University of Pennsylvania Faculty Express Solidarity with Israel Amid Campus Tensions

Edited by: Fern Sidman

In a notable shift of personal practice, University of Pennsylvania psychology professor Michael Kahana has begun wearing a yarmulke, or Jewish skullcap, to his classes, reflecting a change in the atmosphere on campus, as was recently reported by Reuters. This adjustment comes in the wake of heightened tensions surrounding the Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent offensive in Gaza. Kahana, along with around 30 Penn faculty members, embarked on a solidarity mission to Israel, seeking to foster connections with the Israeli academic community and gain a firsthand understanding of the region’s challenges, the Reuters report said.

The primary objective of the solidarity mission was to build bridges with the Israeli academic community. The Reuters report indicated that during their visit, Penn faculty engaged with Penn alumni, political and hospital leaders, and families affected by hostage situations. The delegation also toured sites in Israel that were targeted by Hamas terrorists on October 7. This first-hand exposure aimed to provide faculty members with insights into the complex geopolitical realities of the region.

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Back at the University of Pennsylvania, tensions had been simmering over the Hamas attack and Israel’s subsequent offensive in Gaza. Pro-Hamas and pro-Israel students clashed at protests, and university administrators faced criticism for their responses to allegations of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, according to the report on the Reuters web site. The situation escalated when the university hosted a Palestinian literary festival featuring speakers who had a virulently anti-Semitic agenda.

University President Liz Magill faced criticism from the school’s large Jewish community for her response to questions regarding calls for the genocide of Jews before a congressional committee. Reuters also reported that in December, Magill declined to provide a definitive “yes” or “no” answer to New York Rep. Elise Stefanik as to whether such calls violated the school code of conduct. This decision led to outrage, and Magill, along with the university’s former board chair, Scott Bok resigned later that month.

A delegation from the University of Pennsylvania arrived for a solidarity visit to Ben-Gurion University.

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Professor Michael Kahana, a key organizer of the solidarity mission, expressed deeper concerns during their visit to Israel. He and his colleagues voiced dismay at fellow Penn professors for not condemning Hamas, as was noted in the Reuters report. The October 7 attack by Hamas resulted in the brutal massacre of 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of 240 hostages. In response, Israel launched a counterattack in Hamas-run Gaza.

Kahana shared his disappointment that some colleagues chose to condemn Israel without acknowledging the atrocities committed by Hamas. The report on the Reuters web site said that during a dinner with Hebrew University faculty and students, he questioned why fellow professors couldn’t express sympathy for the victims of the October 7 attack. The sentiment expressed by Kahana and his colleagues highlights the complexities and divisions within academic circles, reflecting wider societal debates on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Claire Finkelstein, director of Penn’s Center for Ethics and Law, asserted that this sentiment predates the October 7 attack on Israel, pointing to the influence of the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement founded in 2005, as was reported by Reuters.

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The BDS movement has been a focal point in discussions around anti-Israel sentiment. Advocating for boycotts, divestments, and sanctions against Israel, the movement aims to draw attention to what it perceives as Israeli violations of Palestinian rights, according to the Reuters report. However, critics argue that BDS is discriminatory, targeting the Jewish state unfairly and seeking to cripple its economy. The movement has become a lightning rod for tensions on college campuses, creating divisions among students and faculty.

For her part Finkelstein noted the pain felt by those supportive of Israel and attributes some anti-Semitism to a lack of understanding, particularly in U.S. secondary education, as was indicated in the Reuters report.

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According to the Penn faculty, Jewish students have expressed distress over demonstrations featuring chants of “From the River to the Sea,” interpreted by critics as a call for the elimination of Israel, the Reuters report said. Additionally, claims that Israel’s actions against Gaza are genocidal have further exacerbated tensions on campus. These sentiments have prompted concerns about the well-being of Jewish students and the need for a more inclusive and understanding campus environment.

In response to escalating concerns over anti-Semitism on campuses, a U.S. House of Representatives committee launched an investigation into several prestigious institutions of higher learning, including the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard, and MIT. Reuters reported that the investigation follows the December 5 hearing on anti-Semitism that was previously mentioned in this report.

The fallout from the December 5 hearing extends beyond the University of Pennsylvania. Harvard president Claudine Gay recently announced her resignation, concluding a tumultuous six-month tenure marked by allegations of plagiarism and backlash over her congressional testimony about anti-Semitism on campus, as was noted in the Reuters report.