Challenging Times for Jewish College Students
The past two years have been particularly challenging for Jewish college students, with campuses becoming arenas of polarization rather than places of curiosity and critical exchange.
As upperclassmen at Harvard and McGill, we have witnessed peers feeling trapped between taking a strident side on nuanced conflicts or staying silent and withdrawing from the conversation altogether.
A recent event, Charlie Kirk's assassination, has further intensified the polarizing atmosphere, with some seeing his death as proof that civil discourse and free speech are impossible to achieve.
Dialogue isn't enough to fix what ails campuses. Jewish students like us need more.
- University administrators have been calling for pluralism and increasing investments in dialogue training.
- Students at Harvard and McGill believe it's possible to cut through polarization at colleges.
For students who care deeply about pluralism, this climate has felt especially isolating.
Author's summary: Jewish students face challenges on polarized campuses.