Pittsburgh Shooting Affects Westridge Campus 

On October 27, 2018, the Pittsburgh shooting of 11 Jewish men and women at the Tree of Life congregation shook both America and Westridge campus with its lethality. Monday after the shooting, Westridge’s Jewish affinity gathered, including Jewish faculty, and grieved over the murdered men and women. An electric candle was lit and a Jewish mourning prayer recited. In doing so, the affinity created unity within the Westridge Jewish community and connected with the community in Pittsburgh.

 

Amid the chatter of students at lunch, Rachel H ‘19, head of Jewish affinity, described the blow of the devastating Pittsburgh shooting. “It was a huge shock for sure.. I read the headline and I thought ‘wow that’s terrible there’s a shooting in Pittsburgh,’ and then I read the second line and I was like oh, it was in a synagogue, and that just hit me really hard.”

 

But with the heartbreak over this shooting has also come contemplation about why anti-Semitism persists in American society. Conversations are emerging all across the country, as well as within Westridge campus, seeking a concrete reason for the violence that occurred October 27th. Although numerous components come into play regarding anti-Semitism, one solvable issue surfaces for many Jews on campus: overlooked Jewish marginalization on Westridge campus and beyond.

 

“So often at Westridge we sort of erase the Jewish experience, and I think that’s something that… sort of sets the stage for more violent anti-Semitism when it’s consistently refused to acknowledge that Jews are still marginalized and oppressed in many ways even if they’re privileged in other[s]” explained Rachel on the topic.

 

The kind of erasure felt by Jews on and off campus is the foundation of anti-Semitism. Benjamin Gladstone studies Judaic Studies and Middle East Studies at Brown University and researches the facets of anti-semitism in America. In an article, he explains both the foundations of anti-Semitism and how it bolsters more violent hatred: “Anti-Semitism constructs its subject [the Jews] as powerful, dominating, and privileged. If Jews are oppressors, then they cannot be included in intersectional coalitions, and their experience of oppression is erased” Gladstone says.

 

The narrative of Jews as “oppressors” fuels violence.  Hours before the shooting, the 46 year old gunman, Robert D. Bowers posted on the site Gab: “HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) likes to bring invaders in that kill our people. I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered.” Bowers goes on to describe the Jewish community as dominating and oppressive, then fabricates his own community as the victim of Jewish oppression, thus justifying violence against the group.

 

According to the Anti-Defamation league, the number of reported anti-Semitic incidents in the United States surged to a dramatic 57 percent in 2017. The combined effects of the shooting and growing anti-Semitism have left many Westridge students searching for solutions. Addressing anti-Semitism at large may be intimidating, but starting with a campus wide effort makes tackling the issue effective and manageable. Nica K., ’21, a Jewish student at Westridge, emphasizes the importance of Goyim (non-Jew) support. “I feel like the best thing we can do right now as a community is for Goyim to just listen and reach out more, to talk to your Jewish friends, talk to your Goyim friends just bring [the Pittsburgh shooting] to the forefront of everyone’s minds again.”

 

When shootings such as Pittsburgh leave us feeling helpless we can find solace in the action we take afterward. Maintaining an awareness of the Jewish population at Westridge is a start to grasping the full extent of Jewish marginalization in the world at large.  

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