PART TWO: Jewish student Michelle Aylyarov talks campus life post-Oct. 7, anti-semitism and finding middle ground amid divide – The Cauldron
In an interview with The Cauldron on Feb. 23, Michelle Aylyarov, biology major and secretary of Hillel at Cleveland State University, discussed Jewish student life amid the war unfolding in Israel and Palestine following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.
This is the second half of the conversation, which focuses on Aylyarov’s thoughts on growing anti-Israel sentiment, the future of the war, and Alec Popivker, as well as advice for fellow students.
Anti-Israel sentiment
The increasing lack of security for Jewish students, according to Aylyarov, involves a fear to overtly express their identity due to constantly being associated with Israel in the wake of explosive anti-Israel sentiment—online and on campus.
“I believe that there was a shift in environment [since the war began], especially because, first of all, you felt less comfortable sharing your opinions. You felt less comfortable expressing your identity and your culture,” began Aylyarov. “And you felt like, ‘just because I’m Jewish, people automatically associate me with Israel.’ For example, you’ll see a Jewish person posting something on Instagram. And then, in the comments, there’s a bunch of ‘Free Palestine’ flags.”
This failure to distinguish Jews from Israel, Aylyarov adds, doesn’t imply that she believes Judiam and the state of Israel, as well as Zionism, are not intertwined. She describes the relationship between Judaism and Zionism as a “venn diagram,” with intersections and differences, adding the importance of Israel to Jewish people.
“Judaism and Israel are not necessarily one in the same. However, the reason why Israel exists to us is [because] it’s a place where we can have asylum,” said Aylyarov. “It’s a place that we have been yearning to go back to for 3,000 years, because for all of history, we have been persecuted unjustly. We have been blamed for things. We have been brutally murdered in the millions…And simply over the fact that we’re Jewish.”
While Aylyarov describes herself as “a proud Zionist,” she emphasizes that such may not be the case for all Jews, while also distinguishing Israel’s right to exist from the actions of the Israeli government.
“I think you’ll find that the majority, if not most Jewish people do not support the Israeli government, but that doesn’t go to say that they don’t support Israel’s right to exist…You can be a Zionist and not be Jewish and you can be Jewish but not support Israel. But you’ll find that [the] majority of Jews do support Israel’s right to exist, which is what Zionism means.”
Zionism, by definition, is the Jewish right to self-determination and statehood, though that understanding has begun to shift as more people criticize the actions of the Israeli government and how they affect the Palestinian people, one example being the continued establishment of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
With that said, Aylyarov has sought middle ground on such highly divisive topics with her fellow Palestinian, Arab and Muslim peers, many of whom are her friends.
“The majority of my friends at this school are Arab and Muslim. We have very, very beautiful and open-ended conversations, not just about what’s happening in Israel and Palestine, but also about the similarities between us,” said Aylyarov. “And I have actually found that it has been so much more comfortable for us to have those conversations because there are so many more similarities between us than there are differences.”
In fact, Aylyarov observes that the most hurtful or misinformed comments are made by those who are neither Jewish nor Palestinian, which risks promoting violence.
“It’s genuinely one of the most painful things because my entire family lives in Israel, and I have friends whose families live in Gaza, and I have friends whose families live in the West Bank, so I don’t ever want to say that one side is right and one side is wrong, you know?”
An end to the war
Since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, which includes a bombing campaign and ground invasion, has killed over 30,000 Palestinians in an attempt to defeat Hamas. These figures have been reported by AP News, New York Times, NPR, Al Jazeera and other news outlets.
For Aylyarov, there can be no ceasefire without the release of the hostages first. However, she feels that Hamas stands in the way.
“I think the minute that the hostages are released is when genuine ceasefire conversations are going to be had. I also think a lot of people will choose to twist this, but Israel has offered a ceasefire agreement to Hamas in light that they released the hostages. That has been denied.”
In January, Israel offered the longest ceasefire deal to Hamas it has to date since the war started, involving the release of all remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for some Palestinian hostages in Israel and a two-month pause to the fighting. The deal fell through since Hamas sought—and continues to seek—a permanent ceasefire before hostage release, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyuhu will not agree to for the sake of Israel’s security.
Upon being asked whether or not she agrees with Netanyahu’s approach to taking out Hamas, Aylyarov described the question as one with a nuanced answer.
“I think it’s really complicated. I don’t really know how else it can happen. We know for a fact that there’s humanitarian corridors being set up. The Israeli government is setting up humanitarian corridors. Hamas is not doing that. Israel is making an effort to actually get people out of their homes.”
Humanitarian aid is a subject of particular contention. According to AP News, throughout the war, the Israeli military has “refus[ed] to facilitate deliveries of crucial humanitarian aid,” as the entire Gazan population faces starvation. Even when Israel has conceded and allowed the aid to enter, humanitarian organizations on the ground reportedly struggle to distribute it due to “a cumbersome inspection process” and even fear of falling victim to the warfare.
However, Israel has continuously denied the claim of deliberate blockade of aid, shifting the blame onto Hamas for “hoarding food and supplies” and onto the humanitarian organizations for not distributing the aid that makes it to the Palestinian side of the border. State security is also a major concern for Israel in its processes. Overall, the debate continues.
Regarding Israel’s approach to the war at large, while Aylyarov finds Netanhayu’s actions to “go a bit overboard,” she acknowledges his obligation to protect the citizens of Israel from Hamas:
“I don’t believe that most Jewish people think that what’s happening in Gaza is good. This is a very, very difficult situation because we’re all suffering from a very difficult thing. There’s a war happening and it’s a war that nobody wants to see happen. But, is it a war that was inevitable or is it a war that, if we stop now…is it only a matter of time before it begins again and something else terrible happens?”
She adds that “it’s better to displace [the Palestinians] than to kill them,” firmly believing that the displacement is temporary and that Israel will allow for Gaza to be “completely Palestinian” one day.
The future of Gaza remains uncertain and also at the center of a contentious debate that predates the current war.
Comment on Popivker
Whie Aylyarov refuses to give comment on Alec Popivker on behalf of Hillel, she mentions the brief video clip that recently went viral of two CSU students in an altercation with him.
The students, who alleged in a police report that Popivker acted as the aggressor in the situation, were seen sticking their middle fingers out and pouring liquid onto signs put up by the notorious figure. Popivker was charged with aggravated menacing and ethnic intimidation, though the case was ultimately dismissed.
“Regardless of who it’s being said to, things like that, we just, we don’t do,” Aylyarov shares regarding the students’ behavior in the video. “We have to be a little bit more mature than that as students….especially knowing the things that certain students want to do, you know? You wanna be in healthcare, you wanna help people—you can’t say stuff like that. It hurts more people than it helps. It’s not productive whatsoever.”
Final message
Aylyarov offers a message to Jewish students who may feel unsafe or unheard during this time of struggle, while encouraging them to embrace their Jewish identity with pride.
“There are places for you to feel safe. And there are places where you can express yourself. Organizations like Hillel or Chabad are open to you. If you feel like you want to be surrounded by more Jewish people, that’s a great place for you to go. There are people who you can talk to about the current situation happening in Israel and Gaza.”
She asks fellow students to exercise grace with students who “are grieving and suffering,” while being mindful about the influence of their words.
“Let’s work towards conversation rather than rude remarks and things that can lead to more conflict. This is a situation where, because we live here, we’re very lucky that we can have an open-ended conversation and use that to our advantage. And if you feel like there’s things that you don’t understand, reach out to your fellow Jewish students, reach out to your fellow Palestinian students and have conversations.”
Hillel at CSU is open to all Jewish students on campus, as well as non-Jewish students who are curious about the organization’s work and Judaism at large, Aylyarov assures.
Visit part one of the conversation here.