#EndJewHatred at UM CAMPUS
BACKGROUND
Over the past three weeks, the University of Michigan has faced an unprecedented rise of Jew-hatred on campus in response to Hamas’ violent onslaught campaign against Israel on October 7th. The EndJewHatred movement has allocated multiple reports of incidents of Jew-hatred that have transpired in both the classroom and broader campus space, traumatizing the meaningful college experiences and well-being of Jewish students. Fortunately, University of Michigan has been passionately outspoken, properly denouncing Hamas’ evil atrocities by name, as well as condemning the desecration of hostage posters on campus, all while being subjected to targeted harassment campaigns. President Ono properly, and eloquently, understands the current severe state of emergency for Jewish students on campus.
Although the University of Michigan has taken the correct first steps towards addressing the hostile environment currently fermenting against Jewish students on campus, there is still more work that needs to be done, and the EndJewHatred movement is here to lead the charge. November 3rd marks the beginning of Parent’s Weekend at the University of Michigan. We have engaged and mobilized hundreds of parents to lead an email campaign and a symbolic unity rally that prescribes the helpful steps that the University of Michigan must continue to take to enforce necessary change. Whether you are a Jewish student, parent, or someone who is generally concerned about the current state of affairs on college campuses, it is imperative we voice our support for President Ono, and encourage him to turn words into meaningful action against Jew-hatred in our lifetime.
List of positive actions that can be taken at the University of Michigan:
Condemnation and Consequences: The University of Michigan must publicly condemn and impose consequences on those who have spread and contributed to an escalation of Jew-hatred on campus. This includes:
A) Professors and faculty members that have intentionally spread libels and explicitly gaslighting anti-Israel rhetoric and imagery in the classroom that have traumatized Jewish students in their respective courses.
B) Pro-Palestinian student protesters who vocally or visibly invoke calls to violence in their activism through rallying calls such as "globalize the intifada" and "from the river to the sea."
C) Those who have vandalized various hostage posters, EndJewHatred literature, and Hamas fact sheets.Visible safety: increase police presence on campus to ensure every Jewish organization on campus, including but not limited to the Jewish Resource Center, Chabad, and Greek life.
Implement counter-anti semitism training: Make it mandatory for every University of Michigan student, staff, graduate student instructor and faculty member. Every semester. This training will properly acknowledge and inform the greater University of Michigan community of the many forms of Jew-hatred currently present in our lifetime, including anti-Zionism. This must be enforced in the University’s official code of conduct.
Rapid Response: The creation of a Jewish Life Rapid Response Coordinator position within the Division of Public Safety and Security, who will work closely with the Jewish Federation of Ann Arbor as well as the Ann Arbor Police Department. When a crisis arises on campus, the Rapid Response Coordinator will also alert and report to every Jewish campus groups, as well as statewide Jewish organization of any antisemitic incidents on campus to bring in community awareness. These organizations include, but not limited to EndJewHatred, the Anti-Defamation League, StandWithUs, SSI, and CAMERA.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Conduct a comprehensive review of existing university policies and guidelines to ensure they effectively address instances of Jew-hatred on campus and that Jewish students are a protected class. If necessary, consider revisions or updates to reflect a zero-tolerance stance on Jew-hatred. Collaborate with the Lawfare Project to explore the integration of specific protocols for addressing incidents. The policies must include and specify Jewish identity, in all its forms, as part of their DEI policies.
UMICH Anti-Semitism Campus Task Force: Develop educational programs, in partnership with organizations such as EndJewHatred, SSI, the Anti-Defamation League, and more. Facilitate additional workshops and seminars to raise awareness about the many forms of Jew-hatred in our lifetime, its historical context, and its contemporary manifestations. These sessions will be open to all students and faculty and will aim to promote understanding and foster respectful dialogue. Implement an awareness campaign to engage the campus community in discussions, highlighting the impact of Jew-hatred. trauma and the importance of creating a welcoming environment for all.
