Cornell University Investigates Antisemitic Threats Made Against Jewish Community
Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, is currently investigating a series of antisemitic threats made against its Jewish community. The threats were made in online posts over the weekend, according to a statement by Cornell President Martha E. Pollack. The university’s police department has notified law enforcement and the FBI of the incident, treating it as a potential hate crime.
The threats specifically targeted 104 West, which is home to the Center for Jewish Living and the campus’ kosher and multicultural dining hall. In response to the threats, authorities have increased security at the building to ensure the safety of students and community members. Cornell’s Hillel organization has also urged students and staff to avoid the building as a precautionary measure.
The timing of these threats is particularly troubling as tensions rise on college campuses across the US due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East. Students at various universities are engaging in protests, and administrators are faced with the challenge of addressing students’ concerns while also dealing with pressure from influential donors who demand a clearer stance on the conflict.
President Pollack emphasized in her statement that violent threats of any kind are unacceptable and that the safety of the community is a top priority. This incident follows the recent vandalism of several sidewalks on the Cornell campus with anti-Israel graffiti.
Zoe Bernstein, a senior at Cornell who is Jewish, expressed her distress over the antisemitic posts and the fear they have instilled in the Jewish community on campus. Bernstein, who is also the president of Cornellians for Israel, a campus organization that aims to foster community and education around Israel, described the threats as unprecedented and deeply troubling.
For students like Bernstein, who have ancestors that survived the Holocaust and pogroms, these threats are particularly disturbing. The ongoing war and the rising unease on campus have affected the lives of many students, making it difficult to focus on academics and causing significant distress.
Bernstein hopes for a resolution to the conflict and a return to a sense of normalcy on campus. She emphasized her ultimate wish that no violence will occur at Cornell University.
Cornell University, located in Ithaca, New York, is about 60 miles south of Syracuse. The investigation into the antisemitic threats is ongoing, and authorities are working to ensure the safety and well-being of the Jewish community on campus.