Dear university tutor…

In response to a recent university lecture, which framed the Israel-Gaza conflict through a one-sided lens, I wrote a letter to my tutor to shed light on the Jewish-Israeli narrative and open a conversation.

Publishing this letter now, my intention is to reflect on the act of speaking out: why we must voice discomfort when narratives are excluded, and how we can do so with both compassion and conviction, even when it’s difficult.

This piece is not an attack on my university nor my tutor — who has welcomed my letter with generosity — but a call to uphold academia as a space for ethical, rigorous and plural dialogue.

Dear university tutor,

I want to thank you for an inspiring semester. As my time at university concludes, I'm glad to have taken part in three of your units, all guided by your knowledge, wisdom and passion for literature and the arts.