As the daughter of Holocaust survivors, Roz Rothstein, a Los Angeles family therapist, knew all too well the dangers of indifference or passive acceptance.
Misinformation about Israel and sparks of antisemitism in California and elsewhere in the United States also bothered her.
After a visit to Israel about a quarter of a century ago, she and her husband, Jerry, founded StandWithUs with Esther Renzer, a non-partisan educational and leadership training organization with a mission to fight antisemitism, make people aware of Israel's true story, and train the Jewish leaders of tomorrow.
Solidarity trip to Israel
Last week, the Rothsteins, who have visited Israel many times, returned to lead a solidarity mission of StandWithUs activists from across the United States.
The organization, which started on a shoestring budget in a tiny office in California, now operates on a multi-million-dollar budget across the US, Canada, South America, South Africa, Australia, and several European countries.
The organization’s Israel office is centrally located in Jerusalem and equipped with large and small auditoria, state-of-the-art photographic and communications equipment, and a team of dedicated educators with expertise on a variety of Israeli and Jewish subjects.
Soon after their arrival, members of the solidarity mission went to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, where they rang the bell to open the day’s trading.
On Sunday of this week, they met with President Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal, who were eager to learn more about how antisemitism is being combated on US campuses and at anti-Israel rallies.
They also wanted to know whether any of those present had been subjected to antisemitism, and how and why they had joined StandWithUs.
Rothstein told them she had recently spoken at a university campus. As she was making her way to the stage, she was blocked by a human barrier of anti-Israel activists and was shoved backward. She was determined to get to the stage and, despite the difficulties, eventually succeeded.
Organization that actively combats antisemitism
Not every antisemitic or anti-Israel incident makes news headlines. Without elaborating, a man from Colorado said there were serious problems in Denver.
One of the women in the group said that she has a six-year-old grandson living in Israel. He told her that he had been instructed via StandWithUs to be a diplomat for Israel and to always tell the truth. She was amazed. She had never heard of the organization and decided to explore it. She is now an ardent member.
Another woman said that she was looking for an organization that “acted more than it talked” about fighting antisemitism. Four years ago, her son introduced her to StandWithUs. She attended a few meetings, she said, “and I was hooked.”
The work done by the organization is supplemented by a wide circle of pro bono lawyers who step in to help Jewish students and faculty who have been attacked or threatened on campus.
Some of the harrowing stories of the suffering of Jewish students and academics come to light at conferences that various Jewish organizations, engaging in roles similar to StandWithUs, hold in cooperation.
The victims are usually afraid to report their tormentors to university and college authorities for fear of losing a job or a scholarship. That’s where the pro bono lawyers step in, and more often than not, the problem is resolved.
Speaking on behalf of the solidarity group, Rothstein said that this was “a very tricky time” to come to Israel, and that there had been some hesitation, but the decision to go ahead was spurred by the need to see for themselves what was going on in the country.
“We do a fantastic job, but it’s important to talk to the people affected,” she said. “It’s very important for us as Jewish people,” Jerry Rothstein said.
“People must understand that we’re all together and must stand and work together,” Michal Herzog added.
Saying that policies and attitudes always change in every country and community, Herzog admitted he had never imagined anything as radical as what has happened in American universities and society.
“The strength of StandWithUs is the number of young people involved in the well-being of our nation,” he said.
The president also urged more American Jews to join the fight on campus. “It shows who we really are,” Herzog said, as he underscored the significance of fighting antisemitism and anti-Zionism in public life.
The meeting concluded with Herzog leading a roaring cry of “Am Yisrael Chai!” (The Nation of Israel lives).