Leaving Law to Fight Antisemitism on College Campuses

Melanie Borker was a rising star in the legal world. After graduating from the prestigious New York University School of Law, she worked for Gibson Dunn, a leading international law firm.

While Melanie was always connected to her Judaism and Israel – she was on the board of the NYU Law Students for Israel club and part of the Wash U Students Supporting Israel club in undergrad – she didn’t work in the Jewish world.

Then October 7 happened.

Melanie went with her family to Israel in January of 2024, shortly after the attacks.  They spent time with Nova survivors, hostage families, farmers who lost their workers, and wounded IDF heroes.

Walking through Kfar Aza and the Nova Festival site – seeing the aftermath with my own eyes and hearing stories from survivors themselves – is something that will stay with me forever.

“Every Israeli was impacted by 10/7 in some way, and we wanted to show solidarity and support however we could,” she said. “We volunteered at a farm, spent time at Shuva Junction, cooked meals for IDF soldiers, and donated clothes, toys, washing machines and more to families forced to leave their homes, or who no longer had a home. Walking through Kfar Aza and the Nova Festival site – seeing the aftermath with my own eyes and hearing stories from survivors themselves – is something that will stay with me forever.”

Leaving Big Law for Jewish Advocacy

When Melanie got back to New York, she decided to make a career change. She left her job in big law and began working as the tri-state regional assistant director at Alums for Campus Fairness, which works with alumni to combat antisemitism and anti-Zionism on college campuses.

“Through ACF, I have planned, hosted, and moderated many pro-Israel educational programs,” she said. “Since October 7, my Instagram account has been dedicated to sharing stories about Israel and exposing antisemitism. There is not a day that goes by that I do not think about or pray for the hostages and their families, our IDF heroes, and for Israel. I have always felt a deep and strong connection to Judaism and to Israel. I have always advocated for our state and our people. And in my post-October 7 life, I continue to be loudly and proudly Jewish and pro-Israel.”

Melanie is now taking her advocacy one step further: she is running on the Aish Ha’Am slate for the World Zionist Congress. If she becomes a delegate, her main focus will be to fight all the issues on college campuses which she saw firsthand.

Antisemitism on Campus

Back in 2013, when Melanie was a freshman at Wash U, she took classes with college professors who were openly anti-Israel.

“My music professor referred to Israel as Palestine and had us listen to music by Palestinians blaming their hardships on Israel and Israelis,” she said. “I had an anthropology professor who was so anti-Israel he had a public Twitter account full of conspiracy theories and lies about Israel.”

After the Michael Brown incident, which took place in Ferguson – only 15 minutes away from Wash U – groups like Black Lives Matter came about and started spewing anti-Zionist ideologies.

“We saw more and more minority groups form coalitions dedicated to blaming Israel for their problems,” Melanie said. “These ideas came from the intellectual elite.”

After seeing the explosion of antisemitism on college campuses after October 7, Melanie has concluded that we aren’t doing enough to combat it. She proposes educating Jews about what is happening and empowering them with the tools they need to take action.

“This is exactly what Aish Ha’Am is striving to do,” she said. “I am proud to join Aish in its mission to empower Jews across the US to fight back against antisemitism on campus, while fostering Jewish unity, strengthening Jewish identity, and standing up for Israel… the Aish Ha’Am mission aligns with my personal values and professional work.”

Melanie hopes to become part of the World Zionist Congress and have a seat at the table. “I want to ensure Jewish education is a priority. I want to be a part of combatting antisemitism and anti-Israel hatred in our schools. I am excited to meet with others who share my goals and work together on how to achieve them.”

Educating the Younger Generation of Jews

Along with working at ACF, Melanie is also on the board of 1000 Strong, a group of young leaders that formed immediately after October 7 to raise money for Israelis through hosting meaningful events.

While the young advocate knows how important it is to stay connected to her Jewish roots and community, she believes that other young Jews do not – and that’s a huge problem that must be addressed.

Instead of trying to hide their Judaism, especially in this post-October 7 world, Melanie is encouraging young Jews to embrace it.

“The younger generation has gotten too comfortable,” she said. “They do not realize the Holocaust was not that long ago. They think so long as we do not draw attention to ourselves, we will be fine. They might even blame other Jews for antisemitism. But this is wrong and dangerous. Why would we be the first generation in history not to have people try to kill us? History is our greatest teacher, and history shows that every few generations, the world will come after the Jews.”

Instead of trying to hide their Judaism, especially in this post-October 7 world, Melanie is encouraging young Jews to embrace it.

“Do not shy away from your Judaism to fit in,” she said. “Do not believe that by downplaying your Jewishness you are being less problematic. Never blame antisemitism on Judaism. Our survival depends on you staying connected to your Jewish identity.”