As many of you have probably read, or heard about, the war in Israel has spilled over–at least rhetorically-onto American college campuses. This week, we asked some of our Wise college students to reflect on their experience over the past few weeks and beyond. 

These words were shared at a USC Hillel/Trojans for Israel Vigil on October 10, 2023.

The terrorist attack over the last couple of days has put a dagger to the heart of every Jewish family on this campus, in this country, and across the globe.
As Jews, we are inextricably connected to Israel and the people of Israel. Our prayers turn us towards Israel. Our rituals yearn for return to Jerusalem. Our history is grounded in Israel.

We are a people at the edge of the West with hearts in the East. And this weekend, the suffering of our Israeli friends and family has shattered us. We are suffering as one people, a Jewish people.

But we Jews are resilient. Israelis are resilient. Our history as a people and as a nation state has proven that in spades. The Romans, the Greeks, the Ottomans, the Nazis. We have been displaced, persecuted, and massacred, but — our people survive and grow and thrive. Our hope can never be taken away from us. Because that is the essence of who we are.

עוֹד לֹא אָבְדָה תִּקְוָתֵנוּ
הַתִּקְוָה בַּת שְׁנוֹת אַלְפַּיִם
לִהְיוֹת עַם חָפְשִׁי בְּאַרְצֵנוּ,
אֶרֶץ צִיּוֹן וִירוּשָׁלַיִם

Our hope will not be lost.

Our 2,000-year-old hope to live, to be, to exist as a free people in our land, the land of Israel and Jerusalem. Will. Not. Be. Lost.

Our 2,000-year dream, our 2,000-year hope has been under attack this weekend. But so long as we come together, our hope will never die.

We owe it to our ancestors to sustain our hope, to sustain our resilience, to keep on fighting, to keep on dreaming, to keep on living, and to keep on thriving. And, tonight, to see that the Trojan community –Jews and non-Jews–are standing in solidarity with us, recognizing our suffering, there is no justification to lose hope. We cannot lose our hope.

Our prayers are with Israel and the Israeli people, but our hope elevates and uplifts their memory and sacrifice for the next 2,000 years. Am Yisrael Chai.

—Brandon Tavakoli
University of Southern California
USG Senator
President, Trojans for Israel