Julia Chernobelsky chose to attend UF because of its heavy on-campus Jewish presence. Now a junior, the 20-year-old philosophy, politics, economics and law student directs women’s programs at UF Chabad.
When UF College Republicans was reinstated as a UF organization Sept. 14 six months after it was banned for an antisemitic gesture, Chernobelsky said she was afraid the club would bring similar controversies to campus.
“I was like, ‘That’s scary that it’s happening here, but that’s just the life of a Jewish student in America,’” Chernobelsky said.
A controversial return
Six months ago, a photo circulated online of members heiling caused the Florida Federation of College Republicans to denounce the UF chapter. Left without the affiliation of an official entity of the Republican party, UFCR was unable to operate as an official student organization.
The club initially disputed its disbandment and filed a federal lawsuit against UF, arguing the university has violated First Amendment rights. A judge dismissed the case but stated the organization could return if it established the necessary affiliation.
The organization announced its return on Instagram on Sept. 14, saying it “fought” and “won” for reinstation. Commenters’ responses to the post were mixed. Some championed the group’s return, while others said they were awaiting the organization’s next controversy.
Chernobelsky had never seen someone perform a Nazi salute before the March events, she said, despite having grown up in New York City, where she witnessed antisemitic events such as protests calling for the end of the Jewish race. She expected her transition to UF to offer a safer environment, she added.
“I think that everyone, no matter if I agree with it or not, deserves to have a space they feel involved in,” she said. “But they should never be able to become that extreme, where you’re outrightly offending and hurting people.”
But UF administration’s original decision to ban the organization following the antisemitic gesture assured Chernobelsky the school is willing to address antisemitism on campus, she said. She said she’s comfortable with its return as long as there is no more hateful behavior aimed at Jewish people.
For others, the administration’s move raised broader questions about the campus environment, including how the university handles hate speech and whether students feel safe expressing their identities and beliefs. Elizabeth Chapnan, a 20-year-old UF public health sophomore, said she hopes the situation shows students prejudiced speech isn’t acceptable.
“I think it’s a prime example of what we don’t want in a community like ours,” she said.
At a university like UF, where Jewish students made up approximately 18% of the undergraduate population, Chapnan said UFCR’s return has sparked conversations about how political organizations shape interactions among students from different backgrounds.
“I think their disbandment was necessary,” Chapnan said.
Back to business
UFCR held its first event back Sept. 15, promoting it as a “deport the illegals” event centered on immigration enforcement and mass deportation.
Lairalee Ramos, a 20-year-old English and political science junior and the president of Chispas, a student organization dedicated to serving immigrant communities, said UFCR’s recent event has prompted conversations about students’ sense of belonging on campus.
“I think events such as these have the main objective to create this kind of isolation of certain groups of students or this kind of fear that you won’t be accepted on campus if you’re from a certain demographic,” Ramos said.
Ramos said Chispas aims to create an environment that welcomes students from all backgrounds.
“It is our mission to make sure that everybody and every group on campus feels as if they belong, because they do,” Ramos said.
But, the group’s return attracted a new student to UF.
Nick Claus, a 22-year-old interdisciplinary studies senior at the University of Alabama Huntsville, said UFCR’s reinstatement made UF his top choice for graduate school applications.
Claus believes UFCR’s national attention and the prominence of its members will benefit the organization because it allows them to claim persecution for their beliefs and portray themselves as victims of political discrimination.
“When they got banned, I was like, ‘Yeah, they’re going to be able to use all this in the internet culture drama,’” Claus said. “It’s just that attempts at censoring in 2026 aren’t going to work.”
With the organization back on campus, Claus expects the club to increasingly attract larger numbers of students interested in conservative politics.
“It’s about growing and how they can use this as a means to grow their influence and their cultural capital,” Claus said.
Contact Ellia Mytsa at emytsa@alligator.org. Follow her on X @elliamytsa.
Ellia Mytsa is a second-year Journalism major at the University of Florida and the Fall 2026 University Administration reporter. In her free time, you can find her singing karaoke, spending time with friends, at a farmer's market, or laying in the sun.
