Amidst antisemitism, Harvard Divinity grad Shabbos Kestenbaum proudly stands strong in his faith.

On July 17, 2024, at the Milwaukee Republican National Convention (RNC), several "everyday Americans" spoke, including Shabbos Kestenbaum, a 25-year-old Orthodox Jew and Harvard Divinity School graduate.

Kestenbaum stated in a recent interview with Planet Chronicle Digital that his faith has given him comfort and solace during difficult times. He added that it has also been a source of strength for him.

In Milwaukee, Kestenbaum began his speech by declaring, "As a first-generation American and an Orthodox Jew, I am proud. However, five months ago, I became even prouder as I filed a lawsuit against Harvard University for its inaction against antisemitism."

Kestenbaum stated that recent events have strengthened his identification with his Jewish faith and identity.

"After Oct. 7, I purchased a larger skullcap and felt more proud to be Jewish. I've never been more proud to stand with my brothers and sisters in the land of Israel. Despite challenges, I won't back down."

After the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, many Jewish students across America experienced an uptick in antisemitism that they saw and felt keenly.

""I was harassed by my peers for being a Jew and received countless death threats online after planting 1,200 Israeli and American flags on campus," he said."

According to Kestenbaum, Harvard students and professors openly supported new Hamas-style attacks against the United States and refused to immediately and unequivocally condemn the murder of 45 American citizens and hostage taking of 12 Americans on Oct. 7.

Students in tents on campus were shouting antisemitic slogans like "Globalize the intifada" and "Resistance is justified when people are occupied," he said.

Kestenbaum stated that he is "strongly linked" to Israel, as he has numerous family members, including close relatives, residing in the country.

In 2019, he graduated from a two-year program at Aish, a Jewish educational organization in Jerusalem, where he studied Jewish philosophy, ethics, and law.

He stated that the Aish program motivated him to pursue religious studies in a broader academic setting at Harvard, which, in his opinion, turned out to be a bitter disappointment.

Kestenbaum revealed to Planet Chronicle Digital that he quickly discovered that "traditional Judaism, which views its connection to the land of Israel as essential, was not widely accepted."

According to him, his own experience at school revealed that Israel was taught about in a manner that primarily emphasized settler colonialism, apartheid, genocide, and racism, rather than focusing on other aspects of the land of Israel.

Kestenbaum mentioned the recent Jewish holiday of the Seventeenth of Tammuz, which commemorates the destruction of the second temple when Roman soldiers breached the walls surrounding Jerusalem in 70 CE.

""In 2024, we will fast to commemorate the destruction that occurred 3,000 years ago, as we are intrinsically connected to the land of Israel and deeply care about its events," he stated."

In his experience, he said that what is usually taught is that anti-Zionism is not equivalent to antisemitism.

Planet Chronicle Digital reached out to Harvard Divinity School for comment.

In April, Harvard filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. According to Jason A. Newton, Harvard's spokesperson, the university is dedicated to fighting antisemitism and ensuring that its Jewish students, faculty, staff, and alumni feel safe, valued, and welcomed in the community.

‘Shared destiny’

During Passover, Kestenbaum reported that Harvard students in tents on campus were shouting antisemitic slogans such as "Globalize the intifada" and "Resistance is justified when people are occupied."

After his RNC speech, delegates came up to him to say that parishes and communities in South Dakota and Iowa were praying for the Jewish community.

Kestenbaum stated that these slogans "eliminated any Jewish ties to their ancestral and historical homeland" and were a "demand for the ethnic annihilation of Jewish individuals ... for the extermination of Jewish people during Passover."

Claudine Gay's resignation from Harvard's presidency on Jan. 2, 2024, has led to an increase in antisemitism, with Jews being accused of being responsible for her departure and being labeled "baby killers," according to Kestenbaum, who discussed this during a Planet Chronicle segment.

Unfortunately, we are accustomed to persecution, discrimination, and bigotry. The Jewish people have always been the canary in the coal mine.

"Our shared destiny is very much felt," he added, emphasizing that what begins with us does not end with us.

Instead of believing in the negative stereotypes about Jewish people, he advised that individuals should observe their actions and behavior for themselves.

"We would love to have you for Shabbat dinner. Talk with us. Speak with us," he said.

Your prayers are felt and effective, so please pray for us.

After his RNC speech, delegates approached him to share that parishes and communities in South Dakota and Iowa were praying for the Jewish community.

He proposed that individuals advocate for the release of hostages by reaching out to policymakers.

Yael Halon of Planet Chronicle Digital contributed reporting.