How My Orthodox Jewish Identity Led to My Dismissal from Columbia University’s Newspaper

Eliana Goldin spent two years writing for Columbia University’s student newspaper, the Columbia Daily Spectator. She worked her way up and knew her teammates well. She paused her writing just before October 7 to focus on advocating for Israel.

In February 2024, she returned to writing as a columnist. Her aim was to explore common ground between Israelis and Palestinians. However, her first column sparked controversy. On May 20, she shared on her X account that some students dug up her old social media posts to criticize her. They found a poll she had conducted asking if people would “kill someone from Amalek.” This poll led to claims that she was calling for violence against Palestinians, intensifying attacks on her online.

Soon after, she received a call and was fired from her position. Eliana reflected that the very people she had shared her experiences with abandoned her when she needed support the most. She tried to clarify that her question about Amalek was a Jewish thought experiment about morality, but few listened.

She argued that reducing Judaism to the views of extremists is unfair. “Just as it is Islamophobic to judge all Muslims by extremists, the same applies to Judaism,” she wrote. Despite her efforts to engage in productive discussions, the narrative around her became distorted.

Eliana’s story gained attention after she went public with it, coinciding with claims from the Trump Administration that Columbia violated the rights of Jewish students.

Despite her negative experiences, Eliana values her time at Columbia. She believes that Jewish students should attend secular universities to maintain a presence in influential spaces. “If we retreat, we risk losing our stake entirely,” she said, referencing a history of Jewish students fighting for access to education.

Her experiences highlight a growing concern about campus environments and the complexities Jewish students face today. According to a 2023 survey from the Anti-Defamation League, nearly 40% of Jewish students reported experiencing antisemitism in colleges. These statistics underscore the ongoing challenges, along with the importance of fostering open dialogue, promoting understanding, and standing firm in one’s identity.

Eliana’s story serves as a compelling reminder of the delicate balance between free expression and the potential consequences that can arise on college campuses.



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