An incident at the United Nations International School (UNIS) in New York is under investigation after a swastika was etched into a boys’ locker room on campus, school officials confirmed to JNS.
In a letter dated Jan. 8 to the school community that was provided to JNS, executive director Dan Brenner described the “antisemitic incident” as “deeply troubling.”
“Acts and symbols of hate have no place at UNIS,” Brenner wrote. “They cause real harm, particularly to our Jewish students, families, faculty and staff, and they run counter to the values of dignity, respect and international-mindedness that define our school.”
Brenner said the school, which educates children of diplomats and international civil servants in New York, is conducting an investigation. “There will be severe consequences for those involved,” he said, and the administration will be “taking deliberate steps to address this incident through education, dialogue and collective action.”
He added that the school’s goal is “to ensure that our Jewish community members feel seen, supported and protected, and to help all members of our community better understand antisemitism—its history, its contemporary forms and our shared responsibility to confront it.”
Brenner announced plans for UNIS to offer a community-wide event on Jan. 27, Holocaust Remembrance Day,” with a “special guest speaker from the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center” followed by a “Walk Against Antisemitism, culminating at the United Nations.”
He also said he is communicating with the American Jewish Committee in the hopes that the organization will “engage directly with our student body during January as part of our broader educational response.”
“Addressing antisemitism—and all forms of hate—requires sustained effort, honest reflection and collective responsibility,” Brenner wrote. “We want to be clear with our Jewish community: You are not alone. We see you, we support you, and we are dedicated to ensuring that UNIS is a place where every member of our community feels safe, respected and valued.”
The incident drew condemnation from Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, who noted that the children of Israeli diplomats attend UNIS. “Such a symbol of hatred and antisemitism within a U.N. educational institution is no coincidence,” he said. “This is a direct result of years of the United Nations turning a blind eye toward the demonization of Israel and the Jewish people.”
