Letter to the Editor: Michael Siegel
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Letter to the editor,
That’s enough! Universities – Do your Job, Protect your students.
Maccabi World Union (MWU), the largest Jewish sports movement in the world, with a deep commitment to the connection of young people to the Jewish nation Israel, fully condemns the virulent antisemitism that has appeared in colleges and universities around the world but appears to be quickly growing on campuses in the United States.
Sports around the world, of which the Paris Olympics is less than 90 days away, teach values, ethics, fair play, and teamwork. Through competition in sports, the rules of the game are followed. Individuals of all races and religions play together and against each other for the thrill of victory but universally come together at the end of games to shake hands and congratulate each other, even though there is always a great disappointment for the nonwinner.
What we see in the news today on campuses regarding anti-Israel activity has gone beyond any values we stand for. Intimidation, both physical and mental, violence and chants that call for the eradication of Israel and, in some cases, Jewish people themselves, have gone against every principle this organization stands for, and we must, as representatives of our 450,000 members globally, speak out. ENOUGH!
We call on all administrators and Board members of universities and colleges to do their jobs: Protect your students, All your students. Remove outside agitators from your campuses. We respect free speech, not hate speech. We respect the right to assemble where you provide the space to do so, not were demonstrators block access to classrooms and labs. Stand up for the rules and values you profess.
Remove classes from teachers who profess hate speech. Do this in the name of democracy and of all sane people before these turns into widespread violence. Do this for the sanctity of education as you have done for generations. Rise up to the highest principles, not the mob mentality. Fear Not.
Michael Siegel, President of Maccabi World Union, the largest Jewish organization in the world that operates in 70 countries.
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