Jacob’s Letter

Dear Jamal,

My name is Jacob. I am 23 years old and study engineering in California. When I read in the newspaper about what happened to you and your friends that Friday, I was extremely sad and angry. Every human life is so valuable regardless of race religion age and gender. To have experienced what you did is tragic and terrible. I am so sorry that you had to experience that pain  and being cruelly targeted in the place you call home just because you are different. Because you are not a Jew. That members of my own religion were your attackers infuriates and astounds me. Do they not realize the grave error in their way? May their violent ways be reversed  from this day forward.

I know that there is much trouble in your homeland, in this struggle between two nations each family has had its losses, experienced fear and fallen into despair. But none of that is your fault. Yet you have become a victim of that struggle, a victim of severe injustice. I cannot heal the pain that you have endured, but I will say this: the cries of your people do not go unheard. They do not go unanswered. There are many people around the world like me that are tired of the abuses you and your people suffer in your society, tired of the poor treatment you receive because you are different. And we are organizing to see an end to this senselessness once and for all. I pray that you will have a complete recovery, that you are blessed with the courage to pursue your individual justice and pursue liberty for your people, and that the world will not desist until together we achieve a peaceful end to this fighting and tragedy in our lifetimes.

In Solidarity,

Jacob Silverman
J Street U UCSD