Hillel Student Board Statement
Israel is at war.
At 6:30 AM on October 7th, Hamas, an internationally recognized terrorist organization, launched a coordinated and multi-front surprise attack on Israel by air, land, and sea. This attack occurred on the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah — a day when Jews rejoice, celebrate and worship. Instead, civilians were killed, abused and kidnapped in their homes and in the streets of their towns and communities. More than 1,400 Israelis have been murdered, 2600 have been injured, and close to 200 have been taken hostage in Gaza by Hamas terrorists. The vast majority of these victims are non-military civilians, and the horrific numbers are only continuing to rise.
The Hillel Student Board of Johns Hopkins University utterly condemns Hamas’ heinous acts of terrorism. This attack was not an act of resistance — it was a murderous attack against the Jewish people, resulting in the greatest number of Jewish deaths in a single day since the Holocaust. The State of Israel has the right and responsibility to fight back to protect its citizens.
The Hillel Student Board mourns the deaths of innocent non-combatants on both sides — including 2,700 Palestinians — whose lives and livelihood have and will be impacted by the ongoing conflict and the humanitarian crisis accompanying it.
We are here for the Hopkins Jewish community as it navigates the complicated and painful emotions evoked by this attack and to provide a safe space to share thoughts and feelings; please don’t hesitate to reach out for support. Many of our students have family and friends who have died or been taken hostage and are in various stages of grief. Further, all of us have faced intense emotional turmoil as we engage in conversation with friends and peers because of the close connection between anti-Zionist and antisemetic rhetoric. We condemn those who are using these events to promote antisemitic messages, in-person or online. Finally, we are committed to protecting all students on campus from hatred and bigotry and hope that this forum is an opportunity to discuss methods to mitigate discrimination on campus.
We urge you to join us in supporting Israel and praying for the safety of all victims of the conflict.