Shabbos Kestenbaum

Kestenbaum was born on December 19, 1998, in Teaneck, New Jersey, to Daniel and Hadassah Kestenbaum, British immigrants. He is one of seven siblings and was named Shabbos because he was born on the Jewish Sabbath. His family later moved to the Riverdale section of the Bronx, New York, where he attended SAR Academy, a local Modern Orthodox Jewish day school, and then SAR High School. He also engaged in many educational programs while in high school with the Tikvah Fund. During his youth, he expressed opposition to the Iraq War in a school journal. He then studied at Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem for two years, from 2017 to 2019. Kestenbaum attended Queens College, where he served as president of Hillel and Student Senator and graduated summa cum laude. ==Harvard==

Kestenbaum then attended Harvard Divinity School, graduating in May 2024. While at Harvard, he became increasingly vocal about antisemitism on campus. This included harassment of Jewish students during protests, antisemitic messages on a university app, and vandalism of posters about Israeli hostages. Lawsuit against Harvard University In January 2024, Kestenbaum was the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against Harvard University. The lawsuit included six anonymous Jewish students under the name Students Against Antisemitism and alleged that the university failed to address antisemitic harassment and discrimination against Jewish and Israeli students, particularly following the October 7 attacks. The plaintiffs claimed that Harvard violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by not protecting Jewish and Israeli students from discrimination and harassment, breached contractual obligations, and failed to uphold the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. However the motion was rejected in August by federal judge Richard G. Stearns, who pointed out that there were many instances when Harvard had failed to respond to antisemitism. In January 2025, Harvard settled the lawsuit with the other plaintiffs, agreeing to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism, host an annual symposium on antisemitism, and partner with an Israeli university. Kestenbaum declined to join the settlement and continued pursuing his claims separately. On May 15, he agreed to a confidential settlement with Harvard. == Political involvement ==

Initially a registered Democrat and supporter of progressive candidates like Bernie Sanders, Kestenbaum gained attention for speaking at the Republican National Convention in July 2024. During his speech, he highlighted issues of antisemitism and criticized Harvard University's handling of such incidents. in March 2024 Kestenbaum has testified multiple times before the United States Congress regarding antisemitism on college campuses. He has also spoken before the Israeli Knesset, where he was honored for his efforts in combating antisemitism. He also has appeared as a commentator on national news platforms including CNN, Fox News, and Newsmax.He considered running in the 2026 United States House of Representatives elections for the congressional seat vacated by Jerry Nadler. == Reaction==

Within parts of the Jewish community and among conservative circles, Kestenbaum has been lauded as a courageous and impactful figure for addressing antisemitism on college campuses and defending Jewish rights. His lawsuit against Harvard received significant national attention and became a focal point in the broader debate about antisemitism in higher education. Kestenbaum claimed the lawsuit "drew the nation's attention to the scourge of antisemitism at Harvard and other campuses, and it also caught the attention of President Trump and his Department of Education." Rabbi Shlomo Riskin has said that Kestenbaum is "not just a speaker — he's a builder" who is "helping to shape the next chapter of Jewish public life, and he's doing it with both vision and integrity." == Personal life==

Kestenbaum works with the Jewish community in Poland, preserving Jewish heritage and promoting Jewish education, and has visited numerous times since he turned 18. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, he returned to Poland to help support the Ukrainian refugees there. He worked as an intern at the Jewish Community Centre of Kraków in Poland in the summer of 2023 and took part in its Ride For The Living fundraiser. He moved to Los Angeles in the summer of 2025 for a job with PragerU. In May 2025, he donated his kidney to an anonymous recipient through the Renewal organization. == References ==