Over the last ten months, I’ve been asked many times by family, friends, acquaintances and complete strangers what it’s like to be a Jewish college student after October 7th. Many of them came to me with preconceived notions, some who had seen the viral videos of protestors taking down hostage posters, were convinced that antisemites have been let loose on campuses, others came to me believing that this is all a McCarthyite plot by right wing donors to discredit progressive movements. The one word answer I often give that tends to confound them both is; frustrating. Frustrated that I found myself caught between a left that dehumanized Jews and a right that ignored Palestinian suffering. Frustrated at how hardliners on both “sides” actively pitted traumatized communities against each other. Frustrated that I no longer felt I had a safe space on campus or that I was alone in feeling this way.
I’ve always believed in the necessity of social justice. I was raised in a multiracial Black and Jewish family where progressive politics were the norm. My maternal great-grandfather Joseph Yancey, a proud Black man, was the coach of the first racially integrated track and field team in New York City, and my father’s family history contains many secular Jews who went to Workers Circle meetings. I was raised to believe in solidarity, that building coalitions across race, class and ideological lines was necessary to fight injustice. I was and remain a progressive Zionist who refuses to see Jewish safety and Palestinian human rights as mutually exclusive.
But holding such complexity has not been easy. As President of my campus J Street chapter I led student processing spaces and brought anti-occupation activists to speak, providing a more nuanced perspective that allowed students to process our collective shock after October 7th and grapple with rising antisemitism while also bringing attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. But outside of these events and going to hostage deal/ceasefire demonstrations with Israelis for Peace, I struggled to find an outlet where I could be my full political self. NYJA, I am happy to say, has become another one of those outlets.
Through being an intern at NYJA, I’ve been able to channel much of my frustration into the issues I care deeply about as a New Yorker. I’ve had the privilege of being a part of meetings with city council members about the need to close Rikers and advocate for greater comprehensive criminal justice reform as part of a wide-reaching coalition of New York based organizations, as well as working with immigrant rights groups to find humane and productive ways to address the migrant crisis. As someone who will be casting their first Presidential ballot this November, I am particularly proud of the work we’re doing with partners to stress the importance of civic engagement as threats to the future of liberal democracy grow more powerful with election day approaching.
My internship has also allowed me to continue working towards a more nuanced dialogue surrounding Israel-Palestine within the Jewish community, especially amongst young people. At our most recent happy hour, a conversation with the hostage family member and activist Alana Zeitchik, I invited friends from NYU to help make the audience more multigenerational. Although differences were visible, the room came together around shared feelings of grief, alienation and a desire for a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike. Afterwards these friends came to me saying that they appreciated being there and felt more equipped to have these conversations within their own families and communities.
In this moment of intense polarization, dehumanization and attacks on our basic rights, NYJA proudly stands as an inclusive, empathetic, Jewish voice against these trends. I’m proud to help bring that message to more people as an intern at NYJA, especially young people who have endured a year of difficult questions and immense stress. In this moment where it is difficult to imagine a better, more inclusive, and more just world, we remain committed to fighting for the city that New Yorkers deserve.
Joseph Hillyard is a writer of screen, stage and occasionally blog, originally from Washington Heights in Upper Manhattan. This summer, he worked as NYJA’s summer intern. As a life long New Yorker he is interested in writing stories that capture the city in all its diversity and vibrancy. Born into a civic minded multiracial Black and Jewish family, he is also deeply interested in American history and progressive politics. He is a Dramatic Writing Major at NYU (2026).
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