Over my five years at GDS, I have been surrounded by a strong community of students and faculty who proudly celebrate Judaism. Before Oct. 7, my Jewish identity never felt controversial. As an institution designed to be a space where everyone, no matter their race or religion, could thrive, GDS was always a reliable source of support and discussion for me.
On Oct. 7, Hamas terrorists launched a surprise attack on Israel. In response, administrators, in a weekly email to parents, said, “GDS does not comment on global affairs.” This statement felt highly hypocritical. Contrary to the administrators’ claim, global issues such as racism and sexism have been a core part of GDS’ curriculum since its founding.
On Jan. 29, a swastika was found in a high school bathroom. This act of vandalism occurred only a few days after the Holocaust Remembrance assembly—perhaps as an indirect retaliation. It is not clear whether a GDS student drew the swastika—the most potent symbol of antisemitism. The administration responded with a brief assembly and email to the high school parents, neither of which were particularly expansive in providing the history on the topic. Students should be able to turn to our school, an institution that prides itself on embracing hard subjects, to facilitate direct conversations.
Speaking with many of my friends who are part of the Jewish community, we agree that our concerns have gone completely un-acted upon at GDS. I have seen jokes in group chats claiming that “the Jews are the aggressors,” and “Israel does not need a homeland anymore.” Referring to Jews as aggressors and disregarding their need for a homeland after the years of historical discrimination they faced is utterly offensive. After the assembly to address the swastika, students commented that they wished the assembly had lasted longer, so they could skip their next period—entirely undermining the severity of the antisemitic act that occurred on campus.
GDS needs to address issues of antisemitism head-on. I have seen many argue on social media that the atrocities of Oct. 7 were propaganda, embellished by the Israeli government. GDS students have reposted accounts that feed into similar ideas of propaganda, and GDS is not countering the spewing of misinformation with education.
Antisemitism flourishes when there is a lack of understanding, and, although complicated, it is critical that GDS gives us a historical understanding of the Israel-Palestine conflict so we can make educated judgments and engage in dialogue.
The Jewish Student Coalition (JSC) is a GDS affinity group that aims to provide its members with a sense of belonging in the school. JSC co-head senior Ben Fitzpayne said that JSC has been making efforts to include information about Judaism in the high school curriculum. “If you have access to the significance of what the swastika means and the history behind it, it could prevent the next one from being drawn,” he said. He added that teaching students about the history of Judaism would be “addressing antisemitism before it happens.” (Fitzpayne is a reporter for the Bit.)
For months after the attack, students only received a few empty words from administrators. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict should not be simplified; it requires intricacy and understanding that there is no singular story. If GDS takes action and incorporates the history of antisemitism into parts of the high school curriculum, it’s possible that the community can achieve its own mission of inclusion. The missing piece of the puzzle that the GDS administration has not quite grasped yet is the need for education to hopefully protect its students from another antisemitic attack in the future.