Being Jewish with Jonah Platt A Mantra for the Digital Age + Jewish Student Leaders Tessa Veksler & Eden Yadegar
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Jewish college students are standing up—and they’re not backing down. In this powerful episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, Jonah sits down with two outstanding Jewish student leaders: Tessa Veksler (former UCSB Student Body President) and Eden Yadegar (Columbia University senior). These passionate advocates open up about what it's really like to be Jewish students facing antisemitism on college campuses today, no matter what you might see (or not!) on the news.
Armed with their voices, courage, and personal histories as daughters of immigrants who escaped anti-Jewish regimes abroad, they’re reclaiming Jewish identity, challenging misinformation and demanding visibility, safety, and truth. And they’re doing it all in some of the most charged environments in higher education.
Watch this episode on YouTube at: YouTube.com/@BeingJewishPodcast
We dive deep into:
✅ The shocking and pervasive rise of Jew hatred on college campuses
✅ The difference between more assimilated American Jews and those from families who fled persecution
✅ What Jewish student leaders are doing well — and where we need to go from here
✅ Engagement with the World Zionist Congress and global Jewish identity
✅ What inspires the next generation of Jewish advocates and how YOU can make a difference
Whether you're a Jewish student, parent, educator, or ally, this episode offers honest insight, personal stories, and empowering takeaways.
This episode is sponsored by PJ Library, the amazing non-profit that sends FREE age-appropriate Jewish storybooks and activities every single month to families with kids age 0-12. Did we mention, it’s free! Sign up today at pjlibrary.org/Jonah
Connect with our guests!
- Follow Eden Yadegar on Instagram @edenyadegar
- Follow Tessa Veksler on Instagram @tessaveksler
Host & Production Team
Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sean Leviashvili; Editor: Patrick Edwards); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Creative Associate: Rachel Stern; Social Media Manager: Yuval Yosha; Graphic Designer Noah Bell
MENTIONED IN EPISODE
- Sign Up for PJ Library To Receive Free Jewish Children's Books: www.pjlibrary.org/jonah
- Eden Yadegar’s AISH Profile
- Tessa Veksler’s AISH Profile
- Students Supporting Israel (SSI) - On-Campus Organization
- October 8th Film
- “We’re Not Going Anywhere” Featuring Tessa Veksler College Tour
- ADL’s Report on Antisemitism at Columbia University
- Federal Civil Rights Complaint Against UCSB (On Behalf of Tessa Veksler)
- Recall Petition Against Student Body President Tessa Veksler Filed at UCSB
- Eden Yadegar Files Suit Against Columbia University
- “Jewish Joy is Resistance” Bracelet
- NCSY Teen Trips
- What is the Kotel? (Wailing Wall in Israel)
- Going Full Jew with Jonah Platt
- Tessa’s Post on October 9th, 2023
- Columbia University Suspends SJP Chapter in 2023
- What is Columbia University Apartheid Divest?
- Families of Hostages Sue Columbia University Groups over Alleged Ties to Hamas
- Former Hostage Shlomi Ziv Reveals Hamas Told Him They Provided Financial Support to Student Groups
- Hostage Edan Alexander Finally Released, May 12th, 2025
- World Zionist Congress
- Wilshire Boulevard Temple
- What is Tahdig? (Eden’s Favorite Dish From Iran)
- What are Pelmeni? (Tessa’s Favorite Dish from Russia)