I Was The First and Only Person In My Family To Attend University: How’s That For Jewish Privilege?

Unpacking “punching up” veiled antisemitic statements

This is a guest post from the JPF family by published author, Lindsay Soberano Wilson and Substack writer.

Lindsay Soberano-Wilson is the creator of Put It To Rest. Casa de mi Corazón: A Travel Journal of Poetry & Memoir is available at lindsaysoberano.com. Find her on Medium, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok. Lindsay Soberano-Wilson©2022. She is working on her first full-length book of poetry Hoods of Motherhood.

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Photo Courtesy of Author (MA in English Literature, University of Toronto)

I Was The First and Only Person In My Family To Attend University: How’s That For Jewish Privilege?

Antisemitism is hard to identify — that is unless you’ve been on the receiving end and it slaps you in the face.

I’d never had a professional undermine my achievements, except for a magazine owner who bullied me as a recent graduate, as explained in The Shitty Jobs I Had Helped Get Me To Where I Am Today. She fired me when I wanted to take on more editorial responsibilities because I “only” earned a degree in English and Creative Writing — not a journalism degree.

Recently, someone thought they were doing their job by making me feel like shit as an English teacher of 17 years, and said, “You think you’re so special because you have a Master's degree and you’re well-read.”

This statement is not just a bully being a bully — but an example of veiled antisemitism when someone thinks that “punching up” is their job — that it’s their job to put your “Jewish privilege” in its place.

According to the American Jewish Committee: In addition to emphasizing how unworthy, unclean, and greedy Jews can be, antisemitism emphasizes that Jews see themselves as superior and deny opportunities to others. It accomplishes this with conspiracy theories about Jews controlling the media, banks, and government, as well as with derogatory stereotypes such as myths about “Jewish power” or the “Jewish lobby.” This type of antisemitism, assailing Jews for their perceived power, especially resonates in today’s context of anti-racism, which aims to disrupt traditional power structures.

The word “special” is not a coincidence: it’s an example of veiled antisemitism. What is even more disheartening is that the untrue statement cut deep: it cut right where it hurt.

That’s because I am special: as a first-generation Jewish-Canadian, I’m the first and only person in my family, and my mother’s side of the family (Holocaust survivors) to attend university, and I said as much in response.

I am very special. I live and breathe education thanks to the legacy passed down by my grandparents who valued higher education and yet never had the opportunity to gain it themselves.

My bubby Toby, a Holocaust survivor, told me to become a “somebody”, to get a good education at university, and to have my own bank account when I got married. She inspired me and she was so proud of me — and I think of this pride often.

She lived to be 108 and yet due to dementia, she always remembered me as a university student even when I was a mother. I think I liked it that way.

My abuelo Marcos also valued education. He was a teacher in Morocco who also taught bar mitzvah lessons. He also inspired the love of education in me and its value when he gifted me a dictionary for my 12th birthday which I hold terribly close to my heart: because even as a child he saw the teacher and writer in me — both talents that run on that side of my family.

That’s why I informed this person of my history and how proud I am. It felt good to speak my truth. A truth that is disappearing as others rewrite our Jewish identities and histories

Despite the growing rise in antisemitism, often Jewish teachers feel left out when it comes to contributing to equity work, as our work in antisemitism and Holocaust education awareness is often excluded from the framework.

The word “antisemitism” never makes the cut. Instead, we’re supposed to see our unique stories as anti-racism and anti-oppression. Why not call it what it is? For example, The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) wants institutions to adopt a new definition of antisemitism:

“Antisemitism is a perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

While many countries and institutions have adopted this new definition, many oppose and deny it. Why are Jews kept from defining antisemitism?

While institutionalized racism is studied, you don’t hear anyone talking about institutionalized antisemitism. However, Jewish students and teachers have made calls to action. I explore this in Jewish Life Is Politicized & Mired In the Model Minority Myth:

There is a deep-rooted issue of antisemitism in academia, according to a Tablet Magazine survey, “people with higher levels of education tend to hold more antisemitic views” as reported in the educational resource, Antisemitism in Academia by RootsMetal.

But, Jewish students are not to blame for the complexities of Middle East politics. In fact, Jews don’t want our identities politicized: we want to express our Judaism freely without offending anyone, but you will not allow that, because we are punished by the model minority myth.

I can relate as I’ve had to endure “punching up” statements, such as being “special.”

A few years ago, during an anti-black racism workshop for “professional development”, a colleague looked at me, and said: Blacks never had the privilege that the Jews did of being an “invisible minority.”

Learning about racism, stereotypes, and hate, shouldn’t come from a place of divisiveness. There are so many ways in which Jews do not feel included in the education system due to institutionalized antisemitism.

Not only are many universities hostile to Jewish students’ self-determination and ban “zionists” from speaking on campus, but many Jews feel they have to hide their support for Israel.

Also, when institutions gather data on student achievement or safety, there is often no room for Jews to identify as a culture or ethnicity. The only option on such questionnaires is to self-identify as “other” or “white”. Essentially, Jews are being erased in more ways than one. How are we supposed to gather data on Jewish student life, if there’s no way for us to identify it?

Jews are sick and tired of being told by others such as celebrities, institutions, and non-Jews what antisemitism is.

Have a seat because we will tell you what it means, and if you don’t want to take a seat at our table, just know we will make our own table, and wait for others to join who are allies in the real fight against discrimination — one that doesn’t pick and choose sides.

If others are so serious about understanding institutionalized racism, equity, and diversity, then Jewish life also needs to be included in this framework, instead of being ostracized, erased, and vilified.

We define antisemitism: we call it out.