2020 has seen a wide array of social movements against injustice become prevalent. Last week Judith Rosenstein (SoC ’22), founder of the “Fast From Sundown To Sundown On Yom Kippur Because We Have Class” movement, spoke about her passion for fasting on Yom Kippur to highlight the injustice of Northwestern not cancelling class on the holiest Jewish holiday.

“Nothing will focus attention on NU’s unfair attempt to prohibit Jews from celebrating Yom Kippur like going on this hunger strike,” Rosenstein said. She believes the fast will lead to change by kicking professors in the tuchus. With what Rosenstein described as “like, zero” participation from students in Econ, pre-Law, and pre-Med, classes will become even more painful over Zoom than imaginable.

Rosenstein has acknowledged it won’t be easy to sustain the fast until sundown. “We love food. Our moms and grandmas compete in a ‘friendly’ brisket competition each year. My mom always wins, of course.”

Jews around the world have risen to Judith’s challenge, with almost every single one above age 13 joining the hunger strike on Yom Kippur. Rosenstein says she knew people would step up and fast on Yom Kippur and get back at their schools around the world. Even those who were given school off have decided to fast.

Ultimately, she wishes everyone a “Happy New Year, Happy Hunger Strike, and Happy Break Fast™ to all her Jews who fasted on Yom Kippur.”