Practice vs. performance — how do we know the difference?

The Portland State library has been cleared by Portland Police. Among the dozen or so protestors arrested and removed from the library, only four were actually students. The school has an awful mess to repair and clean up.

In other news, here’s a photo from the series Humans of New York, of someone at Columbia University.

Is he student? I don’t know. But he is clearly davening (praying) in a Jewish manner and garb — kipah, tefillin, eyes covered (perhaps he’s saying the Shema). No tallit, which is interesting. Behind him are protestors, presumably pro-Palestinian. This photo is uncaptioned, and so I have questions.

— where’s the tallit?

— why is he praying there?

— does he pray there, outside, on non-protest days?

I fear that this is performative. And if it is, how useful is it, really? Will other Jewish students see it and take heart? Will non-Jewish students see it and be offended? Is this for the media?

I have so many questions.