SLO film screening explores rise of antisemitism after Oct. 7 Hamas attack
On a warm evening in San Luis Obispo, the Jewish Community Center-Federation hosted a screening of the film “October 8” on Wednesday at the Palm Theatre.
The film explores the increase of antisemitism in the United States after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
The event took place in the wake of a controversial screening of the film “Israelism” at the Unitarian Universalists church in August, which ended in accusations of antisemitism and conflicting accounts of what occurred. But the Jewish Community Center explained that Wednesday’s film screening was not a reaction to the Unitarian Universalists’ event this summer.
In July, the center and Beth David Congregation Rabbi Micah Hyman reached out to the “October 8” executive director to arrange a private showing of the film, center vice president of community affairs Abby Lassen said.
Their goal was to commemorate Oct. 7, provide education to combat antisemitism locally, and offer an opportunity for the Jewish community to connect and support each other, Lassen said.
The center rented the Palm Theatre for the night and independently licensed the film. The center required attendees to register for the event ahead of time and hired security guards to protect the event, Lassen said.
About 120 people attended the event, filling the seats in the theater.
Rabbi Hyman opened Wednesday’s event with a prayer and a speech.
“May we look forward to a time where Jews don’t feel insecure in their own villages,” he said. “May there be peace.”
Antisemitism increased on the Central Coast
After the film, Anti-Defamation League regional director Joshua Burt moderated the panel discussion. Panelists included Cal Poly psychology student and vice president of Mustangs United for Israel Maya Paul, ADL Center on Extremism investigative researcher Matt Witkin, and ADL Center on Extremism analyst Lauren Post.
During the discussion, Post presented data from the organization’s 2024 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents.
In 2024, 9,354 antisemitic incidents were reported to the ADL nationwide, which was a 5% increase from 2023, when 8,873 antisemitic incidents were recorded.
From 2015 to 2024, antisemitic incidents reported to the ADL increased by 893% from 942 to 9,354, the audit said.
Those incidents included 196 assaults impacting 250 people, 6,552 incidents of harassment and 2,606 incidents of vandalism, the audit said.
On Oct. 7, 2023, the ADL updated its definition of antisemitism to include “certain expressions of opposition to Zionism, as well as support for violent resistance against Israel or Zionists that could be perceived as supporting terrorism or attacks on Jews, Israelis or Zionists,” the report said.
According to the audit, 58% of antisemitic incidents “contained elements related to Israel or Zionism.”
“A large portion of Israel-related antisemitic incidents occurred at or in the vicinity of anti-Israel protests,” the audit said. "Out of over 5,000 anti-Israel rallies tracked by ADL in 2024, 2,596 involved antisemitic messaging in the form of signs, chants or speeches.”
Meanwhile, the ADL recorded 1,694 antisemitic incidents at college campuses, which is an 84% increase from 2023, the audit said.
Across Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties, the ADL recorded 68 total incidents of antisemitism, with 19 occurring on college campuses, the report said.
During the panel discussion, Paul said she has felt firsthand the impact of increased antisemitism on campus.
On Halloween of 2024, people vandalized Cal Poly’s campus. One of the statements said, “from Gaza to Cal Poly, let the intifada spread.”
The first intifada was a series of protests and riots from 1987 to 1993, when Palestinians revolted against Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Stip, according to NPR.
The second intifada was an uprising from 2000 to 2005, when Palestinian militant groups killed about 1,000 Israeli civilians and soldiers, NPR said. The Israeli military killed about 3,000 Palestinians in response to the attacks, NPR said.
Some Pro-Palestine protesters use the word intifada as a non-violent “call for liberation,” NPR reported. But many people with a connection to Israel or Judaism interpret calls for intifada as “calls for violence against them,” NPR reported.
As a Jewish student, Paul said the message of the graffiti felt threatening, and she called the incident “one of the most fearful moments I have ever probably experienced.”
“That’s a direct call for violence against the Jewish students and the Jewish community at Cal Poly’s campus,” Paul said.
Despite the campus climate, Paul said the Jewish community at Cal Poly has continued to grow and support one another.
“We’re proud of our Judaism,” she said. “We’re not going to let them or anybody stop us from just showing up and celebrating our Judaism.”
