Columbia U Pro-Hamas Group Demands Closure of Campus Hillel; Targets Jewish Life 

Columbia U Pro-Hamas Group Demands Closure of Campus Hillel; Targets Jewish Life     

Edited by: Fern Sidman

 The “Palestine Working Group” (PWG), a controversial organization at Columbia University, has launched an aggressive campaign against the Jewish student community, calling for the abolition of the campus’ Hillel chapter. In a statement released Monday via Instagram, the group accused Hillel of supporting what it called “the Zionist entity’s imperialist and colonial projects,” and demanded the immediate severance of ties between Columbia University and the organization.

A Columbia University organization which calls itself the “Palestine Working Group” (PWG) is waging an aggressive campaign to gut Jewish life, calling for the abolishment of the campus’ Hillel chapter in a recent statement.

“Hillel is complicit in manufacturing propaganda and… pic.twitter.com/FD2wX3Rwv9

— Rita Rosenfeld (@rheytah) November 22, 2024

According to a report on Thursday on The Algemeiner web site, PWG claimed in its statement that Hillel collaborates with Israeli universities and funds trips to Israel, which it derisively called “an ethnostate responsible for the murder of over 180,000 Palestinians in the last year alone.” The statement concluded with a blunt directive: “Sever all ties with Hillel. Academic boycott now.”

We, as an organization, are no longer affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America and, moving forward, will be known simply as the Palestine Solidarity Working Group. pic.twitter.com/gSOEeyNmCS

— Palestine Solidarity Working Group🇵🇸 (@PalestineSWG) November 7, 2023

The group is so radical, that the DSA is not anti-Semitic enough for their tastes

Hillel International is the largest Jewish collegiate organization in the world, providing support and a sense of belonging to over 180,000 students at more than 850 colleges, The Algemeiner report explained.  It offers religious services, social programs, and spaces for Jewish students to connect with their heritage. For many, Hillel serves as a “home away from home,” fostering Jewish identity and providing a safe environment for Jewish students to celebrate their traditions and build community.

PWG’s statement appears to have been provoked by an upcoming event at Columbia University featuring Israeli journalist Barak Ravid. The Algemeiner report indicated that the event, organized by the Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life, which houses Columbia’s Hillel chapter, and the Institute of Global Politics (IGP), is set to discuss the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

COLUMBIA STUDENTS NEED YOUR HELP!

As the 🐖 of the NYPD prepare to storm campus, this is a reminder that community keeps itself safe! #ColumbiaUniversity #FreePalestine #NYC https://t.co/dsA1I81tdY

— Palestine Solidarity Working Group🇵🇸 (@PalestineSWG) May 1, 2024

PWG labeled Ravid a “Zionist, pro-Trump journalist” and criticized Columbia for hosting him, accusing the university of downplaying what they described as genocidal acts by Israel.

Although PWG later deleted its incendiary Instagram post, it had already been widely shared and criticized. The Algemeiner reported that Jewish advocacy groups and individuals quickly condemned the statement as a blatant act of anti-Semitism.

Jewish on Campus, a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating anti-Semitism at universities, strongly denounced PWG’s call to abolish Hillel. “Hundreds of thousands of Jewish students visit Hillel to celebrate Jewish holidays, connect with their Jewish identities, and safely gather in community,” the group said, as per the information provided in The Algemeiner report. “When students single out Hillel and attempt to exclude one of the lone Jewish organizations from their campus, their Jewish classmates are denied their right to live as Jews. A call to push Hillel off campus is anti-Semitism, plain and simple. We won’t be silent.”

Barak Ravid is one of the most prominent critics of Netanyahu and his government policies, including policies toward the Palestinians.

This walkout is telling. These antisemites want Israel to cease to exist. https://t.co/fT3HW6TYUa

— Eli Kowaz – איליי קואז (@elikowaz) November 22, 2024

The controversy highlights ongoing tensions at Columbia University surrounding issues of free speech, academic freedom, and the boundaries of acceptable discourse. Critics argue that PWG’s actions go beyond political criticism of Israel and veer into targeted hostility against Jewish students and their right to organize on campus.

Columbia professor Shai Davidai, who has faced his own challenges for criticizing pro-Hamas movements, told The Algemeiner that PWG’s rhetoric reflects a deeper ideological problem. “This group is showcasing its illiberal values by attempting to erase Jewish representation and stifle voices they disagree with,” he said.

The attack on Hillel at Columbia is emblematic of a troubling trend in which Jewish students and organizations are targeted under the guise of anti-Zionism. Critics argue that these campaigns, while often framed as political, undermine the safety and inclusion of Jewish students on campus.

The campaign to expel Hillel chapters from college campuses is gaining traction, spearheaded by groups such as National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP) under their initiative titled “Drop Hillel,” as was noted in The Algemeiner report.  Launched in October, this effort comes during an unprecedented wave of anti-Zionist incidents across American universities, intensifying concerns about the safety and inclusivity of Jewish students.

According to the report at The Algemeiner, the initiative follows a broader pattern of hostility toward Jewish organizations on campuses, amplified after the one-year anniversary of Hamas’s deadly assault on southern Israel on October 7. NSJP’s campaign accuses Hillel of being a vehicle for what it describes as “pro-Israel indoctrination, genocide-apologia, and material support to the Zionist project.”

In a manifesto published to coincide with the campaign’s launch, NSJP outlined its grievances against Hillel.  According to the information contained in The Algemeiner report, the document accuses the Jewish organization of monopolizing campus Jewish life to promote a pro-Israel agenda, citing its sponsorship of trips to Israel, appearances by Israeli soldiers at campus events, and fundraising efforts to support Israel’s defense forces.

“Over the past several decades, Hillel has monopolized Jewish campus life into a pipeline for pro-Israel indoctrination, genocide-apologia, and material support to the Zionist project and its crimes,” the manifesto claims.

The movement is already gaining traction beyond NSJP’s core network. At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, pro-Hamas student groups have embraced the campaign. As reported by The Daily Tar Heel, UNC’s student newspaper, a member of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) announced the “no more Hillel” initiative during a rally on October 9. The Algemeiner report said that the rally also called for the removal of Israel from the university’s study abroad programs and the adoption of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.

In subsequent comments to the newspaper, SJP reiterated that dismantling Hillel chapters is a key objective of the anti-Zionist movement, linking their campaign to broader efforts to delegitimize and isolate Israel in academic and social settings.

The backdrop to these developments is an alarming rise in anti-Israel incidents on college campuses. According to a September report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), titled “Anti-Israel Activism on US Campuses, 2023-2024,” such activity has reached “crisis levels,” with a staggering 477% increase in anti-Zionist incidents, including physical assaults, vandalism, and other forms of hate speech.

The Algemeiner highlighted the findings of the report, which described an education system increasingly infiltrated by political extremism. The surge in anti-Israel activity has also coincided with growing hostility toward Jewish students, as evidenced by efforts like “Drop Hillel.”

The campaign to shut down Hillel has drawn widespread condemnation from Jewish organizations and university leaders committed to maintaining safe and inclusive spaces for all students. Jewish leaders and advocates have emphasized the role Hillel plays in providing essential support to Jewish students, from religious observances to opportunities for cultural connection.

A Columbia University professor expressed outrage at the targeting of Hillel, telling The Algemeiner, “The fact that these student organizations find it objectionable to host a speaker just because of their religion and/or nationality tells you everything you need to know about them. It’s time for Columbia to decide whether it stands for open support for terrorism or open exchange of ideas.”

As groups like NSJP escalate their efforts, the implications for higher education are profound. Critics argue that campaigns like “Drop Hillel” go beyond criticism of Israeli policies and constitute direct attacks on Jewish life and identity on campus.

The Algemeiner has consistently reported on the growing marginalization of Jewish students in academia and the troubling intersection of anti-Zionist rhetoric with anti-Semitism. Advocacy groups, including the ADL, are calling on university administrations to take stronger stances against hate speech and to uphold the principles of diversity and inclusion for all students, regardless of their faith or political beliefs.

The escalating campaign against Hillel reflects a broader challenge facing Jewish communities on college campuses, where the fight for acceptance and security is becoming increasingly urgent. The outcome of these battles will likely shape the future of Jewish student life and the integrity of academic institutions for years to come.