Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist

Matthew hosts a small nondenominational group of students for Shabbat dinner every Friday. It began as a way for the only two practicing Jews in a very secular school to share their faith but grew into “a social circle all its own” (74). Matthew wants to use the weekly dinners to influence Derek’s thinking. He doesn’t want to confront Derek’s ideology. Instead, he uses nonjudgmental inclusion to build a relationship and softly erase Derek’s preconceived notions of those he considers enemies. Matthew says, “The goal was really just to make Jews more human for him” (81). Not everyone welcomes Derek at the dinners. Several participants stop attending and Matthew’s roommate, Allison Gornik, hides in her room when Derek attends. The first dinner with Derek ends in mutual respect, with an implicit agreement that they won’t press him on white nationalism if he forgets his beliefs during dinner. It contradicts Derek’s “stay on the offensive” mantra (82), but permits him a less solitary campus.

Derek continues attending Matthew’s Shabbat dinners and reengaging with the campus. He confronts new perspectives and questions many of his assumptions. To his fellow students though, his presence on campus is still a problem, reflective of broader racial issues at New College.