Columbia University is currently in a state of crisis as tensions rise on campus ahead of the Passover holiday.
A rabbi associated with the university has advised Jewish students to stay home due to escalating confrontations, prompting condemnation from officials in New York and the White House.
The situation has become so fraught that Columbia officials announced students will have the option to attend classes virtually starting Monday, coinciding with the beginning of Passover, in response to concerns about safety on campus.
Tensions at Columbia have been mounting since the October 7 terror attack on Israel by Hamas, and they have intensified following recent testimony before Congress on campus antisemitism and increased pro-Palestinian protests.
The current crisis has led to criticism directed at Columbia President Minouche Shafik, with calls for her resignation from Republican US Representative Elise Stefanik, who believes that university leadership has lost control of the campus.
In a letter addressed to university leaders, Republican House Education Committee Chair Virginia Foxx warned of potential consequences if protests on campus are not brought under control promptly.
Rabbi Elie Buechler, associated with Columbia University’s Orthodox Union Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus, advised around 300 Orthodox Jewish students via WhatsApp to remain home due to concerns over safety, citing recent incidents that have raised doubts about campus security.
The White House has also weighed in on the situation, condemning any calls for violence against Jewish students as antisemitic and dangerous. President Joe Biden echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that such behavior has no place on college campuses or anywhere in the country.
In response, organizers of the protests at Columbia University, including Columbia University Apartheid Divest and Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine, distanced themselves from non-student individuals engaging in inflammatory behavior outside the campus.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul emphasized that threatening Jewish students with violence constitutes antisemitism, affirming that students have the right to learn in a safe environment free from harassment.
To address safety concerns, Columbia University has increased security measures around campus, and Jewish organizations on campus, such as Chabad, have hired additional security during the Passover holiday.
The university administration and city officials have been urged to take immediate action to restore calm and ensure the safety of all students.
The ongoing demonstrations at Columbia have sparked solidarity rallies at other universities across the United States, including Yale, Harvard, the University of North Carolina, and Boston University.
Incidents of violence and harassment have also been reported at some of these solidarity rallies, prompting investigations by university authorities.
In light of these events, Columbia students and faculty continue to navigate a challenging and charged atmosphere on campus, seeking ways to foster dialogue and ensure the safety and well-being of all members of the university community.
