BY MOSHE HILL OPINION COLUMNS OCTOBER 09 2024
The anniversary of the horrific attacks on October 7, 2023, should have been a time of mourning, reflection, and solidarity with the State of Israel. Because we live in an upside down and horrific world, however, it became an excuse for all those who want to see the Jewish state destroyed to march proudly and freely advocating as such, and for Jew-haters to spread their lies and propaganda with impunity. While not the sole perpetrators of this evil, the actions done on the campuses of Queens College and Columbia are especially noteworthy.
In Queens College, a CUNY school with thousands of Jewish students in attendance (and the alma mater of this writer), a protest at the top of the Quad chanted “CUNY CUNY you can’t hide, you’re supporting genocide” and “How do you spell racist? NYPD” among other common slogans. They waved Palestinian flags and, of course, had their faces covered to prevent identification. Like their counterparts at other protests, they specifically say, “There will be no compromise” and “There will be no two states” – once again showing the world that there can be no peace with those who seek Israel’s destruction.
Even more damaging than the mostly ignored protest outside was a captured image from inside the classroom. Kayla Reece, a professor in the Women’s and Gender Studies Department, was spreading anti-Semitic and anti-Israel lies in her classroom. A Jewish student took a photo of what was displayed, which included “Zionism =/= Judaism” written on the whiteboard and an Instagram post by the account “visualizing_palestine” projected in from the back of the class.
The post contains a graphic reading “the many ‘cides’ of genocide, Israel’s Targeting of all Aspects of Life in Gaza.” The post says, “This week marks one year of Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, violence the Israeli regime has been emboldened to escalate in the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen. In this visual, we look at various concepts scholars have developed to capture the all-encompassing destructiveness of genocide.”
It continues, “From ‘domicide,’ which refers to the systemic destruction of homes, to ‘scholasticide,’ highlighting the deliberate dismantling of education, Israel’s actions have targeted the essential foundations of life in Gaza. These terms encapsulate the multifaceted nature of this genocide, which will impact Palestinians for generations.”
Reece was previously highlighted in the CUNY Graduate Center back in 2021, claiming that she “has a passion for storytelling, whether it’s through tarot readings, the physical stories told by practicing yoga, or the written word.” It embellishes her love for “Black feminist activism,” and she says that (at the time) she taught yoga twice a month, “for new and full moons.”
At Columbia University, Professor Shai Davidai has detailed the never-ending anti-Israel protests that followed the efforts of Jewish students to honor the victims of the October 7 attacks in Israel. Jewish students organized two meaningful events: a commemorative art installation and a memorial service filled with speeches and songs. These events were intended to provide a space for mourning and remembrance. However, the situation quickly escalated when pro-Hamas students and faculty disrupted these memorials, protesting loudly and gathering outside the installation itself.
Despite the peaceful intentions of the Jewish students, the university administration, under Interim President Katrina Armstrong, seemed to side with the protesters, allowing them to break rules that the Jewish students had carefully followed. The administration’s inaction, perceived as cowardice, allowed the pro-Hamas supporters to send a message of intimidation and disrespect, even as they celebrated the atrocities of October 7.
For Jewish students, this has created a terrifying atmosphere where they feel targeted, unable to mourn without fear. The Columbia administration’s indifference to these protests is deeply unsettling, likened to a dangerous complacency that echoes dark moments in history. The issue is not just the actions of the protesters, but the administration’s failure to stand up for Jewish students, making Columbia feel unsafe for those who support Israel.
College campuses will not be a safe harbor for Jewish and pro-Israel students as long as virulent anti-Semitism, intimidation, and harassment is allowed to go unchecked. These campuses, with their never-ending speech codes, have failed their most vulnerable students in favor of those who side with terrorists. This needs to stop, or the representatives in Albany and Washington need to do something about it.
