Ohio Investigating Nazi Homeschooling Network
The Ohio Department of Education is investigating a possible homeschooling network on Telegram filled with parents teaching Nazi propaganda to their children.
Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) reported that the channel, titled “Dissident Homeschooling Network,” features more than 2,500 members who share “homeschooling lesson plans extolling the virtues of Hitler and white nationalism.” Various elected officials in Ohio, including Republican Governor Mike DeWine, have condemned the network; however, JTA noted that state officials have said that they have little authority to regulate homeschooling.
Bard College to Offer Course on “Apartheid in Israel-Palestine”
Bard College will be offering a course on “Apartheid in Israel-Palestine” this semester that will taught by author Nathan Thrall.
A screenshot of the course, tweeted out by Human Rights Watch Israel and Palestine Director Omar Shakir, states that “students will survey the central issues concerning apartheid in Israel-Palestine” and will learn “the relationship between apartheid framings and settler colonial framings of Israel-Palestine.” Human rights lawyer Arsen Ostrovsky tweeted that the course was essentially “a 101 in Palestinian Propaganda.”
Israeli NGO Calls on UMich to Condemn Intifada Chants
The Israel-based NGO International Legal Forum (ILF) sent a letter to the University of Michigan leadership on January 26 urging the university to condemn the pro-intifada chants that occurred on campus on January 12.
As the Journal previously reported, students belonging to Students Allied for Fairness and Equality (SAFE), an affiliate of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), chanted, “There is only solution: intifada revolution!” and “Long live the intifada!” as they walked through campus when Vice President Kamala Harris spoke on at the university.
“This event was not a mere expression of difference in political opinion, but rather a direct and unadulterated call for violence, placing Jewish students, faculty and staff, in harm’s way,” ILF CEO Arsen Ostrovsky wrote in the letter, which was obtained by the Journal. “The first and second intifadas were brutal Palestinian terrorist uprisings, during which many Israelis were murdered, whereas the chant ‘From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free,’ has become a common euphemism for a call to arms to destroy the State of Israel. This kind of pervasive discourse and incitement directly contributes to a climate of fear, harassment and violence against the Jewish community.”
“#YeIsRight” Written in Chalk at University of Alabama
There were multiple instances of the words “#YeIsRight 1/27” graffiti found throughout the University of Alabama (UA) campus on January 26.
CBS42 reported that “#YeIsRight” is a reference to rapper Kanye West and that the “#YeIsRight” phrase has been used by white nationalists at a couple of Florida university campuses. (UA) spokesperson Shane Dorrill said in a statement, “We condemn these chalkings, which violate our Capstone Creed, our campus culture and our core values. Our expectation is that everyone be treated with civility and respect. As soon as we were notified of the chalkings we began removing them, initiated an investigation and organized resources for those impacted and concerned. Public Safety and the Offices of Student Life and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are fully engaged and providing related support.”
“No Jew Go Away” Graffiti at UC Berkeley
Graffiti stating “No Jew Go Away” was found on a building at the UC Berkeley campus on January 24.
The Jewish News of Northern California (The J) reported that the graffiti was written in red marker on the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union building. University spokesperson Dan Mogulof told The J that “there is no way of knowing if the person or persons responsible were affiliated with the campus” but that police and other university personnel have been made aware of the graffiti.
Shay Cohen, a student senator at UC Berkeley, shared a photo of the graffiti on Instagram and wrote, “We know that this is deeply upsetting to many in our community, and our first concern is to make sure that everyone feels supported. Please do not hesitate to reach out directly to our office or other leaders in the campus Jewish community.”
Swastika Found at Georgetown University
A swastika was found drawn in a residence hall at Georgetown University on January 23.
The university police announced that the swastika was drawn on a wall on the second floor of the residence hall and that they are investigating the matter. “We strongly condemn antisemitism in all its forms, and this act of hatred has no place in our community,” the police said. “We stand together with our Jewish community and its allies. We recognize the effect that this deeply troubling incident has on our community, including the impacts on individual students and employees. Our highest priority is the safety, security and well-being of our community, and we reaffirm our long-standing commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion and interreligious understanding.”
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.