October 7th, 2nd year statement

10-07-2025 06:29 hours UTC+3 Dear Reader… It’s been two years. Two long agonizing years of pain, grief on one hand, and utter exhaustion and fatigue. I was born in the shadow of the 9/11 attacks and the Global War on Terror. I never thought I’d end up being on the front lines of the War on Terror, and I didn’t even enlist. Meet the new soldier of the War on Terror. He or She is not a member of any special forces unit, they are merely a university student, at best they have some idea how to navigate a bureaucratic mess some call a system, other times they’re only 16 with no idea what tomorrow’s classes may bring. A uniform? Nonexistent, at most maybe a hoodie and a pair of jeans. Their pack isn’t packed with rations, a sleeping bag, a map or a compass. Instead, their pack at best is packed with textbooks, a calculator if they’re in the sciences, a laptop, and a disorganized mess of papers, maybe even a small flask of contraband liquor if one’s feeling naughty. Instead of a rifle, their mind, eyes, and words are their best tools. Their theatre of war, their own university campus, a place that was supposed to be a safe academic environment. This has been the reality for the past two years for students who are Jewish, Allies and Defenders of the Jewish People, and frankly anyone who didn’t fit into the Orwellian status quo of universities. Within hours of the Oct 7th attacks occurring, many were awoken to celebrations and rallies in support of the attacks. Many were rightfully nervous, many still were confused, and some still felt History’s hand press us into a fight unlike anything we’ve dealt with before. Some of us took to social media, some used their current positions as a tool for good, and others like myself, acted discreetly and spread whispers in the shadows and halls of campuses. Many, like myself, after witnessing mass celebrations of terrorist attacks, instinctually realized that we had to act and we did the best we could with whatever skills we knew. We taught ourselves to improvise and think up solutions on a dime. However, as we pass two years into this fight for our campuses, some are beginning to worry that we may be in a fight without an end, the sad truth is, that is probably a fair assessment. Sure, that is a pessimistic outlook, but definitely a realistic outlook. Antisemitism on campus is nothing new and given that many administrators and faculty were trained at institutions infiltrated with antisemitism, this is going to be a long arduous endeavor. For those new to university life, especially if you’re Jewish or Zionist, you may be reading this and intimidated by the idea that the moment you step onto campus, you’re not just a student but also a new kind of warrior in the War on Terror today. To those of you who are new or looking into joining this mess, I have a message for you. If you feel alone, you are not. If you feel isolated, I have been in your place before and I totally get it. Jews and Zionists alike are not in the majority; this is a fact we cannot change anytime soon. Forgive me if I sound like a marine corps recruiter but we must embody the words “The Few, The Proud”. No one can remove who you are, and even if you don’t show it physically, remember it mentally. And remember that no matter where you go, you will find like-minded friends and collaborators in the shadows of your campus, keep knocking and the door will be opened, keep seeking and you’ll find us. Finally, even after the Hostages return home, the stateside battle for Jewish students and the fight against terror on campuses will continue, we’re in it for the long haul. I’ll see you somewhere, on campus. Am Yisrael Chai Your Friend in the Shadows.