Tessa & Adela - Not Silent Not Sorry: Changing The Landscape In The Fight Against Antisemitism

Join us as we welcome two internationally-renowned Jewish activists, Tessa Veklser and Adela Cojab, for their first exclusive panel collaboration!

Tessa and Adela will be sharing actionable ways to integrate and maintain Jewish and Israel activism post-war, explore their personal and familial immigration experiences with antisemitism from the Former Soviet Union to Mexico and draw parallels with the USA today, combatting antisemitism with groundbreaking victorious lawsuits and engaging students around the country, and confronting the tokenization of Jewish women in the advocacy space.

About our speakers:

Tessa Veklser:

Tessa Veksler, originally from the East Bay Area in California, is a 2024 graduate from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). She served in multiple fellowships, including ICC's prestigious Geller Fellowship which took her to Israel and the UAE, learning about the Abraham Accords.

Tessa completed her term as the Student Body President of UCSB. She represented 24,000+ students, and she made history by becoming the first ever Shabbat-observant Associated Students President at UCSB. After facing targeted harassment and antisemitism in the wake of October 7th, Tessa has chosen to speak out bravely about her experiences while encouraging Jewish people nationwide to fight against hate.

With 35,000+ followers on Instagram and videos racking up more than 6.5 million combined views, Tessa has become a prominent Jewish and Zionist voice on social media - with national sway. Her courage in the face of adversity has awarded her numerous recognitions, including invitations to the White House and UCSB's University Service Award. In addition to her recent feature in the documentary October 8th, she now travels nationwide to share her message of strength, resilience, and continued activism while simultaneously working full time in public relations for Hiltzik Strategies in New York City.

Adela Cojab

Adela Cojab Moadeb is a legal advocate and media contributor recognized for her commitment to protecting Jewish rights and addressing antisemitism in academic institutions.

Adela is best known for filing a complaint against NYU under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act in 2019 for failing to protect its Jewish community from discrimination and harassment. Her case contributed to the Executive Order on Combatting Antisemitism, laying the groundwork for subsequent cases. Adela is currently a legal Fellow at the National Jewish Advocacy Center (NJAC), focusing on strategic litigation and public policy initiatives, and serves as the Director of Strategic Engagement, for the Birthright Israel Foundation, building the Jewish future.

Adela has been a correspondent on antisemitism for major media outlets across the US, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. She previously hosted the interfaith podcast Americanish: Daughters of Diasporaand currently anchors Today Unpacked, a YouTube program by OpenDor Media. Born in Mexico City and raised in Deal, New Jersey, she holds a Juris Doctor from Yeshiva Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and a Bachelor's degree from New York University (NYU) with a concentration in Middle Eastern Diaspora Structures.

-Special thank you to our event partners: Russian-speaking Jewish Community of SF Bay Area, Menorah Center for Hosting, Jewish Community Federation & Endowment Fund, Club Z, Israel Bonds, Stand With Us, Temple Emmanuel, Z3, Value Culture and Moishe House.

By attending this event, you agree to be photographed and videographed for marketing and communications purposes. By RSVPing to this event, you agree to receive text messages and email communications from Malka Productions. Malka Productions shall not be liable for injury to persons or property, costs, expenses, or other liability incurred as a result of or in connection with this event. No refunds. Tickets are not transferrable.