Harvard Forces Jewish Student Group to Hide Menorah Amid Fears of Vandalism

Edited by: Fern Sidman

Harvard University has come under scrutiny after a Jewish student group, Harvard Chabad, revealed that the university has instructed them to hide their menorah each night over fears of potential vandalism that “won’t look good” for the Ivy League school, according to report on Thursday in the New York Post. The revelation was made by Rabbi Hirschy Zarchi, the founder and president of Harvard Chabad, during a Hanukkah lighting event on Wednesday night, the Post report added.

Rabbi Zarchi disclosed that the university administration had informed the Jewish community that they could have the menorah for their Hanukkah celebrations, but it must be packed up and not left out overnight due to concerns about potential criminal activity, as was reported by the Post. This decision, as revealed by the rabbi, has been in effect since the first Hanukkah lighting on campus.

In light of the increasing incidents of anti-Semitism globally and on college campuses, Rabbi Zarchi emphasized the significance of the university’s decision. As was noted in the Post report, the rising tensions related to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict have heightened concerns about the safety and security of the Jewish community on campus.

Zarchi’s poignant message conveyed that true change would occur when the menorah no longer needs to be packed up each night and when Jewish students feel safe enough to be open about their identity on campus, the Post report said. The decision to hide the menorah reflects a broader issue, with one student expressing the view that Jews at Harvard “don’t necessarily feel safe” on school grounds.

Rabbi Zarchi called for a transformation in the campus culture, stressing that the day Harvard Chabad can leave the menorah without fear should be the day when real change has occurred. The report in the Post also said that the rabbi touched on the need for students not to feel the necessity to hide aspects of their identity due to concerns about being targeted.

In a seemingly critical remark directed at Harvard’s president, Claudine Gay, Rabbi Zarchi expressed the Jewish community’s longing for the day when they can refer to the president and the entire Harvard community as their own, the Post reported.

Gay found herself the topic of national debate last week after refusing to explicitly say “Yes” when asked during congressional testimony whether calls for genocide against Jews on campus violated the school’s disciplinary policies, the Post report stated.

“That Harvard indeed not only has our back, not only allows us to put up a menorah but doesn’t force us to hide it at night and when they witness hateful calls to the death of Jews, you don’t walk by and say nothing, you speak. You don’t remain silent, Rabbi Zarchi said.

He urged the university not only to permit the display of the menorah but also to create an environment where such symbols need not be hidden.

The situation at Harvard is not an isolated incident, as a flier circulating in New York claimed that New York University administrators denied students their annual Hanukkah lighting on the Kimmel steps, according to the report in the Post. The poster asserted that anti-Semitism has no place at NYU while promoting an alternative menorah lighting event in Washington Square Park.

As this news broke, neither Harvard nor NYU has provided immediate responses or comments on the situation to the Post.

The revelation that Harvard had compelled the Jewish student group to hide their menorah due to fears of vandalism has sparked discussions about the campus environment and safety for the Jewish community. The incident sheds light on the broader issue of rapidly escalating anti-Semitism and the challenges faced by students who feel the need to conceal their identity. The call for a cultural shift at Harvard and the comparison with other universities underscore the urgency for addressing these concerns and fostering a more inclusive and secure campus environment.