How Israel-Hamas War presented an unprecedented challenge to student welfare - opinion
The Israel-Hamas war didn’t just test Israel’s military resilience – it tested our commitment to our young generation. Universities must not be bystanders in these moments; they must lead.
Students at Hebrew University of Jerusalem.(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)ByGUY HARPAZ
In times of war, we often speak about soldiers on the front lines, but what about the students whose futures hang in the balance? The Israel-Hamas war didn’t just test Israel’s military resilience – it tested our commitment to our young generation. Universities must not be bystanders in these moments; they must lead.
The Israel-Hamas war posed an unprecedented challenge to student welfare in Israel. At the Hebrew University, the Office of the Dean of Students is responsible for the welfare of nearly 24,000 students – undergraduate and graduate, Israeli and international – across six campuses. As the leading academic institution in Israel, the Hebrew University’s commitment to leadership extends beyond academics. We strive to lead in the realm of student welfare as well. In less turbulent times (which have been rare in recent years), our focus has been on supporting Orthodox students, Israeli-Palestinian students, Palestinian students from east Jerusalem, students of Ethiopian descent, first-generation students, students with learning disabilities, and those facing accessibility challenges. However, in moments of crisis, a university must serve as a pillar of stability and support, ensuring that no students are left behind.
The outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war only intensified the challenges confronting these students. The war forced us to rethink student welfare entirely, adapt our modus operandi, and expand our support to meet the needs of additional groups. The primary group affected was that of the reserve soldiers – nearly 7,000 of them, along with their spouses, faced immediate disruption. Hundreds of students were evacuated from their homes in the South and the North, while others studying abroad faced hostilities from challenges such as BDS campaigns that targeted them. The reality was stark – almost every student needed some form of assistance. So how did we respond?
How did Hebrew University help its students when war broke out?
The first response was financial: No student struggling due to the war would be left without support.
Beyond financial aid, mental health and emotional support were critical. Recognizing that emotional well-being directly impacts academic success, we significantly expanded our Counseling Center, offering emotional support to reservists, evacuees, and their spouses, with generous subsidies. Additionally, we broadened the scope of our Accessibility Unit to support students – especially reservists facing physical or mental injuries – by helping them overcome academic obstacles resulting from their military service.
Students at Hebrew University of Jerusalem. (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
The third front was academic support. When the war erupted, we made a solemn promise to our students: “Not one of you will be left behind.” We were fully committed to fulfilling this pledge. But how could we turn these words into concrete actions? How could we support students who had missed all their classes when spending the entire academic year fighting in Gaza or on the northern front? How could we continue to reduce the drop-out rates resulting from the war?
One-on-one academic tutoring became a lifeline for students returning from the front lines. Professors and fellow students stepped up, volunteering their time to bridge the gaps left by months away from their studies. We created specialized support classes for reservists and introduced a comprehensive package of academic accommodations. Our goal was clear: to be as generous, flexible, and accommodating as possible – without compromising academic integrity. Time will tell if we truly met the challenge.
Beyond student welfare, the university faced another test – our role in Israeli society itself. As we celebrate the Hebrew University’s centennial on April 1, we are reminded that this institution was founded even before the State of Israel, embodying the belief that academia is a force for national resilience.
This mission became even more critical during the war. As the Israeli government struggled to manage the crisis, Jerusalem was inundated with tens of thousands of evacuees needing shelter, food, and schooling. In response, a civic headquarters was established in the heart of the city, staffed by thousands of volunteers – most of them our students and graduates.
Our faculty and staff also stepped up, volunteering to support wounded soldiers’ families, evacuees, released hostages, and others in need. A century of research and expertise was mobilized for Israeli society, proving once again that the university is more than an academic institution – it is a force for resilience.
Amid the crisis, we faced another critical challenge: safeguarding students’ rights to political association and freedom of speech. The Hebrew University has long stood as Israel’s leading academic institution in defending these freedoms, and we remained steadfast in this commitment – even in the most trying circumstances.
During wartime, protecting free speech is no small feat. Emotions ran high, tensions flared, and the urgent call for the release of hostages or to end the war in Gaza only intensified the discourse. The diversity of our student body – nearly 20% of our undergraduates are Arab – made this challenge even more complex. But these are precisely the moments when institutional values are tested. And we did not waver.
Did we succeed? We have been criticized from all sides – perhaps a sign that we struck the right balance. That judgment belongs to history. But we upheld our principles when it mattered most – and that in itself is a victory.
On a personal note, 2023-2024 was my last year as the dean of students. This was meant to be a peaceful transition back to research and teaching. Reality proved otherwise. A few days after October 7, I visited the Ibrahim family in Abu Ghosh, an Arab village on the outskirts of Jerusalem. They were mourning the death of their son, Majed, an outstanding high school student who had been about to begin his academic journey in our prestigious School of Computer Sciences. A missile fired by Hamas hit their home and killed him. The look in his father’s eyes will haunt me forever.
We lost seven more students – Eyal, Eitan, Israel, Eitan, Nir, Alexander, as well as Carmel Gat, a hostage who was murdered by Hamas, following Israel’s failure to release her. Meeting with their families, and the students who became widows overnight, was a profound personal and professional experience for which nothing in my life had prepared me. This short contribution is dedicated to them.
Throughout the war, the media coverage has often focused on Israel’s struggle against external threats. While those threats are undeniable, they only tell part of the story. The greatest challenge we face in Israel is internal. I hope that some of our students will soon take up leadership roles – not just as scholars or professionals but as visionaries who uphold meritocracy, social solidarity, democracy, human rights, diversity, the rule of law, and accountability. Their leadership must also be rooted in an unshakable commitment to Israel’s security and a sincere pursuit of peace with our neighbors. The future depends on them.■
Guy Harpaz is a professor in the Hebrew University’s Law Faculty and Department of International Relations. He served as dean of students from 2018-2024.
