation where fellow students are using antisemitic language, spewing hatred against Jewish people and/or Israel, know that you do not have to take this. It is likely that some of you may feel emboldened to challenge the open hatred for Israel and Zionism that is happening on our campuses in real time. In the meantime, walk away. Unfollow or block that ‘friend’. There are other ways to fight what is happening, and many will likely be more effective than getting into verbal altercations (and possibly risk getting hurt).
3. Students, find your people. Go to Hillel, Chabad, and other Jewish spaces, and be with your communities. Share your time with friends (whether Jewish or of other faiths and ethnicities) that are sensitive to what you are experiencing.
4. Explore ways to increase your self-confidence, and feel empowered to be yourself, comfortable in all your intersecting identities. Some ways to do so include: engaging in social action initiatives in support of the Jewish community and Israel, as well as other social justice causes that are important to you; volunteering to help those that are suffering (i.e. sending letters to families who are affected by the war, or to soldiers on the front-lines, as well as engaging in charitable initiatives for other marginalized groups; and do other things that make you feel strong and healthy (exercise, sleep hygiene, good nutrition, and even a self-defense class).
5. If you experience or witness an act of antisemitism (bullying, violence, discrimination, damage to property etc..) anywhere on campus or in the campus community, do not keep it to yourself, where it will fester and grow. Your Hillel staff are there to support you (even if you have never stepped foot inside a Hillel space)!. You can also report an incident to: hillelontario.org/report-incident
6. Prioritize self-care. Taking time for yourself to engage in activities that you enjoy, whether this involves watching a sitcom, listening to music, being in nature, or ‘whatever floats your boat’, is good for the soul, and protective of one’s mental health. It will give you ‘money in the bank’ to be able to manage the frightening and triggering situations that you are being faced with during this challenging time.
The college and university landscapes have changed since Oct 7. While antisemitism on campus was a concern two weeks ago, the so-called ‘activists’, those who spew hatred against Jews and supporters of the state of Israel, have become emboldened and louder since Israel rose to defend itself from terror. It is important for Jewish students to take measures to protect their mental health as they navigate this new(er) normal. If you or any of your peers are in need of support, remember that Wellness at Hillel Ontario is here. Contact us at counselling@hillelontario.org.
