The following poem and subsequent commentary were submitted by Hailey Zill, a third-year student majoring in World Arts and Cultures and Sociology. Hailey is passionate about all things art, Jewish, and travel but most importantly, she loves cats; she is a crazy cat lady indeed! The cover art was created by Noa Lehrer. Noa is passionate about the arts and when she’s not making something you can find her marathon training around LA!
Shhh. Do you hear it?
The sound of my fragile, frustrated heart
The heart that beats beneath the pearly white bones of my body
Buried deep beneath the imperfections of my tough skin
Though my heart screams for attention
The same way a mime struggles to get out of the box
Resting upon my chest of triumph, lays the symbol of my belonging
My sanctuary, my comfort, my identity
My strength, all wrapped up in a six-pointed beautiful story
My Jewish star.
My fight for a voice in the crowd
The motivating blue that surrounds me as I prepare for battle
Me and my six-pointed star against the evils of the ignorant
My thoughts intertwined with messages of “death con 3” against my own,
I turn to the color blue
A blue that fills me with so much pride
A blue that surrounds the walls of my bedroom
A radiance that reminds me of my room of jumbles
But in that jumble, holds memory, family, and my voice
A jumble of the sounds of my mom, my sister, my dad
A collection of voices that keep me grounded when I fight the battle of antisemitism
Nurturing voices that dance to the sound of every word, every touch, every breath
They are my blue, my refuge, my comfort
My jewelry reminds me of their presence
As I wear the words “Unconditional love” in Hebrew around my finger
“L’Chaim!” they say, keep your blue alive
A blue rug, blue walls, blue clothes, blue blue blue
The blue of my six-pointed friend
A blue of frustration and tenderness
Love and hatredPain and battle
A blue that willows into a darkness of hate
Only to come back to offer me a warm embrace
Blue is my home
Blue is my six-pointed friend.
Every day, Jewish students tackle the battle of antisemitism. The barrage is non-stop, whether through misinformed Instagram posts, propaganda shaping Jews into the enemy, hate speech from my peers at UCLA, or death threats against my loved ones. I feel that I always have to protect, defend, and advocate for the Jewish community, here and worldwide.
Since the events of October 7, antisemitic hate incidents have increased by 337%. These manifest near and far from home. Jews face threats to burn synagogues, are forced to hear chants of “intifada,” explicit calls for violence against Jews, on their university campuses. Meanwhile, Paul Kessler, a Jewish man, was murdered less than an hour away from UCLA. Here at UCLA, we have witnessed students with knives slashing down photos of Israeli hostages and posters claiming “Jews are turning into Nazis;” the idea of “never again” seems invisible.
Jewish students have found solace, togetherness, and community in response to the callousness. To seek refuge from the campus chaos, I turn to Jewish communities on campus: Chabad, Olami, and Hillel. They have become my “home away from home,” a feeling that my school has utterly failed to provide for me and so many other Jewish students. As a student who loves writing, I use my frustration with antisemitism and love for my Jewish identity as a centerpiece of many creative endeavors. I am particularly proud of the following poem: “My Six-Pointed Friend.” This poem speaks to the power, courage, beauty, belonging, and community that constitute a Jewish identity. It serves as a collective voice of Jews around the world who are struggling to come to terms with the state of the world. I aim to empower Jews to never hide who they are, embrace mitzvot, and stand strong in their convictions. I hope this poem serves as an inspiration to many. I hope you love reading it as much as I did writing it.
