Glen Cove, NY - Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center (HMTC) Stands Against the Inaction of Universities in Protecting Jewish Students

HMTC condemns the inaction of universities in enforcing their own codes of conduct to protect Jewish students. The recent attack on the administrative building at the University of North Carolina by the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) serves as a stark example of the urgent need for universities to take decisive action. SJP is the same group that broke into the President’s office at the University of Michigan and would not leave for several hours until law enforcement removed them.

We firmly believe in creating safe and inclusive environments for all students, regardless of their religious or ethnic background. The explosion of antisemitic incidents on campuses across the country, which not only endanger Jewish students but undermine the values of academic freedom and diversity that universities strive to uphold, is wrecking the very fabric of our educational system. The threats and calls for violence in the administrative building at the University of North Carolina by masked members of SJP are not only a clear violation of the university's code of conduct, but they constitute acts of intimidation that directly undermine the principles of respectful dialogue and peaceful coexistence. Sadly, such attacks are not limited to UNC-Chapel Hill. Similarly, there was an infiltration of the President's Office at the University of Michigan where people forcefully gained access, which resulted in forty (40) arrests.

It is imperative that universities like UNC do not bury their heads in the sand, and that they instead take swift and decisive action to address such incidents, including the discipline of those who engaged in such conduct and the expulsion of SJP as a student organization. Those who violate their school’s code of conduct or threaten “intifada” or any other form of violence must be held accountable. Ignoring such dangerous activities jeopardizes the safety and well-being of all students and faculty. We call on universities to proactively enforce their own codes of conduct, implement robust anti-discrimination policies, and establish mechanisms for reporting and addressing incidents of hate, specifically antisemitic acts that have not been addressed in any meaningful way.

HMTC stands ready to collaborate with universities and other educational institutions nationwide to develop effective strategies that protect Jewish students and promote a culture of inclusivity and tolerance on campuses.