Nearly a year ago, in the wake of the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in southern Israel, we watched in dismay as Jewish students at Cooper Union College in New York City were forced to take shelter from an antisemitic mob in a campus library. This alarming incident underscored the perilous predicament Jewish students increasingly found themselves in all over college campuses in the United States.
As Jewish students start a new semester, the community is rallying with its characteristic entrepreneurial spirit to ensure that this school year will not be marred by unchecked antisemitism and anti-Israel hostility. Jewish organizations are mobilizing resources to ensure that our students’ voices are heard—through education, litigation and advocacy.
However, one crucial element has long been overlooked: The integration of self-defense training as a vital tool for building confidence among Jewish students. This gap has left a disconnect between the real experiences of these students and the support offered to protect and empower them. Too little attention has been given to fostering the physical resilience Jewish students need to defend themselves on their way to class or the confidence to assert their voices in a hostile classroom environment.
The spring semester marked a significant turning point with our launch of a new initiative, “Krav and Kesher,” designed to empower Jewish students by offering complimentary Krav Maga training.
The program not only equips them with the skills to defend themselves but also fosters a deeper connection to their Jewish identity through meaningful peer discussions. Despite our varied backgrounds—one of us an entrepreneur in educational technology, and the other who was deeply embedded in campus life for AEPi, our nation’s largest Jewish fraternity—we both recognized a fundamental truth: Jewish students must be able to defend themselves to confidently and proudly embrace their identity on campus.
The initial results are extremely promising. Quietly rolled out at six college campuses and training 85 students over multiple weeks, the results speak for themselves. A staggering 100% of surveyed participants felt more physically safe after completing the training. Additionally, 100% felt more confident in publicly identifying as Jewish.