December 11, 2023
The Rabbinical Alliance of America—Igud HaRabbonim, representing over 950 American rabbis—applauds Governor Kathy Hochul’s December 9, 2023, announcement that, “calls for genocide on college campuses violate New York’s Human Rights Law, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, & SUNY’s Code of Conduct.” Governor Hochul added: “We’re prepared to take enforcement action if colleges and universities are found not in compliance.” Governor Hochul’s announcement followed reports that University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill had stepped down, having faced broad and sharp criticism of her appearance before the House Education committee on December 5.
Shockingly, Magill, alongside Harvard President Claudine Gay and Massachusetts Institute of Technology President Sally Kornbluth, refused to offer a straight answer to a simple question posed by Rep. Elise Stefanik on whether calling for the genocide of Jews constitutes bullying and harassment against Jewish students. Stefanik asked Magill: “Does calling for the genocide of Jews violate Penn’s rules or code of conduct, yes or no?” To which Magill responded: “If the speech turns into conduct, it can be harassment.” Stefanik was aghast, saying, “Conduct meaning committing the act of genocide? The speech [itself] is not harassment? This is unacceptable.”
Rabbi Mendy Mirocznik, executive vice-president, Rabbinical Alliance of America stated that, “the Rabbinical Alliance of America applauds and welcomes Governor Hochul’s important announcement that calls for genocide on college campuses violate New York’s human rights law.” Mirocznik emphasized that, “as rabbis, we have deep concern for the safety of Jewish teachers and students on college campuses. The December 5 failure of university presidents to condemn antisemitism on campuses demonstrates the need to educate university faculty, staff and students about the dangerous impact their words and actions can have on the educational environment. Thinly masked calls for violence against Jews, even if unintentional, understandably makes Jewish students and teachers feel unsafe on campus. If those words translate into violent actions, the lack of safety becomes even more pronounced.”
This issue is particularly important when we consider that these colleges are currently educating our future attorneys, judges, elected representatives, teachers, physicians and leaders. When schools teach future professionals and leaders to hate and discriminate, they tear apart the fabric of society. If left unchecked, such destructive educational flaws will lead to a deterioration of civility and inevitable lawlessness. Universities need to turn away from their bigotry and return to their place at the vanguard of ethics and morality.
Governor Hochul’s declaration is an important step in tackling the issue of university antisemitism in that it specifies the legal rights of Jewish students to be safe on campus. The next step is to monitor university administrations and take swift action against those schools that fail to provide a safe environment for Jewish students and faculty. There can be no tolerance for hatred of Jews in our universities, no double standard of protection against hatred for some minorities but free speech for those who wish to destroy Jews locally and around the world.
Governor Hochul’s announcement is a healthy wakeup call that America, as a society, must treat antisemitism with the same stigma it treats other hatreds. Antisemitism should be met with the same societal condemnation with which we treat other prejudices and vile acts of bigotry. As long as there are different standards of review or perceived differences in reaction when it comes to combating antisemitism, the potential for danger and physical harm remains plausible and a true threat to Jews on campus. Therefore, the Rabbinical Alliance of America thanks Governor Hochul for exercising leadership and for taking robust steps in combating antisemitism.