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And yet, I have asked myself many times over the last eight months: what is the point in having power if you do not use it to stop crimes against humanity? My whole life has been spent in Jewish community in the US and Israel. I have spent time in Israel/Palestine, and I learned Hebrew and Arabic both formally through school and connection through community. I have family and friends who are Israeli, Palestinian - and have loved ones who have served in the IDF. People in my community have lost loved ones during Hamas' attack on October 7th, beloveds killed, displaced, and taen as hostages. I am terrified by rising antisemitism around the world. And yet I am certain that the answer to this is not to collectively punish millions of innocent Palestinians through displacement, famine and ethnic cleansing. Israel's ongoing offensive against Palestinians does not keep Jewish people safe - in Israel or in the US. What I have learned from my Jewish tradition is that every life is precious. That we are obligated to stand up for those facing violence and oppression, and to question authority in the face of injustice. As of writing this, Israel has killed over 35,000 people in Gaza, including 15,000 children. The Israeli military has bombed medical infrastructure, beseiged a hospital, left mass graves behind, destroyed every university in Gaza, targeted journalists and aid workers, and committed many, many inexcusable atrocities. These are all violations of international law.