Career Journeys and Finding a Purpose

I've been debating what to say about the Israel-Hamas war on this professional network, the only social media platform I use actively. What is my responsibility as a Jew, with most of my family living in Israel? As an attorney who is watching violations of the rule of law and all basic ethical standards and moral codes? As a mother who can't stomach the thought of babies being intentionally tortured and abducted, and young women raped for sport?

Then as I finished composing a letter to the president of University of Washington (UW), where my son is in his second year, I realized that this war is brining me back almost 30 years to a crossroads in my career planning, when I had to write a letter to my department head at the University of Houston (UH) because I was experiencing antisemitism from a known antisemitic professor teaching Middle East Politics, of all topics.? It all dawned on me how little has changed. So this is also my career journey story…

You see, I thought I was going to law school since I can remember. My grandmother's nickname for me was "the advocate" from when I was 4 years old. It was a fact - Lucy is going to be a lawyer. Meanwhile as I was growing up, at some point in my teenage years, as I spent every summer visiting my grandparents in Israel, I grew a deep love for that country. Besides it being the Jewish homeland to where much of my family fled from the antisemitic Soviet Union, Israel became a symbol of strength, prosperity, self-determination, and survival for all Jews. And then it became a source of pride and belonging for me. I fell in love. I became obsessed with its future and found myself on a mission to help resolve the decades-long Arab-Israeli conflict (as it was known back then).

During my time as an undergraduate student at UH, I became a repeat writer of opinion letters to the school newspaper and grew into a cautious student in certain professors' classes on topics about the Middle East. I was always ready for a debate about the Arab-Israeli conflict. I researched jobs related to this topic and I interned at the Israeli Consulate in Houston, TX. I had a cause and a mission. So I decided to deviate from my destiny to be a lawyer, and to instead pursue a Master Degree in Middle Eastern Studies.

But, after graduating with my Bachelors from UH, life had other plans. Nothing dramatic - just twists of fate and little life lessons took me from the University of Texas Middle Eastern Studies program I had been accepted to, and brought me back to the University of Houston, but this time, for law school.

Fast forward 25+ years and I am thrown right back into fighting antisemitism on a university campus. This time at the UW in Seattle. I cannot stand by quietly and see my children having to fight the exact same fight I was dragged into. More importantly, I can't stay quiet while my kids have to navigate physical safety concerns on school campus.

I will now use my writing and critical thinking skills acquired in law school and through practicing law to get back to the mission I was once steadfastly on: dispelling myths, shining a light on the truth and supporting Israel's daily fight for survival.

I shouldn't need to write a letter to the UW, or to our Governor. It should be crystal clear to any intelligent free-thinking human being that what Hamas did to Israel on October 7th (not to mention other atrocities they've been committing against Israelis since taking control of Gaza in 2006) is:

-NOT about international borders (Hamas has full control over the Gaza Strip and the border is clear)

-NOT about human rights for its people (Hamas works underground below schools and hospitals)

-NOT about a fruitful healthy future (Hamas steals money, fuel, and water from its own people)

-NOT about "resisting" anything (Israel left Gaza in 2005); and

-CERTAINLY NOT justifiable in any possible way (rape and torture of children and elderly has no place, even in war time)

It is ABOUT ONE THING , and one thing only: destruction of Israel and the Jewish people. Hamas' only stated charter is the destruction of Israel. More importantly and completely overlooked and misunderstood is that Hamas is so wedded to its hateful ideology that it is willing to sacrifice anyone and anything to achieve its aims, including its own innocent civilians, hospitals, schools and precious resources. .

To make it clear for those who still don't understand what exactly they are supporting when they participate in a pro-Palestinian march post October 7, 2023 anywhere in the world, I'll translate for everyone:

"Palestine will be free from the river to the sea" = Kill the Jews and take over Israel

This sort of speech would not be tolerated against any other religion or legitimate democratic country. No one would be ok with "Wipe out Italy!" or "Kill all the French!" or "Death to Hindus", but somehow it is being tolerated by so many US college campuses who are protecting student groups calling for the destruction of Israel, and by extension wiping out the only Jewish homeland. Free speech can't be stopped, but university leaders can use their voice to say that there is no room for such speech on their campuses and that the school condemns any anti-Israel and pro-Hamas messages.

It's just not that hard to make students feel safe. Colleges need to say it is not ok to spew antisemitism and hate. Yes, free speech, I get it. All I ask is make all students feel safer by expressly condemning antisemitic speech on campus.

I've been asking for this for almost 3 decades. Help me make sure my kids don't have to fight this fight too.

University of Houston Law Center 美国华盛顿大学 University of Houston StandWithUs