Holocaust Survivor Urges Jewish Students to Embrace Identity Amid Rising Antisemitism

Ninety-eight-year-old Holocaust survivor Net Leipzig has penned an open letter to Jewish students, urging them to embrace their identity and resist rising antisemitism, particularly on university campuses. Leipzig, who endured the ghetto, a death march, and Auschwitz, where his mother and sister perished, drew parallels between the start of World War II and the current climate following the October 7th Hamas attacks.

He addressed the fear and anger Jewish students may feel returning to campus, noting instances where the atrocities of October 7th were met with justification, celebration, or silence. Leipzig highlighted the resurgence of age-old antisemitic tropes and the pressure on Jewish individuals to answer for distant events or hide their identity.

Leipzig emphasized that Jewish students are not responsible for the hatred directed at them and should not have to conceal their heritage to feel accepted. He defined antisemitism as the imposition of collective guilt, the reduction of individuals to symbols, and the demand for Jews to account for their Jewishness. He distinguished legitimate criticism of any government, including Israel's, from the harassment, exclusion, or glorification of violence against Jews.

He encouraged students to explore their rich Jewish heritage beyond persecution, suggesting engagement with Jewish history, family stories, synagogues, and cultural traditions. Leipzig asserted that a deep understanding of one's identity diminishes the power of hateful rhetoric.

Recalling the establishment of Israel as a response to Jewish powerlessness, Leipzig stated that Jewish rights are human rights. He urged students to find strength in community, support one another, and stand against all forms of racism and discrimination. He also stressed the importance of studying Jewish history to counter propaganda against the Jewish people and Israel.

Leipzig concluded by expressing hope, inspired by witnessing the resilience of Jewish life and the engagement of young people on the "March of Life" in Auschwitz. He passed the torch of Jewish continuity to the current generation, encouraging them to carry it with pride, compassion, and strength.