U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) sent a letter to the National Association of Independent Schools denouncing the organization’s decision to include speakers with a “history of demonizing Israel” at its December 2024 People of Color Conference.
“Following Hamas’ violent invasion of Israel in October of 2023, antisemitism has significantly increased throughout the United States and around the world,” Feenstra said in a Jan. 15 statement. “Jewish students are being targeted and harassed on college campuses, synagogues have been vandalized, and Jewish-owned businesses have faced attacks.”
Feenstra’s Dec. 23 letter to Debra Wilson, the association’s president, followed similar correspondence from the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, Jewish Federations of North America and Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools.
Speakers called Zionism “ethnic cleansing” and charged that Israel was committing a “genocide” in Gaza. Feenstra’s letter demanded the organization take immediate action and make both the video and speech transcripts public.
“These speeches were either an example of gross negligence in conference planning or an intentional reflection of the organizers’ antisemitic beliefs,” the letter stated.
The four Jewish organizations received a quick response from the private school association— though it was criticized by the Zionist Organization of America—but Feenstra claims he is still demanding answers.
“Even national organizations with nonprofit status are allowing antisemitism to permeate into their conferences,” he continued. “It’s unacceptable, and those responsible must be held accountable. We must always speak out against antisemitism and stand with our Jewish community here in the United States and our allies in Israel.”
