During the holiday of Passover, Jews around the world retell the Exodus story — the Israelites’ passage from bondage in Egypt to freedom, from narrow places of fear and intimidation to a more expansive world. As Michael Walzer taught in his book “Exodus and Revolution,” Passover serves as a foundational story to understand political change and the process for creating a better society. In my Seder, we always include his classic line about “what the Exodus first taught … about the meaning and possibility of politics and about its proper form: first, that wherever you live, it is probably Egypt; second, that there is a better place, a world more attractive, a promised land; and third, that ‘the way to the land is through the wilderness.’ There is no way to get from here to there except by joining together and marching.’”
To so many of us, what is happening now under the Trump administration feels like a wilderness. At this moment, it is urgent that we join together. Let us be strengthened by the story of the brave midwives, Shifra and Puah, who defied the command of Pharaoh that all Hebrew baby boys be murdered at birth. It is because of their willingness to resist the Pharaoh that Moses survived. That story gives us courage to stand up to the threats and intimidation of the Trump administration. Central among those threats are recent attacks against institutions of higher education who have allegedly failed to protect Jewish students and combat antisemitism on their campuses.
My alma mater, Brown University, is apparently under review for not making its campus safe for Jews, but the Trump administration’s threats actually make the campus less safe for Jews. They evoke classical sentiments of resentment toward the Jewish community, which Trump is using as a scapegoat and a means to achieve an ulterior motive. That motive is to destroy institutions of higher education and to crush dissent through fear and threat. Making Jews the face of the administration’s despicable campaign may very well lead to a rise in antisemitic attacks. This is not good for Jews or anyone.
In response to this gross weaponization of antisemitism, 33 Jewish clergy, rabbis and cantors, who are also Brown alumni, signed a joint statement to challenge the Trump administration’s actions. Hailing from all over North America and Israel, spanning the graduation years of 1965 to 2006, signatories joined together to declare clearly that Trump’s threats have nothing to do with combating antisemitism. These rabbis and cantors have joined together to urge President Christina Paxson P’19 P’MD’20 and her administration to condemn Trump’s assault and not to cede any control of academic decisions to his administration. The 33 signatures and counting symbolize a powerful mutual understanding and collective unity that has led us to stand in solidarity with those on our campus who are most impacted by the attacks. It is critical that Brown continue to provide intellectual and communal support for everyone — domestic and international students, faculty and staff — and stand up for democracy, constitutional rights and freedom of expression.
I find it amazing that there are so many Brown alumni who are rabbis and cantors. Each of us was nourished in the Brown spirit of asking questions and of crossing disciplines, and it was on Brown’s campus that we were able to explore how important our Jewish identity was to us.
So long as we continue to join hands with our neighbors we will get through the wilderness, standing and marching together.
Rabbi Laura Geller ’71, a former Fellow and Trustee of the Brown Corporation, can be reached at rabbigeller@gmail.com. Please send responses to this op-ed to letters@browndailyherald.com and other opinions to opinions@browndailyherald.com
