A sense of urgency and unity filled the South Brooklyn Republican Club’s monthly meeting on May 6, as the community turned out in overwhelming numbers to hear from one of the nation’s most prominent young Jewish voices — Shabbos Kestenbaum. The event, held at 3051 Nostrand Ave. in Marine Park, was packed amid an escalating national crisis of antisemitism, particularly on America’s college campuses.
The evening’s guest, Shabbos Kestenbaum, 26, has become a forceful advocate for Jewish rights and campus safety. A Harvard Divinity School graduate, founder of the Jewish on Campus Legal Aid Society, and nationally recognized speaker, Kestenbaum catapulted into public view earlier this year when he filed a landmark lawsuit against Harvard University. The suit alleges that the institution failed to protect Jewish and Israeli students from systemic antisemitic harassment, threats, and intimidation.
“I never imagined I’d go from canvassing for Bernie Sanders to filing a federal discrimination lawsuit against the very institution I thought represented progress,” Kestenbaum said. “But Harvard didn’t just let me down. They abandoned their Jewish students.”
His personal journey from a self-described “Bernie-bro” to a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump, culminating in his speech at the Republican National Convention, struck a powerful chord with attendees. “What changed? Reality,” he said. “I saw who was actually willing to stand up when Jewish students were being threatened. And it wasn’t the Left.”
The timing of Kestenbaum’s appearance could not have been more prescient. Just shortly before the event, pro-Hamas agitators took over the library at Columbia University. By the following day, encampments were set up at Brooklyn College, where Jewish students were harassed near the Hillel House and police were called in to restore order. The gravity of the moment weighed heavily on the evening, turning the club meeting into something more akin to a call to arms.
South Brooklyn Republican Club President Michal Harris welcomed attendees and underscored the importance of community vigilance. The meeting was kicked off by Troy Olson, who led the crowd with the Pledge of Alliance, and is a veteran, Sergeant-at-Arms for the New York Young Republican Club (NYYRC), and legislative director to Councilwoman Vernikov.
The pledge was then followed by a melodious rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” from Matt Antar, finance chairman of the New York Young Republicans Club.
Security presence was robust, with NYPD auxiliary officers, Shomrim, and other volunteers and even members of one Krav Maga school of self-defense, providing a watchful presence over the venue. The enthusiastic crowd applauded regularly throughout the night, a testament to Kestenbaum’s growing influence and the severity of the issues he addresses.
Council Member Inna Vernikov, who represents District 48 and leads the club in her district, introduced the event’s special guest. Vernikov, widely recognized for her outspoken stance against antisemitism both within the New York City Council chambers and beyond, is a steadfast leader and unrelenting advocate for Jewish issues and other community needs.
Facing a competitive primary against former Council Member Ari Kagan on June 24, Vernikov’s presence galvanized constituents from across ideological lines, who received the whole-hearted endorsement from Kestenbaum: “In no uncertain terms, I endorse Councilwoman Vernikov, She is a fighter not just for the Jewish community, but for the [district she represents and] people of New York.”
Kestenbaum’s talk was followed by an engaging Q&A session. One question came from attendee Jacqueline Toboroff, a known Manhattan-based Republican activist, former City Council candidate, VP of the Manhattan GOP, and mobilizer of “SUPERMOMS Activated.”
Other notable attendees included Ron Canterino of New Yorkers First; Stephanie Benshimol, a local Jewish activist and participates in weekly “Run for Their Lives” walks for release of Israeli hostages; Nachman Caller, Republican and Conservative candidate for State Senate District 22; Svetlana Zelinskaya, District Leader; and Yelena Makhnin, Director of the Brighton Beach Business Improvement District.
Kestenbaum’s remarks were interwoven with both sharp insight and emotional clarity. He spoke about being harassed on campus, isolated by classmates, and abandoned by administrators. Yet despite it all, he remained undeterred. “The question isn’t whether the next generation of Jews will face hate,” he said. “The question is whether we’ll equip them to fight it.”
In the days following the meeting, the crisis on college campuses intensified. Council Member Vernikov, responding to a wave of public frustration over the silence from institutional leadership, issued a searing condemnation of CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez for failing to act in the wake of the antisemitic incidents at Brooklyn College.
“Step up or step down,” she said bluntly. “We are past the point of letting leadership play politics with Jewish lives.”
