Antisemitism At The University of Penn and Other College Campuses

 

Antisemitism At The University of Penn

and Other College Campuses

by Larry Baumhor

(All photos and interviews by Larry Baumhor unless otherwise noted.)

 

   The University of Pennsylvania and many other college campuses are suffering from attacks of antisemitism. Donors at Penn are calling on President Liz Magill to resign. A Palestine Writers Literature Festival was held on campus that included a history of antisemitic statements. Donors and the Anti-Defamation League have complained to the Penn President before the September 22 through September 24 festival. However, organizers of the festival say they’re promoting Palestinian culture and Palestinians who are oppressed. Their mission is to promote Palestinian territories through reading poetry and making people aware of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories. The university stated the festival exemplifies Penn’s policy on freedom of speech.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oWiRDzCydjHZ6sTdLbi3e9fWaLXcPz9m/preview?usp=sharing

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Penn Student, Eyal Yakoby

   The Palestine Writers Literature Festival had Pink Floyd lyricist Roger Waters appear at the festival via Zoom. The ADL complained that Roger performed in Germany dressed in a Nazi-like uniform and desecrated the memory of Anne Frank. Waters has denied he is antisemitic saying his performance in Germany was a “parody.”
The festival’s director, Susan Abulhawa tweeted that Israel is “one big militarized tumor.” Marc Rowan, a wealthy Penn donor stated one speaker at the event advocated an ethnic cleansing and gathering all Jews into “cantons.”
   David Magerman, a Penn graduate and wealthy businessman called for all Jews to cut off funding to Penn. Other Penn donors promised to stop their donations. Former US Ambassador John Huntsman profoundly criticized the University of Pennsylvania’s response to antisemitism and has stopped his family’s donations to Penn.
   In an article in The Daily Pennsylvania by Saya Desal. Jonnah Miller, Emily Scolnick, and Jessica Wu, President Magill is creating a task force to combat antisemitism on campus chaired by Mark Wolff. There will be a review of safety and security on campus.
There have been antisemitic incidents on campus including a spray-painted swastika in Myerson Hall. Vandalization and overturned furniture occurred at Penn Hillel, the Jewish Center on campus.
   There has been a lot of hate against Muslim, Arab and Palestinian students who speak out about anything in support of Palestine, said Muslim Student Association President Raynne Tamoua.
   Faculty and students have received violent threats because of their involvement in demonstrations on campus.

 

   “The effort is led by Marc Rowan, the chief executive of Apollo Global Management and chair of the university’s Wharton School board. An alumnus, he has donated more than $50 million to the school. But he has called on donors to cut off funds.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/13/us/university-of-pennsylvania-israel-palestine.html

   “The University of Pennsylvania police and the FBI are investigating threatening antisemitic emails sent to university staff, specifically naming Penn Hillel and Lauder College House,” President Liz Magill said.
   The messages included “hateful language, targeting the personal identities of the recipients,” Magill said.
   Magill said there will be an increased security presence throughout Penn’s campus,” https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/university-of-pennsylvania-hillel-antisemitic-emails-fbi/, by Tom Dougherty, Ed Specht, Kerri Corrado.

   “This is not a battle between Jews and Muslims. And it is not just between Israel and Hamas. It is between those who adhere to norms of humanity and those practicing a barbarism that has no place in the modern world. Just like ISIS and Al Qaeda, the Hamas terrorists who attacked Israeli homes and families had no qualms about burning babies. They were so proud of their deeds that they made sure to capture them on video and even broadcast them live. Professors and students at American colleges make speeches and sign statements justifying terrorism, even glorifying it.
   “Hamas has created in Gaza over many years — one in which terrorists hide behind and within the civilian population. This is a battlefield with terrorist tunnels under civilian streets, one in which civilian casualties are not avoided at all costs but rather encouraged by Hamas in order to draw global sympathy and blunt Israel’s response.
   “We’re making an effort to give early warning to civilians with leaflets and phone calls, to move them out of the main battle zones and to enable humanitarian aid through Gaza’s border with Egypt. Hundreds of aid trucks are now arriving, with more expected each day,” The President of Israel: This Is Not a Battle Just Between Israel and Hamas, NY Times, By Isaac Herzog, President of Israel, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/03/opinion/isaac-herzog-israel-hamas-gaza.html#:~:text=Tragedy%20is%20part%20of%20Israeli,less%20than%20an%20existential%20struggle

   In 2021 Hamas claimed to have 311 miles of tunnels in Gaza, many below civilian homes and hospitals, thus making this a difficult and precarious operation for the IDF, Israel Defense Forces. During the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, they cut off the heads of children and burned Jewish people while they were alive. This leaves an indelible impression in my mind and I often cry when watching the news. I feel so bad and there is nothing I can do. I go to protests, write an article, and take photos. What can I do to bring back the lives of butchered Israelis? What can any of us do? Is there any correlation to this and the Holocaust? God? I’d like to spit in your face! Oh, the humanity of it all! What happened to civilization? We’re dealing with barbarians in the twenty-first century, mind you. I just want to hug somebody and stop crying.

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University of Penn Alumna

   In a CNN article, Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan accused President Biden of supporting a Palestinian genocide, stating his reelection will be remembered during next year’s vote.
In an article in Insider Today, Steven Davidoff Solomon, a law professor at the University of California Berkley is informing law firms not to hire his antisemitic students.
   On October 20, and November 3, 2023, I attended and photographed a pro-Israel protest at the University of Pennsylvania. The Penn students gave eloquent speeches stating some of the professors are antisemites. A professor, who is antisemitic against Israel, gave a Jewish student a lower grade, and said lies about the Holocaust. A Jewish student was attacked and beaten because of his religion, not by a professor though. Penn donors are pulling their money costing the University millions of dollars. There is a palpable feeling of antisemitism on campus according to the students.
   Protests erupt across US college campuses after Hamas attacks. A Cornell University student Patrick Dai, 21, is behind bars for making threats to kill members of the university’s Jewish community. Dai posted online threats threatening to kill Cornell’s Jewish students and “shoot up” the kosher dining hall. He appeared in court with his wrists shackled facing charges of up to five years in prison. He said he would bring in an assault rifle and shoot Jewish people. Jewish threats have increased by 400% since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th. His threats created fear among the 22% Jewish community at Cornell. “Jewish students on campus are terrified” said Molly Goldstein, co-president of the Cornell Center for Jewish Living. The local authorities and the FBI were involved in this case. On the Cornell message board: “If you see a Jewish person on campus follow them home and slit their throats.” The school president contacted the FBI. Another message stated, “Bring an assault rifle to campus and shoot all you pig Jews.” There have been online threats of raping Jewish women.

 

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 Hebrew song and speaker

   Jewish students at Cooper Union in New York City were forced to stay in the library as pro-Palestinian protestors banged on the glass walls of the library.
   Two students were assaulted on Tulane University’s campus at a pro-Palestinian protest during the burning of an Israel flag. Dylan Mann, a Jewish student at Tulane suffered a broken nose during a pro-Palestinian rally.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lPcqwrEH42ZHzJTGpFjQ7nsoWX4G1i86/preview?usp=drive_link

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Alumna interview

   At Stanford University an instructor told Jewish students to stand in the corner, “This is what Israel does to the Palestinians.”
   “I’m a 40-year-old Columbia University professor and last month I found myself crying in front of dozens of strangers on campus,” stated Shai Davidai, professor at Columbia Business School in a CNN article. I wouldn’t allow my children to go here now.” Davidai cried when he spoke about antisemitism on US campuses. “A cry that arose from the darkest, deepest, and most primal of fears. I fear for the future of my family here, in New York City,” said Davidai. Students on campus chanted “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” a protest slogan meaning eradicate the Jews living in Israel.
   Davidai said he would have liked his children to attend Columbia, but not after October 7th; he’s too worried about their safety. Davidai further stated that there is no difference between the chants of “from the river to the sea and the Nazi chant “Germany for Germans” The antisemitic sentiment is the same, said Davidai.
   An Israeli student was physically attacked while hanging posters of the kidnapped babies in Gaza. Jewish students have been spat at, cursed, and received death threats at Columbia.
   Several businesses stated that they would not hire Harvard students who signed a letter denouncing Israel. Harvard has two major donors who halted their donations.
   Is there a line between free speech and the support and comments about terrorism? Who knows the answer to this? Colleges and law enforcement are on alert throughout the country. It must be frightening to be on campus.

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Wk1bD-wGFFvsII4bvFg1BQ2i8UR1nDuJ/preview?usp=drive_link  

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Fox News Digital

   Israel has dropped millions of flyers from planes into Gaza warning its citizens to leave northern Gaza and move to the south. One Hundred trucks a day with aid for the Palestinians are arriving in Gaza. In what other wars has one side delivered this type of compassion? Tensions are high on campuses; something has to give. I’m hoping a student doesn’t get killed.

Larry looking for a wife on the Penn campus, but was only able to get a button.