The Heartfelt Email a Jewish Student Received from President Trump

Since the October 7 attack, campuses at leading U.S. universities have transformed from places of learning into battlegrounds of hatred for Jewish students.

Once hubs of knowledge, free expression, and academic discourse, they have become tense, hostile, and sometimes dangerous environments. Extreme protests, hate chants, vandalism of Jewish symbols, and personal threats have become daily occurrences at institutions once celebrated for their liberalism and tolerance, with much of it documented and going viral on social media.

The rise in antisemitic incidents, violent protests, and feelings of insecurity have created a new reality, shaking American politics. However, during the last few months, following Donald Trump’s election as President, the situation has changed dramatically. The U.S. administration has adopted a clear, hardline stance: zero tolerance for antisemitism.

In a direct message to university administrations, Trump even threatened to cut federal funding to institutions that fail to curb incitement, positioning himself as a staunch supporter of Jewish students. As a result, Jewish and Israeli students report a new spirit on campuses, with a shift in atmosphere and a strengthened sense of security.

Fighting AntisemitismI

tzik Atar, originally from Moshav Avital in the Ta’anach region and currently a graduate student at the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (USC), has experienced this shift firsthand. Atar is part of a group of Jewish students and professors working to combat antisemitic incidents.

After sending a letter of appreciation to President Donald Trump for his tough policies, including threats to withhold funding and revoke visas for those spreading hate, the group received a personal and uplifting response from the President himself. For many, this is more than a political statement; it marks the beginning of a new era in academia, providing Jewish students with a sense of security, inclusion, and support.

Atar himself received a heartfelt and warm email from the White House, signed by President Trump, which read: “Dear Mr. Atar, Thank you for your kind words. Melania and I appreciate your unwavering support. We are deeply grateful for your encouragement. May God bless you and your family.”

Atar (35) explained: “We’re part of the Pens for Swords initiative, which aims to advance agendas through letters and position papers and to fight antisemitism on campuses, whether from students or professors inciting hatred against Jews and the State of Israel.

At first, I thought the encouraging email was sent to everyone, but it was clarified to me that this was a rare response. I study at a private university, and the security team didn’t allow protesters to demonstrate or create provocations like at UCLA, but outside the university, I did encounter tent encampments and booths with flags and pro-Palestinian support.

Even though I didn’t personally feel threatened, it was ridiculous that most protesters had no real stake in the Israel-Hamas conflict. They were mainly Asian protesters who had no clue what they were saying or what the protest was even about.”

University policies are changing to combat antisemitism and our adversaries have toned it down. You can feel it clearly in daily life and see it in media reports. Jewish and Israeli students now feel much safer on campuses.”

Emek News contributed to this article.