Rabbi urges Jewish students to leave Columbia University amid 'extreme antisemitism'
The warning comes after protests on campus over the Israel-Hamas conflict, with reports of anti-Jewish rhetoric.
Rabbi Elie Buechler, who works with the Orthodox Union and Hillel groups serving Columbia and Barnard College, sent a message on Sunday to approximately 293 primarily Orthodox Jewish students recommending they depart as soon as possible.
"The events of the last few days, especially last night, have made it clear that Columbia University's Public Safety and the NYPD cannot guarantee Jewish students' safety in the face of extreme antisemitism and anarchy," Buechler wrote, according to CNN's Jake Tapper.
In response to “horrific” scenes of antisemitic harassment at and around campus, the Orthodox Rabbi at Columbia/Barnard sent a WhatsApp message to more than 290+ Jewish students this morning recommending that they go home until it’s safe again for them on campus: pic.twitter.com/uqAntEICLv
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) April 21, 2024
The warning came amid "horrific" videos and reports of protesters calling for violence against Jews and harassment of Jewish students around the Ivy League campus during demonstrations related to the Israel-Hamas violence.
Over 100 students were arrested last week after refusing to leave an anti-Israel encampment on Columbia's grounds. University President Minouche Shafik cited safety concerns in authorizing police to clear the encampment.
In congressional testimony, Shafik vowed to confront antisemitism, which she said "has no place" at Columbia. Ironically, a professor then shared plans to peacefully protest the encampment's removal, and requested a police escort to do so.
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