Twins from Long Island are criticizing Columbia University for its perceived tolerance of anti-Semitism, claiming in a recent lawsuit that the university’s board of trustees supports a culture of hate against Jews on campus.
According to the twins, David and Jonathan Lederer, 23, Jewish students at Columbia experience “systemic tolerance of anti-Semitism,” manifested in various forms throughout the university, including in classrooms. David, who studies financial engineering, recalls a recent incident where a student mentioned the Israel-Gaza conflict, prompting a professor to dismiss his comments.
“The professor remarked that it was a bad choice of words,” David said, as he related the moment. “When the student questioned if he meant ‘genocide,’ the professor replied, ‘It’s better.’”
Following the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023, tensions escalated, with both brothers reportedly facing slurs like “kike” and “Zionist pig” from radical student protesters, as documented in their court filings.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration disclosed plans to revoke $400 million in federal aid to Ivy League institutions due to alleged noncompliance with anti-discrimination laws.
The government accused Columbia University of ignoring civil rights violations regarding harassment of Jewish students during the Gaza conflict.
The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan’s federal court, describes encounters where the twins were pursued by masked protesters who hurled obscenities and told them to “go back to Poland.”
Additionally, they were reportedly barred from campus by faculty members, including Professor Mahmoud Mamdani, the father of a divisive Democratic Socialist mayoral candidate.
“None of these faculty members were held accountable, and many are still in powerful positions at the school,” Jonathan, majoring in computer science, remarked.
The twins emphasized that “structural anti-Semitism” remains pervasive. Jonathan sustained a punch to the face from Tarek Bazrouk, affiliated with Within Our Lifetime, a Palestinian-led group, during a rally in December 2024 while they were speaking to journalists.
According to the complaint, Bazrouk not only assaulted Jonathan but also snatched an Israeli flag from David and accused them of being “Nazis.” Bazrouk was arrested for the incident.
The FBI allegedly discovered anti-Semitic messages on Bazrouk’s phone and weapons in his residence. The lawsuit further claims Bazrouk was part of a group chat receiving updates from Hamas’s military spokesperson.
This week, Bazrouk was sentenced to 17 months in prison for the hate-fueled attack.
“I hope this lawsuit leads to a change,” Jonathan expressed. “Jewish students shouldn’t endure the anti-Semitism we faced, and we want them to feel empowered against it.”
Like other Jewish students, the twins temporarily left campus in April 2024 after concerns from Rabbi Elie Buechler about safety for Jews at Columbia.
“We are seeking accountability for what we faced. No student, whether Jewish or from another minority group, should have to endure these experiences,” David added.
They claim the university’s conduct team disproportionately punishes Jewish or Zionist students while applying leniency toward non-Jewish or anti-Zionist individuals.
The complaint highlights that while Columbia purportedly advocates for safety and acceptance of various minority groups, it allegedly tolerates harassment and discrimination against Jewish students.
In spite of the threats, both twins maintain they never considered transferring schools. “I wouldn’t back down because someone needs to represent us and future Jewish students,” Jonathan concluded.
The brothers are pursuing unspecified punitive and compensatory damages while seeking acknowledgement from the university that it violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 through its alleged actions. Columbia has not yet responded to requests for comments.
