The Students for Justice in Palestine chapter at the University of Maryland, College Park, a state school, is forcing Jews to choose between their faith and their support for Israel, according to Leo Terrell, chair of the U.S. Department of Justice’s task force on combating Jew-hatred.
Terrell noted on social media that the anti-Israel student group intends to bring a resolution boycotting Israel up for a vote on Yom Kippur, one of the most sacred days on the Jewish calendar. The vote “was first set for Rosh Hashanah and now moved to Yom Kippur,” he wrote.
“Students for Justice in Palestine appears to be intentionally picking the holiest days of the year for Jews in order to force them to choose between defending their Zionist identities or observing their religion,” he said. “This is shameful and unacceptable.” (JNS sought comment from the student group.)
The resolution calls on the university to cease ties with any organization that supports or profits from “Israel’s regime of apartheid and occupation,” which includes “boycotting goods, services and academic partnerships linked to complicit institutions.”
The group stated earlier in the week that the student government’s general meeting is scheduled for Oct. 1 in the evening, when Yom Kippur starts. “Bring all your friends to the committee meetings,” it said, “and the final hearing of the bill on Oct. 1.” A screenshot of a deleted post from the student group suggests that votes were scheduled to take place on both days of Rosh Hashanah.
Student Government Association leadership claimed that the initial voting date was determined in accordance with SGA’s bylaws and to meet deadlines set by the University System of Maryland Foundation, a university spokeswoman told JNS. It was rescheduled “given the constraints of the academic calendar, the University System of Maryland calendar, fall break dates and the observance of Sukkot, Yom Kippur and other key dates.”
“While the new date coincides with Yom Kippur, legislators will have the option to vote by proxy,” she added.
The spokeswoman also told JNS that “resolutions voted on by the Student Government Association are student-led and reflect perspectives of voting members of the SGA” and “have no bearing on university policy or practice.”
