Hillel Building, a center of Jewish religion and community life, was the target of anti-Semitic protests at Harvard University on Monday night, where a lecture by a former Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson was being held. .
“Zionists are not welcome here!” protesters chanted, “From the river to the sea/Palestine will be free,” calling for the destruction of Israel. A “Zionist” is someone who believes in Israel's right to exist. More than 90% of Jews subscribe to that belief, meaning that if “Zionists” are not welcome, then ordinary Jews are not welcome either.
of harvard crimson reported:
Demonstrators held two banners reading “Hillel accepts war criminals” and “IOF off campus from Gaza” and called the IDF “Israeli occupation force.” They briefly chanted “Shame on Hillel,” “From the River to the Sea,” “Israel is a terrorist state,” and “Zionists are not welcome here.”
Harvard Hillel Executive Director Jason B. Rubenstein ’04 said in an emailed statement, “Harvard Hillel is and always will be the home of Zionism and all forms of Jewish life at Harvard. ” he said.
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“Zionism, the pursuit of Jewish national self-determination in the Land of Israel, is a central element of the religious identity of thousands of Jewish Harvard affiliates. “Zionists are not welcome here.” Calls to discriminate against many in our community based on our deeply held beliefs are bigotry,” Rubenstein wrote. “I hope that everyone here, regardless of your position on Israel or the current war, perceives it that way.”
Although the Hillel building itself is not technically on Harvard's campus, it is a center of religious life for Harvard students, especially undergraduates. There are several different religious gatherings, and kosher food is served each night.
The protest was organized by a group calling itself Harvard Jews for Palestine, which as of last year was not recognized as a student organization. Harvard University Palestine Solidarity Committee allowed Last year, an unofficial student group spearheaded campus protests after its extreme tactics led to a disciplinary crisis. (The Palestine Solidarity Committee Paused It was lifted by the university in April amid “camp” protests and reinstated in September. )
Harvard University has become a hotbed of anti-Semitism over the past year, ever since a coalition of student organizations blamed Israel for the Oct. 7 terrorist attack. Former President Claudine Gay resigned, citing mishandling of the ongoing crisis.
Joel B. Pollack is a senior editor at Breitbart News. Breitbart News Sunday Sunday nights from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM ET (4:00 PM to 7:00 PM PT) on Sirius XM Patriot. he is the author of Agenda: What should President Trump do in his first 100 days?available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of Trumpian Virtues: Lessons and Legacy of the Donald Trump Presidencynow available on Audible. He is the recipient of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter @joelpolak.
