Professor Shai Davidai, an Israeli-born assistant professor at Columbia Business School known for his outspoken pro-Israel stance, has left Columbia University, effective July 8, 2025.
The news was initially reported by Semafor and confirmed on Wednesday by an internal email sent to Columbia Business School faculty by Dean Costis Maglaras, which was obtained by The Intercept.
Columbia University spokesperson Millie Wert issued a statement to The Intercept regarding Davidai's exit: "Assistant Professor of Business Shai Davidai has decided to depart Columbia, effective July 8, 2025. The University thanks him for his service and wishes him the best in his future endeavors."
In October of 2023, days after Hamas’s attack on Israel and the war in Gaza which followed, Davidai called then-Columbia President Minouche Shafik a “coward” in a fiery speech criticizing the president for failing to quiet “pro-terror” voices at the school.
He later revealed that he is under investigation by the university and said the probe is a “clear act of retaliation and an attempt to silence me”.
Davidai was temporarily suspended last year, with the university citing that he "repeatedly harassed and intimidated University employees in violation of University policy."
Following the announcement of his departure, Davidai posted on social media on Wednesday, stating that Columbia’s Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) had cleared him of allegations filed against him in February 2024.
In his social media post, Davidai shared a screenshot of a note on Columbia letterhead from the vice provost for the OIE, indicating that his case was being closed without a finding of wrongdoing. University policy allows the OIE to close investigations when an employee is no longer affiliated with the institution. "BOOM," Davidai wrote in his post.