On March 21st, a group of students enthusiastically chanted “Intifada, Intifada” at a Brooklyn College vigil held in honor of the victims of the Christchurch massacre. Days later, the campus’ Israel Apartheid Week was hosted by the Brooklyn College Socialists, Students for Justice in Palestine, and the Brooklyn College Student Union;...
Statement on Recent Antisemitic Events at Brooklyn College
On March 22nd, YPA Brooklyn College and the Brooklyn College Islamic Society & Muslim Women’s Educational Initiative held a vigil memorializing the 50 innocent Muslim worshippers murdered in Christchurch, New Zealand on March 15th. Over the last few months, too many innocent lives have been taken by terrorists who shamelessly...
How Anti-Semitism Has Sprung Up on College Campuses
We can no longer ignore rising anti-Semitism on college campuses “I’m gonna physically fight Zionists on campus next year if someone comes to me with their ‘Israel is a democracy’ bullshit,” Hamzeh Daoud wrote on his Facebook in July 2018. He was an incoming resident director for Stanford University’s dorms....
USS Silences its CUNY Constituents with BDS
The University Student Senate (USS) is a representative body of over 20 campuses under the umbrella of the City University of New York (CUNY). The CUNY website states, “the organization is charged with protecting the rights of the student body, furthering the cause of public higher education, and promoting the...
The Child Soldiers of Palestine
“We collectively continue failing to stop the war on children,” said the UNICEF Regional Director of the Middle East and Africa in February. “The protection of children is paramount under all circumstances.” In contrast to this view, last week, Zainab Iqbal, Managing Editor of the Excelsior, published “Ahed Tamimi is...
What is Ayah Aly Doing to Promote Inclusivity?
On October 17th, I attended an interfaith event titled “Two Visions One Culture” hosted by Professor Robert Cherry. I experienced first-hand the way Professor Cherry uses his influence as a donor at Merchavim, a Non-Governmental Organization working to eliminate cultural barriers in Israel. Its Executive Director highlighted their five-year plan...
A 21st Century Tapestry is Woven with Ancient Fringe
Spanning from the Spanish Inquisition to the Holocaust, a violent business of hatred has persisted by adapting its hue to blend within the social constructs and cultural values of any given society. In Inquisition times, Jews were forced to convert to Christianity. When those who practiced Judaism secretly were discovered,...
Nobody Can Take My Progressive Zionism Away From Me
When I studied the history of Jews and African-Americans in America, I saw many photos of our ancestors marching together for civil rights. It was evident that they were on the right side of history. Martin Luther King, courageous civil rights leader, spoke at synagogues, believed in the self-determination of...