Anti-Semitic Faculty Activism in on Full Display

Well over a decade ago, when I started teaching at Sarah Lawrence College, I realized that many of my faculty colleagues were anti-Semitic. Because I am visibly Jewish and refuse to denounce Israel, I have been hazed; I have been called a “white skinned Taliban” by a senior professor. I was told that I was part of a colonial, genocidal Jewish people. I have had swastikas drawn on my office door. Somehow, I was expected to do more work than other colleagues to earn their support for promotion. It became clear that my Jewish faith and heritage was a problem for large numbers of professors on campus.  

Of course, the anti-Semitic professors had issues not just with me but with outwardly Jewish students as well. Over the years, countless Jewish students and my student advisees – both Jewish and non-Jewish – would regularly come to my office hours asking for assistance with how to deal with classes that had nothing to do with Israel, religion, or faith yet seemingly veered into spaces where professors would malign and negatively talk about Jews and Judaism. They would share stories of overt bias in their classrooms, attempts to influence and manipulate other students politically and ideologically, and make it clear that they expected conformity and fealty to such hate-filled views if they were to succeed scholastically and reputationally.

Until recently, this narrative was hard to believe as many professors nationwide maintained the veneer of professionalism to some degree and kept their views and behaviors private.

Since the October 7th massacre in Israel, however, that façade has crumbled. Now, the hate of many faculty nationwide is in the open.

The Sarah Lawrence faculty is presently filled with activist professors who are overt about their politics—and their hate. Alegemeiner noted that only one day after the massacre and before Israel began defending itself,  “Emmaia Gelman — Sarah Lawrence professor and Director of the Institute for the Critical Study of Zionism — made an Instagram post featuring a photo of Hamas invading Israel by breaking through a barrier fence with the accompanying comment, ‘Solidarity with those who break prison walls.’”

Faculty have organized one-sided, dangerously political teach-ins intended to influence the student community and encouraged and amended academic expectations so their students could join anti-Semitic protests and explicitly biased political events. Well-known anti-Semitic professor Suzanne Gardinier—who regularly posts calls for the destruction of Israel on  social media— sent an explicitly political email to all faculty on campus on April 28^th of last year over the official College email group lists. Gardinier is an organizer of the Sarah Lawrence Faculty & Staff for Justice in Palestine group. The note was advertising that her group will be “on the lawn outside the campus center, doing an hour long stand-out: From Yonkers to Gaza, Solidarity with Palestine, Solidarity with Our Brave Students.” The email concludes with “We’d love to see you” and is signed “SLFSJP.”

This gathering chilled speech, student dissent, and open questioning. Imagine if one of your professors participated; how could a student expect fair treatment in the classroom if they disagree, question, or dissent with that faculty member? How could they participate in class if they disagreed? Moreover, the school did not send out a reminder that such political advocacy is not appropriate for a school-wide list. The school guidelines clearly state that “Faculty… may not engage in political activities during work hours….[and] college resources may not be used for political activities.” I suspect that if I sent out an email advertising a Jewish political action, I would be swiftly sanctioned and an accompanying statement would be released reminding the faculty of the appropriate use of official faculty lists.

Sadly, what is happening at Sarah Lawrence is not unique.  Jewish professors at scores of campuses have shared similar stories with me, and Jewish students live in fear knowing that many of their faculty are political activists and anti-Semitic.

The newly released State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report reveals that significant numbers of Jewish college students experience antisemitism on campus at the hands of their professors.  Well beyond the overall campus hostile climate against Jews, a quarter of Jewish students (24 percent) report that their class curricula has promoted antisemitism or has fueled a learning environment that is hostile to Jews. Further, a third of Jewish students (32 percent) sadly admit that they have felt that faculty on campus have promoted antisemitism or fueled a learning environment that is hostile to Jews. This is the antithesis to a healthy, intellectual, and liberal learning environment, let alone an inclusive campus.

The hatred toward Jews that I have seen and have experienced by my faculty colleagues at Sarah Lawrence is regrettably not particularly unique. But now, it is no longer hidden and can hopefully be properly and swiftly addressed.

Reprinted with permission from AEI by Samuel J. Abrams.

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.