Attendees at Brown University’s Opening Convocation on Tuesday were greeted by speeches, bagpipes and a plane circling overhead with a large banner reading “Brown 4 Israel,” accompanied by American and Israeli flags.
The Rhode Island Coalition for Israel and Brown Jewish Alumni & Friends organized the flyover, RICI executive director Maria Friedman told JNS, saying the goal was to “make sure Jewish students feel like they’re not alone” and show that “a lot of people on campus still care about Israel.”
“It’s important that Jewish people have a right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland, Israel, just as any other group should have that same right,” Friedman said. “I think it’s important that students feel that way.”
Friedman said RICI and BJAF have organized the initiative at Brown graduation ceremonies since the Hamas-led massacre in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. However, due to weather in May, the flyover was rescheduled for Brown’s opening ceremony.
The organizations raise “several thousand dollars” each year for the initiative, Friedman said. (JNS sought comment from BJAF.)
“There are so many people that feel strongly about this, especially given the rise of antisemitism since Oct. 7,” Friedman told JNS, citing a 2025 survey by the Anti-Defamation League, Hillel International and College Pulse that found 83% of Jewish college students had experienced or witnessed antisemitism since the Hamas attacks.
Friedman said the banner had received a largely positive reception. Some Jewish students, however, told The Brown Daily Herald, a student publication, that they had mixed reactions to the flyover.
Jewish transfer student Gavin Tieken-Zidel told the newspaper he was “not a fan,” while Benjamin Stern, a Jewish student and Brown leader, said the display could evoke difficult emotions. Another Jewish student, Naomi Stoll, said she supports Israel but questioned whether flying the plane over convocation was the best way to build support.
Brown has the highest proportion of Jewish students among Ivy League universities, according to the university’s alumni organization. The university has also faced federal scrutiny over its handling of campus antisemitism.
In July 2024, Brown reached a voluntary resolution agreement with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights addressing a complaint alleging antisemitic discrimination. The university denied violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and did not admit wrongdoing. The agreement required Brown to enhance policies, procedures and training related to discrimination and harassment.
In a separate July 2025 agreement with the federal government to restore frozen research funding, Brown agreed to additional measures, including commitments to strengthen its Jewish community and combat antisemitism. The agreement stated that Brown was “committed to taking significant, proactive, effective steps to combat antisemitism and ensure a campus environment free from harassment and discrimination.” The agreement resolved several federal compliance reviews without a finding of wrongdoing or an admission of wrongdoing.
