(Source: Wiki Commons, Attribution: Bohao Zhao, No Changes Made) On Wednesday, November 28th, Columbia’s Teachers College Professor Elizabeth Midlarsky walked towards her office to discover that she was the victim of an anti-Semitic act. At approximately 1 P.M., Elizabeth Midlarsky, who is a Jewish professor who teaches courses in Psychology and Education, and teaches and conducts research on the Holocaust, found two swastikas and the word “YID” spray-painted outside her Columbia University office. As the entryway to Midlarsky’s office is not shared with other offices, it’s more than likely the perpetrator conducted this act with Midlarsky in mind. After discovering the vandalism, Midlarsky notes that “I was in shock…I stopped for a moment, because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.” Soon after this horrifying discovery, Midlarsky contacted the University’s Security and was visited by the New York Police Deparment (NYPD). The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is currently investigating this incident and is considering it an “aggravated harassment.” The Columbia Spectator notes that the NYPD discovered a different staff member come through the same entryway at about 11:47 A.M., “but did not observe anything unusual at that time.” Unfortunately, this is not the first time that Professor Midlarsky has been the victim of anti-Semitism; in 2007 a swastika was spray-painted on her office door. However, unlike this previous incident, the recent vandalism caused her to note, “I’m usually not a fearful person, but they got me. I’m afraid.” In response, President of Columbia’s Teachers College, Thomas Bailey, condemned the incident, stating: “We unequivocally condemn any expression of hatred, which has no place in our society. We are outraged and horrified by this act of aggression and use of this vile anti-Semitic symbol against a valued member of our community.” New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo also condemned the incident and directed the State Police Hate Crimes Unit to assist in the investigation. “I am disgusted by the abhorrent act of anti-Semitism and hate that occurred at Columbia University,” Governor Cuomo said. “In the wake of this incident, I stand together with Columbia University and the entire Jewish community of New York. I am directing the State Police Hate Crimes Unit to assist in the investigation. We will hold those behind this act responsible to the full extent of the law, and we will rise above this hate.” On Sunday night – the first night of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah – Professor Midlarsky was the first to light the campus’s Hanukkah menorah. Campus Chabad Rabbi Yonah Blum stated: “As Hanukkah approaches this Sunday, we must stand as a light against the darkness of ignorance, hatred and discrimination.”
Today, LDB joined the AMCHA Initiative and 32 other organizations issuing a letter in response to a series of anti-Semitic stickers and flyers that were found at the University of Central Florida (UCF) campus. The letter urges UCF President John C. Hitt to publicly condemn the postings as blatant acts of anti-Semitism, publicly commit to educating university staff and students about anti-Semitism, hate crimes and anti-Jewish education, as well as to formally adopt the U.S State Department’s Definition of Anti-Semitism. Multiple anti-Semitic stickers and flyers where found during the week of November 15 inside and nearby several UCF dormitories. They contained various forms of anti-Semitic imagery, such as swastikas and classic anti-Semitic caricatures. Although the UCF administration has vowed to find the perpetrator(s) responsible for the distribution and creation of these postings, there has not been any public condemnation of these incidents as anti-Semitic by any UCF administrator in the weeks since they appeared. “With the growing problem of campus anti-Semitism across the country, incidents such this are of great concern. They implicitly and explicitly encourage hate and violence against Jews, and can create a threating environment for Jewish students” LDB President Kenneth L. Marcus commented, “It is crucial that university administrations take a strong stance against hatred and bigotry and be committed to protecting all members of their campus community. We hope that the UCF administration will seriously consider our recommendations to deter future acts of anti-Semitic hate, and demonstrate their commitment to protecting Jewish students and all students on their campus. The full text of the letter can be found below: President John C. Hitt Office of the President University of Central Florida P.O. Box 160002 Orlando, FL 32816-0002 Dear President Hitt, We are 34 organizations representing hundreds of thousands of people who are very concerned about the safety and well-being of Jewish students at the University of Central Florida. We are writing to you today because we remain deeply troubled by virulently antisemitic stickers and flyers which were posted on your campus inside and nearby several UCF dormitories during the week of November 15. The postings included the following: (more…)
The Brandeis Center, together the AMCHA Initiative and several other organizations, has urged the University of Missouri to respond to anti-Semitic graffiti found in one of University’s residence halls. The joint letter urges MU administration to take a stronger stance to publicly condemn this incident: Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin Office of the Chancellor105 Jesse HallUniversity of MissouriColumbia, MO 65211 Dear Chancellor Loftin, We are 36 organizations representing hundreds of thousands of people who are very concerned about the safety and well-being of Jewish students at the University of Missouri. Many of our organizations wrote to you last spring expressing our concern over two separate incidents of antisemitic graffiti discovered at MU, as well as over an Honors Tutorial entitled “Perspectives on Zionism” which was scheduled to be taught in the Fall of 2015 by MU Biology professor George Smith, a well-known anti-Zionist. We are writing to you today because we are troubled by reports of a swastika drawn out of feces, which was found on the wall of a bathroom in Gateway Hall on October 24. While we applaud Residence Halls Association President William Donley, an MU student, for releasing a statement strongly condemning the vandalism and labeling it antisemitic and “an act of hate,” we are dismayed that neither you nor any other MU administrator has yet to publicly address this act of blatant antisemitism, which clearly targets Jewish students and causes them to feel threatened and unsafe. We know that just last month, the morning after MU students were harassed by someone using racist and hateful speech, you issued a vigorous condemnation of the incident, even sharing with the campus community a recorded message expressing your outrage over what had happened and your commitment to “end hatred and racism at Mizzou”. You also described substantive steps, including educational initiatives, that your administration would be taking to address the problem of racism on your campus. We commend you for your prompt, vigorous and comprehensive response to this act of racism. At the same time, we urge you to treat blatant acts of anti-Jewish bigotry, such as a swastika smeared in feces on a dormitory wall, no less promptly, vigorously and comprehensively. In addition, just as the MU Equity Office has acknowledged that certain kinds of expression constitute microaggressions that can cause members of targeted racial, ethnic and gender groups to feel discriminated against and harassed, it is no less important to acknowledge that certain kinds of anti-Israel expression that demonize and delegitimize the Jewish state and call for its elimination not only create a hostile environment for many Jewish students, but may foster acts of blatant antisemitism such as swastikas. Of particular concern in this regard is the departmental sponsorship and implicit ideological endorsement of virulently anti-Israel events. For example, in November 2014 a talk by Saree Makdisi calling for the elimination of the Jewish state was sponsored by 6 MU departments along with the University Lectures Committee and the Chancellor’s Diversity Initiative; in April 2015 a panel discussion entitled “Palestine in Context,” during which MU Professor George Smith called for an end to Zionism, was sponsored by one MU department; and “Racism in Israel“, an upcoming talk by noted anti-Zionist David Sheen, who compares Israeli Jews to Nazis, is being sponsored by two MU departments. Pope Francis, President Obama, British Prime Minister Cameron and French Prime Minister Valls have all stated that denying Israel’s right to exist, as some departmentally-sponsored MU speakers have, is antisemitism. We encourage you to demonstrate unequivocally your commitment to protecting Jewish students no less than other students on your campus, by doing the following: Swiftly, forcefully and publicly acknowledge that swastika graffiti is an act of antisemitism and will not be tolerated on campus. Publicly commit to educating University staff, including campus police, in identifying antisemitism and antisemitic hate crimes. Formally adopt the U.S. State Department’s definition of antisemitism to fully and accurately identify all future acts of hate toward Jews and draw the distinction between acceptable criticism of Israel’s policies and calls for the destruction of Israel which are unquestionably antisemitic and breed additional antisemitism. Allocate resources and publicly commit to educating students about antisemitism and anti-Jewish discrimination. Thank you for considering our recommendations. We look forward to working with you to protect Jewish students at the University of Missouri. Sincerely, Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity (AEPi) Alums for Campus Fairness AMCHA Initiative American Institute for Jewish Research Americans for Peace and Tolerance BEAR: Bias Education, Advocacy & Resources Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law Club Z Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA) CUFI on Campus David Horowitz Freedom Center Davis Faculty for Israel Eagles Wings Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET) Fuel For Truth Hasbara Fellowships Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel Iranian American Jewish Federation Israel Peace Initiative (IPI) Jewish Law Students Association at UCLA Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa (JIMENA) National Conference on Jewish Affairs Proclaiming Justice to the Nations Project Genesis Scholars for Peace in the Middle East Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi Simon Wiesenthal Center StandWithUs Students and Parents Against Campus Anti-Semitism Students Supporting Israel at UCLA Students Supporting Israel at University of Missouri The Israel Christian Nexus The Israel Group The Israel Institute Training and Education About the Middle East (T.E.A.M.) Zionist Organization of America (more…)