Jewish Groups Urge Vassar President to Respond to Anti-Semitism
The letter came after several Jewish students reported an increase in anti-Jewish hostility.
The letter asked Vassar President Catharine Hill to increase discrimination training and education, among other things.
Thirty five Jewish and civil rights groups sent a letter to the president of Vassar College asking her to do more to protect Jewish students.
The letter was a response, the authors wrote, to several Jewish students reporting “an alarming and threatening escalation in anti-Jewish hostility that has not been adequately addressed by campus administrators.”
The students reported to the groups that they’ve been subjected to harassment and anti-Semitic statements on social media platforms such as Yik Yak and during a recent anti-Zionist campaign, reports amchaininitiative.org.
The students told Jewish advocacy group AMCHA that the anti-Semitic incidents made them feel vulnerable and threatened.
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“The Vassar students with whom we spoke were deeply disappointed that you did not publicly acknowledge the anti-Semitic nature of these incidents and commit your administration to addressing the extremely hostile environment facing many Jewish students, who are reporting feeling harassed, intimidated and unsafe on your campus,” the letter states.
The groups asked Vassar President Catharine Hill to acknowledge and publicly condemn all acts of anti-Semitism, adopt a wide definition of anti-Semitism and increase discrimination training and education.
The full letter can be viewed here.
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