Columbia University Jewish Students Hold Shabbat Service at Gaza Solidarity Encampment

Jewish students at Columbia University held a Shabbat service at the gates of a Gaza solidarity encampment on the campus, in support of suspended students who were participating in the protest. The service included singing, reading of blessings and prayers, and a sermon calling for the liberation of Palestine.

The encampment, set up by the student group Columbia University Apartheid Divest, is part of a nationwide surge of similar demonstrations across college campuses. The protesters are demanding that Columbia withdraw any investments in companies they deem as profiting from Israeli foreign policy on Gaza and the West Bank. Despite a 48-hour deadline set by the university president to clear the area, the encampment continues, with student protesters still in place.

The university administration suspended over 100 participating students and asked the NYPD to dismantle the encampment. This repression has led to similar encampments being established at dozens of other colleges across the US, igniting a wider showdown over campus speech and the war in Gaza. Administrations have responded in different ways, with some universities suspending student groups, curbing academic speech, and calling the police on peaceful protesters.

Why this matters: The protests at Columbia University are part of a broader student uprising demanding that universities divest from weapons manufacturers and companies profiting from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The demonstrations, fueled by social media and smartphones, have become a crisis for college administrators struggling to balance free speech and combating antisemitic rhetoric.

Negotiations between the protesters and Columbia's administration have reached an impasse, with the university facing pressure to resolve the issue. The university has offered only loosely worded promises to look into where funding is staked, and the students have no assurances that the university won't bring in outside law enforcement to clear the encampment.

The ongoing Israeli response in Gaza has resulted in more than 30,000 deaths, according to Palestinian officials. The pro-Palestinian protests at New York City universities have led to clashes with police, with dozens of arrests reported at various campuses. Some Jewish students have expressed feeling unsafe on campus due to the protests, while others have joined in solidarity with the pro-Palestinian activists.

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff spoke with Jewish leaders at Columbia, emphasizing that while every American has the right to freedom of speech and to protest peacefully, hate speech and calls for violence against Jews is both antisemitic and unacceptable. The calls focused on the immediate need to address antisemitism on college campuses.

As the standoff continues, Columbia University faces mounting pressure to find a resolution that respects free speech while ensuring student safety. The protests at Columbia and other campuses across the nation reflect the deep divisions and passions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with student activists determined to have their voices heard on this contentious issue.

Key Takeaways

• Jewish students held Shabbat service at Gaza solidarity encampment at Columbia Univ.
• Protesters demand Columbia divest from companies profiting from Israeli policies in Gaza, West Bank.
• Over 100 student protesters suspended, NYPD called to dismantle encampment, sparking wider campus protests.
• Protests reflect deep divisions over Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with students demanding universities take action.
• Second gentleman Emhoff calls for addressing antisemitism on college campuses amid the protests.