The controversy regarding the strip of land in the Middle East sometimes called the “Holy Land” has existed for as long as Jerusalem has been a religious capital of three major faiths. Recently, the war between the Jewish state of Israel and the Islamic militant group Hamas in Palestine has brought the complicated issue into the scrutinizing public eye once more.
Amid massive criticism of both warring nations, corporate boycotts, and complicated political policies, the significance of this issue can feel far away. But despite the fighting being thousands of miles from the U.S., both Jewish and Muslim Americans are feeling the effects, even at Lane Tech.
When the war began on Oct. 7, 2023, the United States was moving into a major election year. Contention grew over Israel, as did the importance of the issue in the eyes of many American voters. Most importantly here, however, was the rise in discrimination against both Jewish and Muslim Americans.
Jewish sophomore Sloane Lattin said she’s never felt particularly safe expressing her Jewish identity. Further, when major world events put religion into the spotlight, Lattin says, “It affects how I show it, it affects how I interact with showing my religion around people.”
An article published by PBS News on Oct. 6 cited a Pew Research survey done in 2024 saying that 56% of Jewish Americans were modifying their behavior to avoid one of three actions, including actions that would publicly broadcast their Jewish identity. This number is up from 38% of individuals three years ago.
The same 2024 survey found that publicly, “concern about discrimination against Muslims was about as high as concerns about discrimination against Jews.”
There had been a surge in anti-Muslim language in New York preceding their mayoral election, where Democratic front-runner Zohran Mamdani stood to become the city’s first Muslim mayor. Far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer posted a multitude of comments following Mamdani’s win with one reading “America is about to become a very violent country, Mamdani will encourage Muslims to commit political assassinations to acquire power and silence critics.”
Lane Tech junior Sara Cenanovic said she generally feels safe expressing her Muslim religious identity, but partially attributes that to not being “easily identifiable” as Muslim.
“I think it would be an issue for other people who do wear the hijab especially after like other events such as 9/11, like a lot of people were really scared to show it off.”
Sophomore Joey Weiss, who is Jewish, said the war hasn’t had an effect on his sense of safety at Lane. “No it hasn’t affected me, I don’t think, like that,” Weiss said.
Despite the rise in discrimination and widespread fear of violence, Cenanovic said she was more inclined to talk about being Muslim since the war started.
“I feel like a lot of the events that I do now are more like catered towards, like showing off, that I’m Muslim, because I think that’s really important during these times,” Cenanovic said.
Cenanovic, Lattin, and Weiss all said they’d consider themselves to be very connected to their respective religions, even when expressing it can be a challenge.
“I feel more comfortable posting online,” Lattin said, compared to showing her Jewish identity in person. Cenanovic partially echoed this sentiment, saying, “I think it’s just easier to express it online.”
Lattin said she has felt more connected to her religion since the war began. She went on to say she’s talked more about being Jewish in general. “It just comes up more frequently,” Lattin said.
War has devastating effects on everyone involved, changing lives and affecting the identities of people across an ocean. But despite the tough times experienced by a lot of Muslims, Cenanovic said it’s made her more involved.
“I feel like during this time I’ve also been going a lot more to the Mosque, like my Mosque, and I think I’ve just been showing up a little more,” Cenavonic said.
