As Holocaust Memorial Day is celebrated, we can’t deny the need to remember now more than any time before. The recent events unfolding at Columbia University which spread to other universities throughout the United States have sparked great concern and alarm. The support for terror activities targeting Jews and Americans is not only shocking but also deeply troubling. The physical and verbal abuse against students, especially Jews, the burning of U.S. and Israeli flags, bring back painful memories of the atrocities of the Holocaust and the Third Reich..
Watching professors on campus openly calling for violence and terrorism against Jews and Americans, including chants of “Death to Israel” and “Death to America” is beyond belief. These groups are promoting messages of hate and violence, threatening the safety of Jewish and American students not only on campus but also around the globe. The language being used is not only deeply offensive but also incites fear of harm especially in the Jewish community. Calling for violence and a repeat of October 7th, reminds us of how important Holocaust Memorial Day is for the next generation to see what hate can lead to.
While we remember those fwho perished in the Holocaust today, it’s saddening to see how universities throughout the United States are turning out students as uneducated as peasants of the past. They are not teaching about the past, nstead professors are rallying hate, Anti Semitism and Anti American ideology promoting a culture of terror, hate and ignorance instead of encouraging learning what hate can lead to from the Holocaust .
American Jews being are threatened and discriminated against openly today without the authorities investigating perpetrator's activities as hate and terror crimes is deeply concerning.
It’s totally unbelievable to see how America's Universities in the 21st century became a home to students who are being paid a stipend to join university protests supporting terror without actually knowing what they are demonstrating for and who they are supporting.
Another alarming concern is the fact that students are not being taught the past with many of them oblivious of the mass murder of six million Jews in the Holocaust, a situationwhich speaks volumes about the failure of these institutions. As Dani Dayan, Chairman of Yad Vashem Chairman said as he addressed Yad Vashem: From Auschwitz and Berlin to Be'eri to Columbia University the world continues to forget.
We have the privilege of being able to access information from various sources today. It takes minutes to learn how Hamas is a barbaric terrorist group calling for the destruction of America, Jews and the west, yet many individuals seem to be blindly following their narrative of hate and anti-Semitism.
Witness how Ivy League universities are failing to educate their students about the Holocaust, instead choosing to promote a one-sided narrative of anti semitism and self inflicted hate. Could it be that these institutions, funded heavily by Arab extremist nations, have their own anti-Semitic, anti American agendas, and are willing to sacrifice the education of their students and promote anti American Ideology in order to further their own hateful interests?
The recent trend of individuals proclaiming support for Hamas who promised to extinguish the jewish nation in the same Holocaust style mass murder of Jews which they performed on October 7th is alarming. From students chanting anti-Israel and Anti American slogans, burning American Flags on campuses, to individuals donning keffiyehs without comprehending the significance behind that act, it is clear that there is no Holocaust education on campuses and the hate being promoted on campus must be stopped before it’s too late.
Another deeply concerning sight is witnessing professors going to great lengths to cover up blatant anti-Semitism by attributing it to psychological factors, such as the inner anger of students being locked up during Covid-19 that drives them to come out en masse.
The use of masks as a shield to conceal identity while spewing hate speech is a cowardly tactic, and the fact that professors are using this as an excuse to defend such despicable actions as an excuse to cover up that it is bluntly coming from anti Semitism is truly alarming. By attributing these actions to pandemic-related anger, these educators are not only enabling anti-Semitic behavior but also perpetuating harmful stereotypes and covering up educating a next generation of homebound terrorists in our own Universities and college campuses with American taxpayer dollars.
As Jews, we feel a deep sense of fear and unease reminiscent of Kristallnacht here in New York City and we must demand all our institutions use Holocaust Memorial Day to teach their students what NEVER AGAIN STANDS FOR!.
It is essential for academic institutions to address and condemn such behavior in the strongest terms possible. Anti-Semitism has no place in our society, and it is the responsibility of educators to promote inclusivity, tolerance, and understanding among students. By dismissing anti-Semitism as a product of pandemic-related frustrations, these professors are failing in their duty to uphold these fundamental values and obligations they carry to educate not instigate!. It is imperative that they are held accountable for their actions and that steps are taken to address and eradicate anti-Semitism in all its forms on all campuses throughout the United States.
Duvi Honig is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber Of Commerce