When USC canceled the main-stage graduation ceremony, Jewish leaders on campus noticed a chance.
Earlier than about 19,000 graduates walked throughout levels on Friday to obtain their levels in smaller college satellite tv for pc ceremonies, USC’s Hillel hosted a commencement occasion for Jewish college students and their households — a second to assemble in unity amid weeks of campus turmoil over Israel-Hamas struggle protests.
“Lots of people have been attempting to take these joyful moments away from us,” mentioned Mark Rayant, 26, who was incomes his grasp’s diploma in inexperienced expertise. “We get to return collectively as a group in a secure setting, in a therapeutic setting — one thing the college wasn’t capable of present.”
At USC’s Hillel heart, a post-and-beam constructing subsequent door to the college’s Catholic scholar heart, greater than 50 college students attended of their black robes and purple sashes together with 200 or so household, mates, professors and classmates.
Stress and anger had punctuated the weeks main as much as commencement. After senior Asna Tabassum was named valedictorian, on- and off-campus Jewish teams identified that she had linked to a pro-Palestinian web site on her Instagram web page.
As controversy intensified, USC canceled Tabassum’s talking slot, after the college obtained threats associated to the Instagram account. Then USC canceled the primary commencement ceremony amid pro-Palestinian encampments on campus that ended with two police sweeps and arrests. USC additionally canceled the interdenominational baccalaureate ceremony Thursday night time.
Dave Cohn, government director of USC Hillel, acknowledged that the 12 months has ended below a “very, very darkish cloud.”
“Irrespective of the way you view these points — as an individual of Jewish id or as an individual typically — there’s no denying this depleted and depressed the environment,” Cohn mentioned.
And so Friday, households trickled in beginning at 8:15 a.m. whereas non-public safety guards stood sentry.
“We now have nosh within the atrium,” Rachael Cohen, assistant director of Hillel, instructed graduates and their households. She pointed to bagels, stacks of doughnuts and low within the courtyard.
Cohen mentioned the morning was a “silver lining” for Jewish college students. About 2,000 undergraduates and as many graduate college students are Jewish — about 10% of the coed physique — and Hillel is a sanctuary for a lot of, she mentioned, a spot of acceptance and belonging.
USC’s Jewish group is hardly a monolith, together with Jews who’re Persian, Israeli, Latino and Ashkenazi, who’ve extra European roots.
Jewish college students at USC have been amongst these protesting in assist of Palestinians and calling for the college to boycott and divest from monetary ties to Israel. And Jewish college students have embraced their very own meanings of Zionism on the college, discovering a deeper connection to Israel.
“It’s an ongoing dialog about how we finest assist our campus,” Cohen mentioned. “Two thousand Jews means 2,000 opinions. And no two Jews are the identical.”
After attendees took their seats, Cohn urged graduates to by no means let hostility outline them.
“We face losses and pains as a campus group, however the spirit of our ambition as Trojans empowers us to transcend these painful moments,” he mentioned.
Rayant, the engineering graduate scholar, mentioned he had felt the sting of antisemitism earlier than Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7. He was troubled by the way it had intensified since — together with final week, when he discovered a swastika scrawled on a brick submit by campus.
“I’m not an advocate. I’m an engineer … however typically you must inform the reality,” he mentioned. Rayant would later attend the identical engineering ceremony the place Tabassum, the valedictorian, would obtain her diploma.
“Hopefully nobody will spit at me in the present day,” mentioned Sabrina Jahan, 22, who was incomes her undergraduate diploma in enterprise. Jahan mentioned she was spit at throughout a Seder desk final month. She mentioned she’s been referred to as “child killer” and different names.
“We’re used to it, as unlucky as it’s to say, however I’m very happy with who I’m,” mentioned Jahan, who had an Israeli flag on her purple sash. She was vital of how USC directors had not rapidly stopped encampments of pro-Palestinian college students from taking on components of campus. “On the finish of the day, they have been in the end capable of deal with it in a strategic manner … and I respect that.”
The unrest on campus and reviews of antisemitism unsettled Shirel Stemmons, who monitored the information together with her husband, Robert, from their residence in London. Their son Jake graduated Friday.
“We have been all the time going to return and be right here with our son,” mentioned Robert Stemmons. “We have been simply hoping issues may very well be peaceable — not resolved — so this necessary ceremony might proceed.”
Shirel Stemmons mentioned there have been instances when she nervous about her son, the one of the couple’s 4 kids to attend faculty within the U.S.
“It doesn’t assist being 1000’s of miles away,” she mentioned. “However he was reassuring; he felt supported,” which she credited to Hillel.
Jake Stemmons agreed that he felt bodily secure — however many mates didn’t. He acknowledged that he has typically felt unease.
“Issues have been mentioned that made me unwelcome in sure areas,” mentioned Jake Stemmons, who’s working as a advisor in San Francisco this summer season and desires to be an entrepreneur within the schooling subject.
The shock speaker on the ceremony was actress and former “Jeopardy!” host Mayim Bialik, who addressed college students by video.
“What a 4 years you’ve had,” she mentioned, summing up how the pandemic and Israel-Hamas struggle had bookended their research.
“This previous 12 months specifically has been an actual problem, however that is life. That is your life,” Bialik mentioned. “You’ve needed to shine brighter than you’d thought you’d should … and also you’ve needed to be engaged leaders and defenders.”
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