YAD VASHEM CHAIRMAN TO COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT: TAKE A STAND AGAINST ANTISEMITISM

Yad Vashem Chairman to Columbia University President: Take a Stand Against Antisemitism

'Will Colombia be remembered as Heidelberg? To a large extent, it depends on you, Madam,' wrote the Yad Vashem chairman amid the mass anti-Israel protests escalating at Columbia University. In Israel, university presidents urge Jewish and Israeli students to enroll at Israeli institutions

April 27th, 01AM April 27th, 01AM

Following the mass anti-Israel protests that have been escalating over the last weeks at Columbia University, Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan sent a letter to Columbia University President Minouche Shafik, asking her to take a stand against calls for "the destruction and elimination of the Jewish state."

"Will Colombia be remembered as Heidelberg? To a large extent, it depends on you, Madam," Dayan wrote.

He added: "When faculty members, staff, and students at Columbia call for the elimination of the State of Israel and the abolition of Zionism, you must take a stand. Not a political position – a moral position.

When it becomes clear that the abolition of the existence of the Jewish state is a widespread ideology in Colombia – the institution's president cannot remain silent. Silence will inevitably be interpreted as tolerance or, even worse, as consent."

In Israel, presidents of the research universities issued a statement saying they are "very worried about the incidents of violence and antisemitism on U.S. college campuses," and they will "help Jewish and Israeli scientists and students to enrol in Israeli universities."

The presidents added that they have no doubt that the presidents of U.S. universities are acting to combat the violence, but that may not have the tools needed to do so. The presidents are committed to assisting Jewish and Israeli scientists and students who wish to enroll in Israeli universities, and find a personal and academic home here.

2024-04-26T22:32:26Z dg43tfdfdgfd