Campus Antisemitism
Reportedly, $5,000 of taxpayer funds from the Education Department was used for the March 22-24 event, titled “Conflict Over Gaza: People, Politics and Possibilities.”
To date, more than 50 college campuses throughout North America and abroad have replicated the Shabbat 1800 dinner model started by Binghamton University—running from Berkeley to Boston, and along the length of Canada; as well as in Argentina, Israel and the Netherlands—since its inception at BU in 1994.
“I have been extremely disappointed by the way this resolution has been handled by everyone involved,” said junior Savanna Lim. “You can’t expect a student government to solve a geopolitical crisis.”
Tamer Nafar, who began his performance by telling the audience—“I cannot be anti-Semitic alone”—sang, “Don’t think of Rihanna when you sing this, don’t think of Beyoncé—think of Mel Gibson. I’m in love with a Jew/Oh/I fell in love with a Jew/Oh/Her skin is white and my skin is brown, she was going up up and I was going down.”
“We are disgusted by the vile and hateful rhetoric on these flyers. This racist, repulsive language has no place on any campus or in any society,” said North Carolina Hillel executive director Ari Gauss.
The final tally was 10 votes in favor and 14 against.
“Here at Cornell, the voices supporting BDS are getting more extreme,” said Cornell University senior Shir Kidron. “This campaign is making Jewish students here on campus feel unsafe and unwelcome.”
Beyond the usual pro-BDS and anti-Israel rhetoric, several campuses drew even more attention for their activities, events and choice of speakers.
Students Supporting Israel members sent an official complaint to Columbia officials against the Students for Justice in Palestine chapter for displaying “blatantly distasteful and anti-Semitic imagery.”
Student senator Gabriella Shofet said “this is what anti-Semitism looks like. In 2019. A block away from my apartment. My heart aches.”
That strong connection to Jewish community and tradition has never been as important as it is today in the face of increasing anti-Israel pressures on many campuses.
“One of the speakers slated to come, Omar Barghouti, has said that he supports the euthanasia of Zionism,” said sophomore Gabriel Dardik. “It makes me feel unsafe that this kind of person could come here.”
