Kallah has been more than just any summer program for me. It’s been an incredible journey into Jewish learning and community. A few days ago at Perlman, we were joined by a panel of college students who tackled the pressing issue of antisemitism on campuses. With the rise of antisemitism in colleges across the country, understanding and confronting this issue has never been more critical for Jewish students to learn about, arguably being one of the most important challenges we have to consider when applying to college. 

As the day started, each guest led a workshop centered around a subject personal to them. We had the chance to attend two of them, my first being led by UCLA student Eli Tsives. Tsives was recently featured on the news back in May after he confronted pro-Hamas protestors on his campus. He led an incredibly effective workshop on what to do when encountering protesters and how to interact with them. Leading us through hands-on, interactive scenarios very similar to what he went through at UCLA, Tsives taught us to be proud of our Judaism and always share our voice when faced with differing perspectives. His insights were especially valuable in light of the recent rise in hate against Jews all over the world. It is especially important to know how to interact with people with different opinions now as facts get jumbled and misinformation is widespread. 

Next, I went to an Identity Workshop by Danielle Yablonka, focusing on her relationship with Judaism. She detailed her experiences with antisemitism and how she firmly believes in standing loud and proud against it. It's an understatement to say everyone walked away from her workshop feeling much more confident in expressing their religion and personal identity. 

That evening, all of the speakers participated in a panel where we could ask any questions we had for them, from everything to the war in Israel to the application process for college. I was really grateful to get the chance to learn from these experts, who all offered differing opinions on each topic. Addressing antisemitism is not just about responding to incidents but also about fostering a strong, supportive Jewish identity. Programs like this past weekend at Kallah play a vital role in this by equipping us with the knowledge, confidence, and community we need to stand against hate for just being us.

I highly recommend attending Kallah to anyone looking to get more engaged with BBYO and their personal relationship with Judaism, as this was only one of many interactive experiences that shaped what has turned into the best summer of my life at Perlman. The lessons we learned about confronting antisemitism and embracing our Jewish identity will stay with us long after the summer ends.