Faculty Corner: Zionophobia – our only fighting word

In this inaugural opening of the Student-Faculty Corner of Ha’Am, I would like to elaborate on an idea that I advocated in my interview two weeks ago. The idea is simple: From my observations of campus life in the past…

Submission: Vote “Yes” to move Westwood Forward on Tuesday, May 22

Stakeholders in Westwood are being asked to vote on whether or not a broad coalition of UCLA students, UCLA faculty and staff, Westwood businesses, homeowners and renters should get their own Neighborhood Council to better represent their interests. While this might not…

Activists Must Avoid Flippant Responses to Protesters

After a major Jewish community leader sticks his middle finger up at protesters, we need to rethink how we engage with those with whom we disagree. An old adage suggests that if you don’t have something nice to say, you…

Submission: The Jewish community’s vote must be earned

I want to take you back to the UCLA I was admitted to three years ago, in the spring of 2015. A close friend of mine, Ariel Rafalian, was running for Transfer Student Representative in a hard fought student government…

One Issue ≠ Endorsement

The Jewish Community must do a better job of picking and choosing our battles. An old adage suggests that “two Jews, [have] three opinions.” This appears to suggest reference to the indecisiveness and appreciate for debate which Jews are renown.…

A Response to Mr. Robert Gardner

Reading Mr. Robert Gardner’s submission in the Daily Bruin, I was bewildered and angered. It is one thing to criticize the policies of the Israeli government, as I do frequently. It is another to presumptuously define another’s identity and fallaciously mask bigoted…

Student workers’ divestment demands may be bad news, despite no mention of Israel

UAW 2865, which represents UC campus TAs, included a “financial practices” demand in a new list of goals ahead of contract bargaining with system administrators in June.

Israel should do more for non-Jewish refugees

Three years ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to accept any Syrian refugees, citing Israel’s “lack of demographic and geographic depth.” Netanyahu characterized such a policy as a threat to the majority Jewish character of Israel, even though pro-refugee…

Hypocrisy arises as Jewish community advocates call for the release of UCSD student and DACA recipient, Orr Yakobi

A Jewish UC San Diego student and DACA recipient was detained at the U.S./Mexico border Jan. 7, after he and his roommate accidentally took a wrong turn into Mexico—sparking widespread advocacy for his release. Orr Yakobi, originally from Israel, who…

The “Two-Party Solution” Israel Needs

A growing feud between Trump and the PA threatens Israel’s bipartisan support in the United States, which can spell trouble for campus activists.