Shabbos Kestenbaum: Have Jewish Orgs Failed?

Love him or hate him, you’ve probably heard of Shabbos Kestenbaum —the Harvard student who made waves with his RNC speech and lawsuit against Harvard over campus antisemitism. In this episode, we go beyond the viral clip. We dig into the Jewish establishment—Hillel, Chabad, ADL, AJC, Federations—what’s working, what’s broken, and where donors should (and shouldn’t) put their money. We also talk about why some Jewish students are drifting right politically, how to build strong Jewish identity without “anti-antisemitism” PowerPoints, and what real campus support looks like.If you care about Jewish life on campus, Israel/Zionism education, and institutional accountability, this one’s for you.Timestamps0:00 Intro0:05 The RNC speech everyone saw1:14 “Tonight we fight back” — policy lines that lit up the room2:10 Why Shabbos agreed to come on: a frank look at Jewish orgs3:48 Pluralism vs. clarity: Hillel & Chabad on campus10:51 The “combating antisemitism industrial complex” critique14:25 Building strong Jews vs. anti-antisemitism trainings16:31 Are legacy orgs pivoting—or just protecting access?20:57 “Access culture,” White House invites, and speaking freely23:27 What donors should do now (and what to stop funding)31:00 Where Hillel fits when lines need drawing34:04 Leadership failures and the Claudine Gay moment37:26 Boundaries, inclusion, and campus red lines39:06 The decision to speak at the RNC41:53 Closing inviteWe coverWhy many students (even left-leaning) feel safer with a tougher federal approachThe case for funding local campus work directlyMetrics that actually show impact (beyond emails and galas)Clear red lines on campus without shutting doors to studentsIf you enjoy this convo👍 Like, 💬 comment, and 🔔 subscribe for more honest, nuanced Jewish campus content.Share this with a friend who’s involved with campus Jewish life or communal philanthropy.#republican #shabbos Jewish History, Politics, Israel, Antisemitism, and Zionism - I cover it all.Politics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6QupJZ1HLY&list=PLQ3aQmFcYiCqqL-GSNw6NhSZWOvzaDdIKJewish History: https://youtu.be/1u4jHoZ8stM?si=0jZP4uhXlVEg2NOTAntisemitism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCgnEZ1d24Q&list=PLQ3aQmFcYiCqkU_aPIJGbE1xTKEbkh8euFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/daniel.levine.31/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rabbidaniellevine/#Israel #Rabbi #Jewish #WhatisZionism #DoJews?