Pictured: Benjamin Regenbaum (left), with Rob Allen, Director of Community Security

By Benjamin Regenbaum
JCRC Summer Intern – Security

September 11, 2025

The concept of Tikkun Olam—repairing the world—is central to my Jewish identity. As a student at the University of Minnesota, I’ve tried to live by it: marching for racial justice, interning for elected officials, and advocating for civil rights at home and abroad.

For years, I believed there was no contradiction between my Jewish and progressive identities.

On October 7, 2023, that belief collapsed.

In the wake of the worst single-day massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, I was horrified when many of my progressive peers refused to condemn Hamas’ violence. Some even celebrated it as “resistance.” Overnight, the identities I once embraced seamlessly were now in terrible conflict with each other.

I began to question: Is it still possible to remain both Jewish and progressive?

Antisemitism from Friends, Not Strangers

Since October 7, I’ve experienced near-daily antisemitism. The most painful part is that it doesn’t usually come from strangers—it comes from friends and peers in the progressive spaces that once were my home.

One night, a close friend claimed “Jews control the media” to protect Israel. His roommate chimed in, calling Hamas “liberators” and wishing for “thousands of October 7ths.” He told me no Jewish person is innocent—that I’d be better off dead. My friend eventually apologized, but in that moment, his silence spoke volumes.

At my campus job, I hesitated to tell my supervisor about my internship with the Jewish Community Relations Council. When it finally came up, my fears were confirmed: they immediately asked if I “worked with Zionists.” The focus of my work—supporting Jewish community safety—was ignored. What mattered was whether I passed a political litmus test.

This has become the norm. In progressive spaces on campus, my Jewish identity feels conditional. To belong, I must denounce Zionism and sever ties to Israel. But my Jewish identity is inseparable from Am Yisrael (the Jewish people), half of whom live in Israel. To demand I cut that connection is to demand I hide who I am.

Too often, I’ve been branded “pro-genocide” simply for participating in mainstream Jewish groups like Hillel. When I and other Jews insist Hamas must be held accountable for launching this war and exploiting human suffering, our voices are shut down in the very spaces that once welcomed us.

Glimpses of Nuance

Yet not all progressives fit this mold. One of my professors condemned Hamas’ attack unequivocally and then created space for an open, difficult classroom discussion about Israel and Palestine. In that moment, she modeled what so many progressives fail to: grappling with moral complexity while respecting human dignity.

Some of my most progressive friends have also stepped up. They reached out, asked thoughtful questions, and listened even when we disagreed. We talked for hours and grew closer. For that, I am deeply grateful.

Holding Two Truths

I still consider myself a progressive. I refuse to let the antisemitism of some peers strip me of my commitment to justice for all people. My heart aches for civilians in Gaza enduring immense suffering, just as it aches for the 48 Israeli hostages still held in brutal captivity more than 700 days later.

Jews know too well what dehumanization leads to. That’s why I believe caring about Jewish safety and Palestinian lives is not contradictory—it’s essential.

Reclaiming Progressivism

Through these painful experiences, I’ve learned that being proud of my Jewish identity means standing up for my community, even when it’s uncomfortable. This summer, I leaned into that commitment by interning with JCRC Community Security. I’ll continue working there part-time to help protect Minnesota’s Jewish community and to build bridges that reject zero-sum thinking.

If progressivism is to stay true to its values, it cannot demand Jews erase themselves to belong. A movement that claims to fight for justice while excluding Jews is betraying its own ideals.

Progressivism must include all people—including Jews.

That’s the only way to repair the world.

This blog post was the featured staff column for the September 2025 Gesher (‘Bridge’ in Hebrew) – JCRC’s monthly email newsletter.
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