Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/718539
August 25 • 2016 49 for college students by college students Aug. 25, 2016 / 21 Av 5776 M y fingers twitch slightly as I try to light my cigarette. It's the first time I have ever smoked to try and ease my stress, fixated on a tragedy I had read about that morning. There was another terrorist attack the night before. A policeman stabbed to death in his home, his girlfriend's throat slit in front of their young son. The vicious attack was carried out by a French-born jihadist who had pledged allegiance to ISIS just three weeks prior. I found myself dwelling on that child, only 3 years old. He was robbed of his innocence by someone consumed by hate. I still wonder if that child, seeing such malice firsthand, would give into it himself. That tragedy arrived near the begin- ning of my two-month stay in Vichy, France, to learn French. It was the beginning of a string of incidents that seemed to feed into the narrative of a violent and demented world surrounding me. The irony of it all is that, in this progression of terror around Vichy, I came to feel safer and more secure within it. Some historical context is needed to fully grasp this irony. Following Nazi victory over France, the nation was split in two. There was the northern zone occupé, under full military control of the German Nazi regime. The southern zone libre was gov- erned and run by Frenchmen, though they still collaborated with the Nazis. Vichy became the de facto capital of this col- laborationist government. Its many hotels were co-opted as housing for the new administration, taking on roles such as Ministry of the Interior or Ministry of Propaganda. These ministries were largely responsible for French-Jewish deportation and justifying such actions as beneficial for French national recovery. You can see here why a Jew visiting France would find Vichy to be subtly oppressive. It's a surreal feeling to walk the same streets as policy makers who had made it their mission to hand over Jews to the Nazi death machine or just discard them in concentration camps out in the countryside. Today's Vichy is far removed from its bleak past. The French in Vichy are extremely welcoming, kind people. I freely expressed my Jewish heritage to many of them, the worst reaction being a complete indifference to this new information. This isn't to say that extremism is completely absent from Vichy. On numerous street light poles are stickers bearing the insignia of a far-right group known as Action Francaise (AF). Branding itself as a pro-Catholic, pro-monarchist move- ment, AF has an uneasy history of anti-Semitism given that its philosophical figurehead, Charles Maurras, was himself an outspoken anti-Semite. Almost like a tasteless joke, I stumbled upon Vichy's sole synagogue after spotting one of these stickers. It had been placed over the street sign leading to the shul with more than likely a deliber- ate intention. I attended Shabbat services a few days later VOLUME 7, NO. 3 A sticker bearing the Action Francaise logo, a far-right political group with a history of anti-Semitic thought, is posted on the street sign leading to Vichy's only synagogue. Soujourn In France MSU student looks at violence in France through Jewish eyes. OK Not To Be OK U-M senior lets freshmen know support is available on campus. Sierra Stone } jewish@edu writer D ear College Freshmen: You're preparing to embark on a journey that is said to be "the best four years of your life." Soon you'll meet your future best friends, bridesmaids, groomsmen, mentors and role models. You're going to be independent — no one will be holding your hands or telling you what to do, how to do it or when to do it. You're going to be challenged, excited and happy. Well, maybe not so happy. For some of you, just like me, you're not going to be happy — not right away at least. You may be seemingly happy your first week and then realize something is not right. You may portray happiness through your Instagram and Facebook, when deep down you're not. You may feel lonely, stressed, vulnerable and unsure of yourself — and that is OK. If you fill out every transfer application by the end of first semester — that is OK. If you feel like you have nobody to talk to — that is OK. Remind yourself that you are not the only one feeling this way. You are not alone. It is OK not to be OK. It is OK to talk about not being OK. It might take some time to find your niche, find your new normal and find your home away from home. I was lucky enough to find those things in Greek life, student government, Hillel and, most importantly, the Wolverine Support Network (WSN). With help and support from, and in partnership with the George Orley Mental Wellness Initiative, WSN is the University of Michigan's first peer-to- peer support group. WSN is a student organization dedicated to promoting the emotional well-being of students and creating a supportive campus com- munity united against the stigmas of mental health issues. WSN establishes peer-to-peer support groups where students can share their struggles with peers in a safe, healthy and confidential way. We also host Kickback Fridays, twice a month, which are fun events that strive to create a strong and safe campus community. If you are heading to Ann Arbor in the fall, I highly recommend joining WSN — especially if you find yourself not being OK. If you're not heading to Ann Arbor — have no fear. We are in the midst of beginning expansions to other college campuses. @ Sierra Stone of West Bloomfield is a senior at the University of Michigan. For details or to donate to Wolverine Support Network, visit umichwsn.org. The executive team and facilitators of the Wolverine Support Network at U-M Sierra Stone Photos by Ian Wendrow Ian Wendrow Commentary continued on page 50