United in Values: Jewish and Non-Jewish Students Standing Up Against Hatred

By Michael Mandel

As President of York University’s Students Supporting Israel (SSI) chapter and a Common Ground Ambassador with Allied Voices for Israel (AVI), I have worked to build bridges between Jewish and non-Jewish student communities.

While the media often highlights the challenges facing Jewish students, especially the rise in antisemitism, it rarely tells the full story: that Jewish students are also supported by principled and courageous allies. Campus events have also emphasized that while these allies are not Jewish, they are still targeted for supporting Israel and the Jewish people.

Our SSI chapter, founded just last year, grew rapidly in response to the events of October 7. As we support Jewish students, we also empower students from other communities to stand for Israel, their own values, and shared democratic ideals.

After October 7, I was selected as a Common Ground Ambassador and traveled to Israel last summer, where I learned firsthand about the power of allyship. One speaker who left a strong impression on me was Jonathan Elkhoury, a gay Christian-Lebanese activist. After facing persecution in Lebanon, Jonathan and his family found refuge in Haifa, Israel. He now uses his platform to combat antisemitism and advocate for Israel, and shared during our meeting that “Israel is the only country in the Middle East that would have accepted me and my family.”

Jonathan’s story taught me that Jews do not just need each other to be successful in fighting Jew-hatred, but also partnerships from other communities.

Back at York, one of the most inspiring examples of allyship comes from Medya, an Iranian student who has faced discrimination and threats from supporters of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Medya often tables with our club, proudly displaying the pre-revolutionary Iranian flag, the Lion and Sun, as a symbol of resistance.

In a conversation she explained, “I was caught off guard by the criticism I received for joining SSI. Supporting Israel has always been non-negotiable for me. I will always speak out without fear or apology.”

At York’s 2025 Winter Club Fair, we stood together in front of the SSI booth, holding the flags of Iran, Canada, and Israel, a powerful symbol of our shared belief in free, democratic societies. Medya’s actions demonstrate that students should never be afraid to advocate against hatred and that Iranian values are Jewish values, and vice versa.

We were also honored to host Salman Sima, founder of the International Coalition Against Racism Everywhere and a former political prisoner in Iran. During our event with Salman, he reminded us of the historic bonds between the Iranian and Jewish people: “What happened on October 7 was horrific but for Iranians, this brutality is familiar. We have endured forty-six years of it under the Islamic Republic, the same regime that funded and orchestrated the attacks on Israel.”

He added, “Over 2,500 years ago, Cyrus the Great freed the Jews from Babylonian slavery. That legacy lives on. Today, Iranian and Jewish students stand united in the fight for freedom, truth, and democracy.” After Salman escaped Iran, he attended York, where he graduated with a degree in economics. Now Salman uses his experiences facing terrorism in Iran to bring diverse communities together to stand up for Iranian and Jewish values. Salman is a leader and mentor to our club, who teaches us that good will always prevail and to be proud of our common values.

SSI has also become a platform for Jewish students to learn about other cultures. One highlight was our Jewish-Ethiopian allyship event, hosted at an Ethiopian restaurant with the support of AVI. We shared a meal, enjoyed Ethiopian music, and celebrated our shared history. I spoke about the Beta Israel community and their return to Israel through Operations Moses and Solomon. This event was inspired by the friendship I formed with Bisrat, an Ethiopian-Christian student at York. After telling Bisrat about SSI, he quickly joined and was eager to host this event. Bisrat remarked that, “Ethiopia has a deep historic connection with Jewish culture. This allyship helps build cultural understanding and lasting friendships.” Bisrat is now an AVI Common Ground Ambassador like myself and plans to visit Israel as I did this summer.

The experiences of non-Jewish allies on campus reveal that support for Israel often comes with personal risk, as standing with the Jewish community can make them targets of hate too. At York, Emily, a Christian student and SSI member, was harassed by a member of the Palestinian Solidarity Collective. This individual repeatedly called her names and told classmates not to speak with her during their shared course. Although these actions were intimidating, they only strengthened Emily’s resolve. She shared, “I’ve proudly stood as an ally to the Jewish community for years. While it’s something I deeply believe in, it hasn’t always been easy. I was harassed on campus, and despite clear evidence, the university protected the perpetrator and questioned my experience.” Though painful, she said the experience made her realize “just how necessary allyship is in the face of hate.”

These experiences have shown that allyship is not just about standing in solidarity, it’s about building genuine relationships rooted in shared values and mutual respect, even when doing so comes with personal risk. Through the bravery of allies like Medya, Emily, and others, supporting the Jewish community can make non-Jewish students targets of harassment and exclusion. Yet their strength highlights the power and necessity of true allyship on campus.

At a time of deep polarization, our SSI chapter proves that students from diverse backgrounds can unite to build a stronger, more inclusive campus. As we continue to grow, we remain committed to amplifying the voices of these courageous allies and working toward a future where all students, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, can thrive together in peace, understanding, and shared purpose.

Michael Mandel is a student at York University and Campus Media Fellow with HonestReporting Canada and Allied Voices for Israel.