Rabbi Erez Sherman In the wake of disturbing videos of Columbia University, an open letter has been written by two Los Angeles rabbis and signed by a coalition of more than 300 clergy leaders of different faiths. Rabbi Erez Sherman of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles and Rabbi Nolan Lebovitz, senior rabbi of Valley Beth Sholom in Encino said they drafted the letter with Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt of the Zionist Rabbinic Coalition and got numerous clergy members to sign on because the status of Jewish safety at Columbia University has reached a tipping point.
“I’m a Columbia University alum, so I’ve been tuned in to what was happening,” Sherman told the Journal. “I wrote an article [for the Journal] in 2019 that was called “Silence on Israel results in fear on campus.” It’s hard to believe I wrote that five years ago and this is happening today.”
Sherman said he has built interfaith alliances with Christina clergy and progressive Muslim clergy.
“It’s times like these when those alliances are important,” Sherman said.
Lebovitz said he is disturbed by what he has seen.
“I’m a grandchild of four survivors of the Shoah and the notion that Jewish students feel unsafe in universities around the country is an abhorrent reality,” Lebovitz told the Journal. “Something has to be done. I think it’s up to faith leaders who maintain a sense of moral clarity and understand right from wrong to stand up at this moment. Rabbi Sherman and I crafted this letter that allowed for faith leaders of Jewish, Christian and even Muslim backgrounds to stand together, united and say Jewish students are not alone. There cannot be unsafe campuses around the country for Jews. If you study history, as soon as a campus or a country becomes unsafe for Jews, it becomes unsafe for everyone. What happens at Columbia, what happens at Berkeley, what happens at UCLA, this is a warning sign for all of us.”
He added that while there is a First Amendment right, the line has been crossed.
“Every American should believe in free speech,” Lebovitz said. “What we’re seeing in at college campuses is Jew-hatred, hate speech and crosses the line into intimidation. It’s clear from the videos of Columbia that these protestors follow Jewish students and according to reports exits were blocked.”
Also signing the letter was Rabbi Jeremy Ruberg, a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary and Columbia University. Ruberg, who serves as the rabbi for Lifelong Learning at temple Emanu-El in Closter, New Jersey, said it hurt to see what was going on at the place he studied.
“It’s extremely disturbing,” Ruberg told the Journal. “I could have never imagined a place that was so friendly and welcoming with rich life for Jewish people has become so offensive. It’s heartbreaking. I hope the administration will apply its rules properly and Jewish students will be able to travel freely on campus without fear.”
Bishop Robert Stearns, founder and president of Eagles’ Wings, and Bishop of the Tabernacle Church in Buffalo, New York, was in Israel on Oct. 7 as he’d brought a group of more than 300 to the Holy Land.
“I am sadly not surprised at the horrific Jew hatred on display at Columbia,” Stearns told the Journal. “The problem has been building since Oct. 7, because President [Minouche] Shafik has done absolutely nothing to stop the increase of antisemitism on campus or foster what a true “safe space” should be which is robust dialogue for all side in an atmosphere of safety, not ‘mob rule.’ She needs to be removed from her position immediately. Christians and many others faith and minority communities in America absolutely will not stand by while our Jewish friends are being attacked in America.
Rabbi Elie Buechler, director of the Orthodox Union-Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus program at Columbia and Barnard posted online that students should stay away from campus until safety conditions had improved.
The letter reads as follows:
“On Saturday night, April 20, Jewish students at Columbia joined together to protest antisemitism. According to witnesses, they carried American and Israeli flags and sang “One Day” by Matisyahu, yearning for peace. They were met by counter-protesters who hurled hate speech at them and called for violence against Jews and Israel. This tidal wave of Jew hatred continued into Sunday with videos of attacks on Jewish students on social media. Freedom of speech has crossed a redline at Columbia University and other campuses across the country. We. As leaders of all faiths demand that Jewish students feel safe and protected in this country.
“This tidal wave of Jew hatred continued into Sunday with videos of attacks on Jewish students on social media. Freedom of speech has crossed a redline at Columbia University and other campuses across the country. We. As leaders of all faiths demand that Jewish students feel safe and protected in this country.”
“History proves that when Jews no longer feel safe in society, that society is no longer safe. We call upon Columbia University and New York City to ensure a safe and secure environment for Jewish students and Zionist students of all religious backgrounds. We call on all law enforcement to pay greater attention to the dangerous rhetoric and menacing behavior of the protests against Israel and Jews sweeping across this country before it is too late.
“American Jews are not alone. We stand among friends and allies from all communities in our desire to restore sanity, safety and security to our streets here in America. On this eve of Passover, a holiday that celebrates the Israelite liberation from slavery to freedom, we demand safety and security for Jews in America. Psalm 133 teaches us ‘How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity.’ On behalf of each of our communities and organizations, we can no longer stand idly by as the psalmist’s dream becomes impossible for Jewish students.”
Columbia University President Nemat “Minouche” Shafik testified before Congress several months after a similar hearing resulted in resignations of Harvard President Claudine Gay and University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill. Shaif said there were no anti-Jewish protests but when New York Republican Congresswoman asked if there were slurs or chants such as “F— The Jews,” “Death to Jews” and “Jews out,” Shafik said those were anti-Jewish but that the protests were not labeled as anti-Jewish protests.
More than100 Columbia University students were arrested after they refused to leave their encamped tents after Shafik authorized the NYPD to clear the encampment.
It was announced that classes at Columbia on Monday would be remote.
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