Harvard alumnus and activist Shabbos Kestenbaum stated on Thursday that Israel should take further steps to support Jewish students who are now at the forefront of combating anti-Semitism as emerging leaders.

He stated in an interview that the Democratic Party had forsaken the requirements of Jewish Americans as they assumed their backing was guaranteed.
The Jerusalem Post
prior to joining the International Conference on Combatting Antisemitism later in the day in Jerusalem.

The conference provided a platform to encourage Israeli leadership to offer greater backing to the students who remained steadfast in their stance.
antisemitism
on campus, Kestenbaum said.

The students “are wearing Star of David necklaces in unfriendly settings and even waving Israeli flags on campuses where such acts have led to violence — actually being set on fire previously — so we must stand with them,” he stated.

“They are not just future leaders; they are current leaders,” he said additionally.

Kestenbaum mentioned that many young American Jews had realized the harsh truth following the October 7 massacre. These individuals wanted to become more involved with their Jewish community, yet they found that the established Jewish organizations were ill-prepared to address their requirements, as he explained.

Kestenbaum has taken a leading role in tackling antisemitism and extreme anti-Israel sentiment at Harvard. He mentioned that students from his former university, who had physically attacked their Jewish classmates, as well as professors involved in the protest camps, faced no disciplinary action. Instead, these professors were even offered an incentive: they would be teaching a new course titled “Palestine, A 1,000-Year History.”

Campus antisemitism

Kestenbaum had filed a
civil-rights lawsuit against Harvard
In January, along with several other students who had reached settlements with the university, he persisted with the legal action aiming to bring about broader structural changes on campus, as he mentioned.

The committees established by Harvard to examine and tackle anti-Semitism on campus proved ineffective, as their purpose was merely to protect the institution rather than bring about real changes, according to Kestenbaum. He mentioned that two key figures from the committee had stepped down after realizing what the group truly represented. It’s reportedly being headed now by an individual who asserts that claims of anti-Semitism at Harvard have been overstated, he further noted.

“The Jewish experience, not only at Harvard but also across numerous college campuses in the United States,” was characterized as “a matter of double standards,” according to Kestenbaum.

“We Jews aren’t seeking special privileges under the law; what we want is fair and equal treatment under the law,” he stated.

Kestenbaum has been collaborating with the Task Force to Combat Antisemitism. He mentioned that under President Donald Trump’s administration, considerable progress was made against antisemitism on campuses.

Kestenbaum addressed the topic at the 2024 Republican National Convention.

Voting for Trump

“I backed President Trump wholeheartedly because he was the sole candidate who assured us, directly to our faces, that laws would be enforced once more; that if someone on a foreign student visa gets arrested or supports terror groups such as Hamas, or harasses Jewish individuals heading to classes, they would be sent back to their home countries,” he stated.

Kestenbaum mentioned that he was not consistently an advocate for Republican politicians – despite being a registered Democrat who previously campaigned for Democratic candidates – and tried to address the issue of increasing antisemitism with the Democratic Party.

Kestenbaum mentioned that he and several others extended an invitation to then-presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris to accompany Trump at the Ohel — the burial site of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, in New York City — for commemorating the October 7 tragedy along with family members who were taken hostage. However, she turned down their offer. He also stated that her team rejected another similar invite scheduled for a different date.

Kestenbaum mentioned that he advised the Democratic Party to include speeches at the Democratic National Convention from progressive Jewish students and individuals affected by antisemitism, however, his suggestion was turned down.

At a particular juncture, there must be an acknowledgment within the American Jewish community that politics operate solely through transactions. If a specific political party chooses not to back us, that is their right; however, we will withhold our backing from them,” he stated. “One reason I think the Democratic Party became progressively more antagonistic towards the State of Israel might be due to their belief that they can count on around 75% to 85% of the American Jewish votes anyway. Hence, why should they make compromises with a demographic that supports them irrespective of their actions?

Kestenbaum expressed his hope that voices like those of Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-New York) and Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania), would rise and gain more prominence. However, he did not hold much optimism regarding an imminent change in direction for the Democratic Party.