Our CampUs United Launches Online Community to Combat Antisemitism on College Campuses
Amid the growing challenges Jewish students face on college campuses, two advocates – 23-year-old founder Yasmeen Ohebsion in partnership with human rights activist and business leader Mandana Dayani – have launched Los Angeles-based Our CampUs United, an innovative online platform designed to empower Jewish students with the knowledge, resources and tools necessary to take action against antisemitism, build community through joy and lead meaningful change on their campuses.
Built for students, by students, Our CampUs United – an affiliate of the nonprofit organization StandWithUs – serves as a central hub for resource pages with step-by-step strategies, email templates and scenario-based guides to help students effectively navigate and overcome antisemitic incidents and infringements of their rights. The platform is the result of learning from actual student experiences and student recommendations for support they were severely lacking – ensuring its solutions are tailored to the real challenges students face every day.
Our CampUs United brings together the next generation of leaders. Among its founding members are: Alyssa Wallack (USC), Amanda Silberstein (Cornell), Balzhana Lavine (Tulane), Ben Sherman (UT Austin), Eden Yadegar (Columbia), Einav Tsach (Maryland), Jasmine Beroukhim (UCLA), Noa Fey (Columbia), Shabbos Kestenbaum (Harvard) and Talia Khan (MIT).
'As a college student, I struggled to find the resources to stand up against antisemitism, and I knew I wasn't alone,' said Ohebsion. 'Every student should have free, accessible resources so they can go to class without fear or threat. That's why we created this platform – to ensure every Jewish student has the tools, knowledge and support they need at their fingertips. Powered by StandWithUs, we are building a world where Jewish students feel confident, connected and proud. Our Campus United has students' backs – because being Jewish isn't just about fighting rising hate, it's about building community, celebrating who we are and having fun while doing it.'
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has reported over 1,400 antisemitic incidents on college campuses, which is an all-time high. With antisemitism on the rise, students need real solutions. This initiative prioritizes education, empowerment and strategic advocacy, putting the power back in the hands of Jewish students nationwide.
'At a time when Jewish students are facing exclusionary practices, targeted violence and coordinated attacks, Our Campus United is stepping up to create a powerful, supportive community where students can access critical resources to combat hate and create opportunities to share the joy, love and compassion that are the foundation of Judaism,' said Dayani.
With its launch, Our CampUs United is calling on Jewish students and allies to join the movement – to share their experiences, use the tools available and build a stronger, united front against antisemitism.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Trump Sends in the Marines as California Pols Fight Back Against 'Trampled' State Sovereignty
Trump Sends in the Marines as California Pols Fight Back Against 'Trampled' State Sovereignty originally appeared on L.A. Mag. The Trump Administration has called in the Marines to squelch what the President called "lawlessness" in L.A. as protestors continued to demand the release of detainees rounded up in a series of federal raids this week. As many as 700 Marines were moving toward LA from their base at Twentynine Palms, two government officials confirmed to Los Angeles magazine. The uptick in military presence comes as California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Governor Gavin Newsom announced they had filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for trampling the state's sovereignty. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Francisco, names President Donald Trump, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and the United States Department of Defense as defendants.'We don't take lightly to the president abusing his authority and unlawfully mobilizing California National Guard troops,' Bonta told reporters before announcing the filing of the suit that will ask the court to vacate the President's order federalizing the National Guard "by way of a rarely used law," which the Attorney General called a violation fo the Tenth Amendment. 'Let me be clear: There is no invasion. There is no rebellion. The President is trying to manufacture chaos and crisis on the ground for his own political ends," Bonta said. Los Angeles spent most of Monday morning into the late afternoon surveilling the damage that was left behind by agitators who left government buildings, public schools, small businesses and park space heavily vandalized. A White House spokesperson responded to Monday's filing saying Newsom should prioritize prosecuting 'anti-ICE rioters' rather than the Trump administration. Newsom responded with, "chaos is exactly what Trump wanted, now we are sending in hundreds more law enforcement to pick up the pieces. State and local leaders stand together, coordinated and resolute to ensure the safety of the Los Angeles region.'The morning began with a large rally of union activists who demanded the release of Service Employees International Union President David Huerta, who was arrested Friday in DTLA while protesting a federal immigration action outside a clothing manufacturer. Hundreds from a slew of city unions crowded into the park, waving pictures of the lifelong Angeleno and labor activist before marching to City Hall in an orderly demonstration of unity. Huerta, 58, was released Monday afternoon just after 3 p.m. after his arraignment on federal charges of conspiracy to impede an officer, federal prosecutors say. Huerta is facing six years in federal prison. Outside the ransacked federal courthouse which is now tagged with anti-ICE slogans and profanity, Huerta addressed supporters who formed a human chain to escort him and his family away from the building "Hard-working people, and members of our family and our community, are being treated like criminals. We all collectively have to object to this madness because this is not justice. This is injustice," he told the crowd and reporters. 'This fight is ours, it's our community's, but it belongs to everyone,' Huerta said in Spanish. 'We all have to fight for them.' Shortly after Huerta's release, crowds outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, the federal holding facility where immigrants rounded up in a series of raids this week are being held, began to grow. Gas masks and facial coverings became more prominent in the crowd as the number of National Guard soldiers also swelled. Meanwhile, Mayor Karen Bass announced she would hold a press conference with Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell later Monday afternoon. On Sunday night McDonnell urged Angelenos to behave peacefully, saying "things have gotten out of control," adding that "somebody could easily be killed," by the actions of some of the agitators who are attacking law enforcement officials. This story was originally reported by L.A. Mag on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Doechii Calls Out Trump Administration for ‘Creating Fear and Chaos' at L.A. Protests in BET Awards Speech
Doechii made the most of her first BET Award win on Monday night, telling an audience of honorees and attendees at the Peacock Theater that she felt a 'responsibility as an artist' to address the immigration protests and raids in Los Angeles. 'I do want to address what's happening right now, outside the building,' said Doechii, referring to the protests happening in Downtown Los Angeles, home of the Peacock Theater. 'These are ruthless attacks that are creating fear and chaos in our communities. In the name of law and order, Trump is using military forces to stop a protest, and I want you all to consider what kind of government it appears to be — when every time we exercise our democratic right to protest, the military is deployed against us.' More from Variety BET Awards Winners 2025 (Updating Live) Kendrick Lamar, Doechii and Drake Lead 2025 BET Award Nominations Kevin Hart to Host 2025 BET Awards California National Guard troops arrived in the city on Sunday in a show of force following division between immigration agents and protesters and amid a burgeoning fight between California and the Trump administration. Protests started on Friday after Immigration Customs Enforcement officers carried out raids in three locations across Los Angeles, where dozens of people were taken into custody, per NBC News. Doechii said she would use her voice to stand up for 'all oppressed people, for Black people, for Latino people, for trans people, for the people in Gaza.' She continued, 'What type of government is that? People are being swept up and torn from their families? We all deserve to live in hope and not in fear. And I hope we stand together my brothers and my sisters against hate and we protest against it.' Doechii won the award for best female hip-hop artist, a category that also recognized Cardi B, Doja Cat, Glorilla, Latto, Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, Rapsody and Sexyy Red as nominees. Best of Variety 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Opinion: Why Dems Have It So Wrong: Trump Is Spoiling for This L.A. Battle
Consider what the average American is seeing on their phones/TV screens/computers out of Los Angeles over the past 48 hours: Cars being lit on fire (see below) Masked protesters waving Mexican flags standing in front of the burning cars Fireworks and rocks (and scooters!) being thrown at police vehicles Buildings being spray-painted with anti-law enforcement slogans To be clear: I am not saying that that is the whole story. As virtually every news story I have read is careful to note, these protests are very limited in scope—with much of Los Angeles not even noticing that they are happening. Trump's decision to call up the National Guard could well have been an accelerant to the violence as opposed to the solution for it. But, as I say over and over again: The average person is not seeking out every single nuance of a story like this. They are focused on their daily lives. They catch this sort of news only in passing. And, when you see a quick gloss of this story, it's one that clearly favors Donald Trump. Remember that Trump ran—expressly—in 2024 on getting MUCH tougher on illegal immigrants. The consensus—especially among loose partisans and swing voters—was that the Biden administration had been ineffectual at the Southern border, largely because of its unwillingness to put in place real and biting policies that would curtail the flow of illegals into the U.S. Even as Trump's numbers have faded on virtually every issue during his first five months in office, his polling on the border and immigration more broadly has stayed strong. Ask yourself this. If you are Trump would you rather have the big national story be: Your fight with Elon Musk? The ongoing struggles to pass the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' through Congress (and all the stuff that's actually IN the 'OBBB')? An immigration fight where the dominant images are protesters lighting cars on fire and clashing with the police? It's a TOTAL no-brainer. Don't believe me? Check out the full-court press Trump has put on to draw as much attention to the issue as possible over the last 24 hours, via his Truth Social feed. Here's just one(of many) examples: Trust me, this is 100% a fight he wants. And he will egg it on in all possible ways over the coming days—as a way to keep it in the news. (I'd argue the decision to call up the California National Guard without even consulting California Gov. Gavin Newsom is an example of how Trump is working to turn up the heat.) And it appears as though Democratic elected officials are willing to play along. Newsom's weird come-arrest-me threat on MSNBC on Sunday night felt tone-deaf. And speaking of tone-deaf, California Rep. Maxine Waters' comments—'I don't know why we have guns. What are those guns for? Are they to shoot protesters?'—feel decidedly out of step with the images we are seeing of the protests on TV. Politics, as I have said many times before, is about picking your battles. It's about fighting on ground that is favorable for you—and unfavorable for your opponent. Like him or hate him, Trump gets that. He knows a fight about deportations defined by burning cars and anti-police graffiti is a winner for him. Democrats need to think this way if they want to beat Trump and the broader Republican party. Fighting Trump on ground where the public is clearly on his side makes ZERO sense. Want more ball and strike calling—no matter what uniform the batter at the plate is wearing? Check out Chris Cillizza's Substack and YouTube channel.
