Mayim Bialik: Our safety is at risk we've never experienced
(Video: Chabad on Campus International)
Jewish actress and former neuroscientist at the University of California, Mayim Bialik, expressed that the attacks by Hamas and the rise in antisemitic incidents on U.S. campuses have exposed the Jewish community to a “risk we've never experienced before.”
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During the virtual conference Jewish Students Unite for Israel, organized by Chabad on Campus and the Hillel Jewish student organization, she recounted the antisemitic experiences she faced at her university.
During the Jewish Students Unite for Israel virtual conference, hosted by Chabad on Campus and the Jewish student organization Hillel, Bialik shared her encounters with antisemitism during her university years and said that “October 7 has taught us many difficult and painful lessons, but one of those lessons… is that we are all one.”
The Big Bang Theory actress continued, “our safety is at risk in a way that for many of us we've never experienced and I did just want to mention physical safety is critically important, and many of you likely feel threatened or feel emotions in you that feel threatening.
“In addition… I do want to advocate for mental safety and your emotional safety as well. There's a lot of misinformation on social media. In particular, there's a proliferation of inaccurate, dishonest material that is amplified by some really complicated algorithms that most of us don't want to think about.
“It can feel very scary when voices are amplified the way social media amplifies them. That's not necessarily true. It doesn't make it true, and it is not your responsibility to battle social media. It is your responsibility to protect your mental well-being
“We are one. Am Yisrael Chai and take care all of you. Stay safe,” she concluded her statement.
At the conference, which was moderated by Jewish blogger and activist Emily Austin, President Isaac Herzog also delivered remarks, thanking the students for their support of Israel.
Jewish billionaire and Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban addressed the audience online, stating, “there’s always going to be people who hate us, and there’s absolutely nothing we can do about it. But our lives, who we are is not defined by who hates us, it’s defined by who loves us and who we love. Because from that comes all of our strength, comes all of our power. There may only be 15 or 16 million of us in the whole world, but that love and that connection is stronger than anything anybody else can do. Hang in there everybody and just remember.”