Stand Together: Remarks from Hillel Student Leaders
On November 10, 2024, thousands of Jewish people from all over the world came together in Washington, D.C. to show their support for each other and for Israel. The “Stand Together: A Day of Solidarity” rally, hosted by the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, featured speakers from across the spectrum of Jewish life, including political leaders like Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.), Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa). Among the speakers were two Jewish student leaders from Hillel International’s Israel Leadership Network, Shani Menna and Evan Cohen. We are excited to share their inspiring remarks with you, as prepared for delivery:
SM: My name is Shani Menna, and I am a proud American, a proud Israeli, a proud Jew, and a proud Zionist. I am a pre-med human biology student at UC San Diego. And I am the chair of Hillel International’s Israel Leadership Network.
EC: And my name is Evan Cohen. I am an American Jew and a proud Zionist. I am a computer science major and French minor at the University of Michigan. And I am the president of Michigan Hillel’s Wolverines for Israel and a vice-chair of Hillel International’s Israel Leadership Network.
SM: Over the last year, professors and students have attempted to rewrite history and redefine our identities.
The truth is, antisemitism on college campuses did not begin after October 7th. Since my freshman year at UCSD, we’ve listened to our student government debate resolutions holding Israel to a double standard. We’ve seen Students for Justice in Palestine build their Apartheid Wall in the center of our campus… And plaster it with blood libels. And days after October 7th, still reeling in tragedy, we heard fellow students chanting for the annihilation of the only Jewish state.
But I stand up to them. They chant, “From the river to the sea.” And I ask, “You mean the genocide of the Jewish people?”
Our greatest threat to those who wish us harm is our unshakable pride. They try to silence us with fear and uncertainty, but we respond defiantly by being loud and proud.
Our freedom is one that no bully can take away. Just as our brothers and sisters in Israel have a duty to defend our borders, we, as Jewish students, have a duty to defend Jewish life and experience on campus.
EC: Like Shani, I have been fighting for Israel since I got to college.
I grew up here in the United States, and love for Israel was a big part of my life. I was fortunate not to experience antisemitism growing up, but I knew it was out there.
Then, as I was about to graduate from high school, there was the 2021 Gaza War. It was the first time I truly experienced antisemitism and anti-Zionism. Just days after I committed to study at the University of Michigan, my soon-to-be student government released a one-sided anti-Israel statement.
I reached out to the Israel club on campus, and I asked, “How can I help?” They said, “We need you to come to Michigan, and we need you to get involved.”
That’s exactly what I did.
Since October 7th, I’ve helped organize pro-Israel events on the Michigan campus, with thousands of students attending. These events united the entire Jewish community, just like those around the country and world. Despite political or religious differences, we know that we’re stronger together. Our shared history and values mean we have more in common than what might divide us.
At the end of the day, what matters is that we stand united. What matters is that we stand strong. What matters is that we stand for Israel and for the Jewish people.
That’s what we’re doing here today, and that’s what we’re going to keep doing.
SM+EC: Am Yisrael chai!