Stand Up Taller, Speak Up Louder

By Leo Nayfeld
Miami University of Ohio

I want to make clear from the outset that every effort made by pro-Israel activists to promote Zionism on their campuses and in their communities is extremely important and that these activists must be thanked and commended for their courage. It is important to remember that you are a minority, a leader and a role model to many of your peers. Tangible successes have been made on many fronts. Israel Peace Week was held on over 50 campuses around the world to not only highlight Israel's efforts for peace but also to combat the absurd notion that Israel is in some way comparable to apartheid South Africa. Universities across the country have successfully defeated motions for universities to officially divest from Israel. The upcoming AIPAC Policy Conference is expected to be the largest in history with 10,000 participants, many of whom are university and high school students.

However, our efforts are tragically not enough. Speakers such as Norman Finkelstein (avid Holocaust minimizer and open supporter of Hezbollah) and Omar Barghoutti (founder of the BDS movement) are still invited to speak and are given credence in centers of academia. Jewish students were not allowed to attend an anti-Semitic lecture that was part of the "Never Again for Anyone" tour at Rutgers University. A female student, whom I know personally, was physically assaulted at the University of California, Berkeley for simply holding an Israel flag near a male member of the Students for Justice in Palestine. A large conference entitled "Move Over AIPAC" with guest speakers such as Helen Thomas and Ali Abunimah is being held to attempt to end American-Israeli ties. And finally, the Palestinian Authority is applying for, and will likely receive, unilateral state recognition in 1967 boundaries from the United Nations General Assembly in September.

As much as it pains me to say it, we are losing the fight. And we are losing at a pace more rapid than ever. Thus, I call on each and every reader: stand up taller, speak up louder, and never be afraid to voice your love for the Jewish state. Israel is not only a beacon of democracy and freedom not only in the Middle East, but an example to the world. I am very impressed when a country of 7 million is a technological and environmental innovator, and can boast more Nobel Prize winners per capita than any country in the world since 1948. However, that is not why I love Israel, and I am confident that if you look deep within, you will come to a similar conclusion; I love Israel, for she is my home. Israel is the only place in the world where Jews have had sovereignty over the last 3000 years. Israel is the only place in the world where Jews have not had to worry about being discriminated against based on ethnicity or religion but rather are judged on their merits. Equally as important is the fact that the strength of Israel is directly related to the strength and freedom of world Jewry in the Diaspora. Jews have never lived better in the West than we do now and it is because there is a state that will welcome us if we are ever in need.

The enemies of Israel do not hold anything back when fighting to destroy the country we love. Their blatant lies of occupation, racism, and excessive force are unfounded but have nonetheless turned into a slogan that we are all familiar with. I call on you to never succumb to fear or pressure, and to never apologize for being a Zionist. Our backs are up against the wall, and the time to act is now. We do not have a moment to waiver or waste, as, together, we must fight to preserve the strength and safety of the Jewish state.

Leo Nayfeld is a graduating senior from Miami University. Leo has been active both on his campus and in Israel advocacy throughout the region.

[Posted 5/4/11]