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Things Are Changing for the Better on College Campuses; But Will It Last?
Anti-Israel agitators disrupting an Israeli history class at Columbia University, New York City, Jan. 21, 2025. Photo: Screenshot
Protests and attacks aimed at Jews and broader society in support of “Palestine” and Gaza continued in March, despite the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and protests in Gaza against Hamas. Examples included:
- The home of a University of Michigan provost was vandalized with pro-Hamas graffiti and a rock thrown through a window;
- The Columbia University president’s house was vandalized with fake blood and the slogan “free them all”;
- Sixteen Cornell University students were arrested after they disrupted a “Pathways to Peace” talk, which included Palestinian and Israeli speakers;
- Buildings at Cambridge University and Oxford University were vandalized by Palestine Action;
- A pro-Hamas protest featuring calls to “globalize the intifada” was held outside the Ohio State Hillel;
- A student walkout and encampment was created at the University of Glasgow. Several buildings were also occupied and a hunger strike was said to be underway;
- A Toronto man, Amir Arvahi Azar, was arrested in connection with arson attempts at five local synagogues and a Jewish community center;
- Pro-Palestinian hackers, apparently aided by Iran or Russia, undertook a cyberattack that disrupted X/Twitter service for several hours;
- A golf course in Scotland owned by President Trump was vandalized by pro-Hamas protestors;
- An arson attack on a synagogue and Jewish community center in Casa Grande, AZ caused serious damage. A local man was arrested;
- An attack on Jewish feminists by unidentified Iranians at a Berlin coffee shop prior to an International Women’s Day demonstration.
Talks by former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett were also protested at Columbia University and Harvard Business School, and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) protestors also disrupted a University of Oklahoma regents meeting. Finally, a pro-Israel speaker, Rawan Osman, was shouted down at Radboud University in the Netherlands and had to be escorted from the premises by police.
After a February series of Executive Orders targeting antisemitism and DEI, the Trump administration has now taken new steps, beginning with cuts to university grants and efforts to deport foreign Hamas supporters who may have violated their terms of entry to the US by supporting a terrorist group.
Congressional action against campus antisemitism also accelerated in March. Legislation was passed in the House which would require colleges and universities to publicize their policies for handling civil disturbances such as pro-Hamas protests, make students convicted of protest-related crimes ineligible for loans, and create an excise tax on university endowments.
In an effort to undermine the legislation, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) introduced amendments which would force universities to report investments in or gifts from countries targeted by the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice. As Tlaib made clear in remarks, this is aimed only at Israel. The amendments were overwhelmingly rejected.
Additional legislation would expand Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include religious discrimination, mandate penalties for educational institutions who are repeat violators, and direct the US Department of Education to oversee private lawsuits against colleges and universities. Trump has vowed to fully close the Department, however. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has again introduced resolutions to cut arms sales to Israel. The vote will be a test of Democratic support for Israel.
At the local level a court has halted a Pittsburgh ballot referendum that would have prohibited the city from dealing with any entity connected to Israel. The court pointed to probable fraudulent signatures and other irregularities on the petitions. The Somerville, MA, city council also voted to permit activists to collect signatures to present the resolution on the November ballot.
Five Vermont municipalities, Plainfield, Thetford, Newfane, Winooski, and Brattleboro, similarly voted in favor of the so-called “Apartheid Free Pledge” which included the statements “WE AFFIRM our commitment to freedom, justice, and equality for the Palestinian people and all people; WE OPPOSE all forms of racism, bigotry, discrimination, and oppression; and WE DECLARE ourselves an apartheid-free community and to that end, WE PLEDGE to join others in working to end all support to Israel’s apartheid regime, settler colonialism, and military occupation.” Five other municipalities voted the measure down.
In New York City, reports indicate that city controller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander had unilaterally divested holdings in Israel Bonds from city pension funds.
Apparently in response to the Trump Administration’s harshening policies universities have taken new measures against pro-Hamas protestors:
- Columbia University suspended and expelled a number of students including the head of the UAW affiliated graduate student union;
- The UCLA SJP chapter was shut down indefinitely, while Graduate Students for Palestine was banned for four years for their role in the violent 2024 encampments;
- The Boston University SJP chapter was placed on probation for violations of policies;
- George Washington University barred the SJP chapter from hosting events indefinitely after students attempted to block university officials from attending their meetings;
- The University of California at Davis dissolved the Law Students Association after it passed a resolution mandating a fiscal and academic boycott of Israel;
A number of institutions, such as New York University and Brown University, have warned international students not to travel overseas and risk detention on return. University administrations also continue to reject calls to divest from Israel. Boston University, the University of Washington, and Princeton University became the latest institutions to announce they would not consider divestment policies. The University of Minnesota adopted an institutional neutrality policy.
To appear in compliance with new Federal guidelines, the University of Michigan announced the complete dismantling of its enormous DEI program that had — among other things — bypassed normal methods to place faculty members into departments. UCLA announced a new initiative to combat antisemitism based as usual on enhanced student training and reporting. At California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt a new lawsuit alleged that administrators told Jewish students to “hide their Jewish identity to avoid being targeted.”
Internationally, however, the University of Cape Town governing council narrowly voted to retain its complete boycott of Israeli universities despite having lost two-thirds of its donors as a result.
Faculty members reacted with shock to the Trump administration’s funding cuts to higher education. Columbia University faculty held an “emergency vigil” to condemn what one called the “larger conservative agenda hell-bent on destroying universities as we know them.” Nationally some 650 Jewish faculty members signed an open letter condemning the Trump administration and claimed “destroying universities in the name of Jews risks making Jews in particular less safe by setting them up to be scapegoats.”
Many faculty condemned the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, including some 2,000 Jewish faculty members “united in denouncing, without equivocation, anyone who invokes our name – and cynical claims of antisemitism.”
Faculty members have also continued what is now a strong trend towards presenting conferences endorsing anti-Zionism or non-Zionism. Following examples at Boston University, Brown University, and Columbia University, the African-American Studies Department at Princeton University will present a two day conference on “The Anti-Zionist Idea: History, Theory, and Politics.”
The trend was reinforced by a conference on “scholasticide” sponsored by the American Association of University Professors, at which speakers alleged Israel had deliberately destroyed Gaza’s education infrastructure. The conference builds on the continuing series of articles attacking Israel (and the Trump administration) in the AAUP’s magazine, and is designed to lend further support to the association’s endorsement of boycotts.
Protests were widespread in response to the Khalil detention and the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement actions. Protests occurred at the University of Michigan, UCLA, Stanford University, the University of Chicago, and other campuses, as well as in public locations including Philadelphia City Hall and the lobby of Trump Tower in New York City.
The author is a contributor to SPME, where a significantly different version of this article first appeared.
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Anti-Israel Activists Who Falsely Accused Washington, DC Rabbi of Stalking Forced to Pay $182K of Legal Bills
Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld of Washington, DC. Photo: Screenshot
Anti-Israel activists who falsely accused a Washington, DC rabbi of stalking were directed to pay his $182,000 of legal bills, according to a recent ruling by the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld — who is the former rabbi at Ohev Shalom synagogue and current Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Elimelech in Washington, DC — was falsely accused of stalking two anti-Israel activists in mid-2024 after he prayed outside the Israeli embassy for the hostages taken by Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists on Oct. 7, 2023. The activists were seeking a restraining order against Herzfeld.
Atefeh Rochvand and Hazami Barmada staged a months-long protest outside of the embassy, and Herzfeld arrived at the facility three times during their protest. One time was to pray for the hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, and two other times were to observe the protests and make comments toward those conducting them.
While Herzfeld was there to pray, an anti-Israel group harassed him — crowding near him, waving flags in his face, and blaring sirens, according to video circulated on social media. They also called him a Nazi.
DC rabbi harassed by pro-Palestinian protesters while praying for hostages wins $182K
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Judge orders pro-Palestinian activists to pay damages to Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld after falsely accusing him of harassment during his prayer vigil for Israeli hostages outside the embassy in… pic.twitter.com/bcdsUn2Daf— Ynetnews (@ynetnews) April 7, 2025
“It was the loudest outdoor scene I’ve ever seen in my life, it was ear-splitting, it was deafening,” he said in an interview with Fox News Digital. “I never saw anything like that in DC.”
The petitioners never alleged that Herzfeld tried to contact or interacted with them on any other occasions. According to the ruling, they even referred to his presence as “hilarious” while he was there.
Videos submitted to the court contradicted the stalking claims that Rochvand and Barmada made against Herzfeld.
“There is no evidence that Respondent [Herzfeld] ever threatened the Petitioners [Rochvand and Barmada],” the ruling read. “There is no evidence that he ever followed, monitored or placed them under surveillance. The only times he ever saw them was at the location of the protests on three occasions (only two with regard to Ms. Rokhvand).”
It continued, “The evidence suggests that his presence on those occasions was not an attempt to locate Petitioners or any other particular individuals; he was going to the embassy to pray, observe the protests and at times (March 21 and May 2) make his own comments regarding the protests.”
Nevertheless, Rochvand and Barmada wrote in a comment to The Daily Wire that they “were shocked by the tone and findings outlined in the subsequent order granting outrageous legal fees. Albeit ultimately deemed ‘protected speech,’ the evidence at trial showed Rabbi Herzfeld and his cohorts, on multiple occasions, came inappropriately close to females and made offensive and vile remarks to intimidate them.”
One of these comments, they said, was when Herzfeld asked them, “Why do you support the raping of innocent women?” — likely referring to the gender-based sexual violence that took place during Hamas’s Oct. 7 terror attack across southern Israel.
The judge commented, “The Petitioners may very well have been offended by what the Respondent said on May 2, just as the Respondent was likely offended when Petitioner Barmada called him a Nazi and a supporter of terrorizing children on March 21, 2024.” He concluded, “These comments, while offensive, are constitutionally protected.”
Due to the false nature of the anti-Israel activists’ claims, the court ruled they had to pay Herzfeld’s legal fees, which were $182,000.
In the interview with Fox News Digital, Herzfeld spoke about his experience during the ordeal.
“It was Shabbos, my parents were over, and my children were there, and I come home from prayers. And my wife was, you know, horrified that police had – she said police came to our door and they left and they – and they gave me, you know, this temporary restraining order,” Herzfeld said.
Fox reported that Herzfeld “said it was highly stressful and was extremely embarrassed at the thought that his neighbors, who saw police arrive at his door, could have thought there was merit to the case.”
It went on to explain how he dealt with the stress of the trial. “I was reciting Psalm 121 to myself, ‘I lift up my eyes to the mountains from where will come my help,’” he said.
“I was reciting Psalm 132 [sic] to myself from the depths to – you know, to God as a prayer – ‘From the depths I call out to you, Please, God, answer me.’”
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Actress Patricia Heaton Becomes 100,000th Signer of Pledge to Support Jewish Causes, Israel’s Future
Patricia Heaton attends Lionsgate’s ‘The Unbreakable Boy’ New York Premiere at the AMC Lincoln Square Theater, New York, NY, February 19, 2025. Photo: Anthony Behar/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
Emmy-winning actress Patricia Heaton has become the 100,000th person to join the global initiative Jewish Future Promise (JFP) in which individuals take an oath to safeguard the future of Jewish values, traditions, and the State of Israel.
JFP announced on Tuesday that the former “Everyone Loves Raymond” star, who is not Jewish, has helped the initiative reach a historic milestone of gathering 100,000 “promisers,” and $4.65 billion in commitments.
JFP is a moral commitment, not legally binding in any way, in which individuals promise to share Jewish stories, values, and traditions with family and friends. As part of the global commitment, pledgers also promise that if any charitable contributions are made upon their death, at least 50 percent will be allocated to Jewish causes and/or the State of Israel.
Others who have already made The Promise include Israeli actress and activist Noa Tishby, author and civil rights lawyer Alan Dershowitz, comedian Modi Rosenfeld, and social media influencer and activist Lizzy Savetsky. JFP also inspires young adults to support Jewish causes through the Jewish Youth Promise, which is catered for 13- to 24-year-olds.
“As a Christian, my spiritual heritage exists in the Jewish people. The bond Jews and Christians share is deep and profound,” said Heaton, the former star of ‘The Middle.”
“Along with that, our shared Judeo-Christian values are the foundation for the free and thriving democracies we see in Israel, America, and around the world,” Heaton added. “The Jewish future is everyone’s future!”
In the aftermath of the Hamas-led massacre in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Heaton founded the October 7th Coalition (O7C), which is a network of Christians who stand up against the rise of antisemitism in the US and recognize Israel’s right to exist. “We are here to unite, promote, and encourage meaningful public and private action in the Christian community to strengthen relationships with our Jewish friends and neighbors,” reads a description on the coalition’s website.
Last year, O7C partnered with the nonprofit organization, JewBelong, to launch a nationwide billboard campaign to raise awareness about antisemitism in the US. Heaton has previously said that it should be a “natural” reaction among all humans to reject antisemitism and support the Jewish people.
The funds promised by individuals through JFP will support a variety of Jewish causes, including educational initiatives, community development, social services, and cultural preservation, both in and out of Israel. JFP founder Mike Leven said reaching the milestone of 100,000 people who have taken the pledge is “a profound reflection of our collective commitment to the future of Jewish life.”
“Each of the 100,000 promises made is a promise to sustain our heritage and nurture the values that have defined our community for generations,” Leven added. “Reaching 250,000, 500,000, and even 1 million promises is not just an aspiration; it’s necessary to ensure that Jewish causes continue to thrive and that the State of Israel remains strong. This is more than just a number; it is a living legacy that will continue to sustain and nurture Jewish life and values for years to come.”
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Florida Gators Become First Team With Jewish Coach to Win NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament in Almost 40 Years
Florida Gators players celebrate with the trophy after defeating the Houston Cougars in the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome, San Antonion, Texas, April 7, 2025. Photo: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
Todd Golden became the first Jewish coach in 37 years to win the NCAA men’s basketball tournament when his team, the Florida Gators, beat the Houston Cougars 65-63 in the final of the national championship game on Monday night.
Before Golden, the last Jewish coach to win the NCCA tournament was Larry Brown when he led Kansas to a championship victory in 1988. At the age of 39, Golden, in his third season with Florida, is also the youngest coach to win a national title since Jim Valvano in 1983. Additionally, Golden is the third coach in the last 60 seasons of the NCAA to win a national title after not having an NCAA tournament win, following in the footsteps of Kevin Ollie in 2014 and Steve Fisher in 1989.
Golden is one of three coaches in the history of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) to win a national title within three seasons with a team.
Florida’s Monday’s night win in the championship game marked the team’s third national title in its history, following back-to-back victories in 2006 and 2007.
“It was just a great display of grit and resilience,” Golden said in a post-game interview. “I thought our guys did a great job in the second half of finding a way to get nine stops in a row at one point, which flipped the script of the game … we made some big-time winning plays down the stretch on the defensive end that allowed us to win this national championship.”
The head coach of the Houston Cougars, Kelvin Sampson, is not Jewish, but the team includes a player who played professionally for Israel. Houston guard Emanuel Sharp, the son of former Maccabi Tel Aviv player Derrick Sharp, played for Israel’s national youth team.
Golden is an Israeli citizen who played professionally for the Maccabi Haifa basketball team in Israel for two seasons. He made his way to the 2025 NCAA tournament final on Monday at the Alamodome after facing and beating his mentor, Auburn University Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl, on Saturday in the semifinal. An avid supporter of Israel, Pearl is also Jewish. The NCAA tournament’s Final Four bracket this weekend included three teams with Jewish coaches: Florida, Auburn, and the Duke Blue Devils, led by Jon Scheyer.
In 2009, Golden was co-captain of the USA Open Team, coached by Pearl, that won gold at Israel’s Maccabiah Games, which is an international multi-sport event for Jewish and Israeli athletes. Golden was director of basketball operations for the Auburn staff for the 2014-15 season, under Pearl’s leadership, and was assistant coach for the 2015-16 season. Golden came to Florida in 2022.
Prior to coaching the Gators, Golden was the assistant coach at Columbia and the head coach at San Francisco.
In a post-game interview on Monday night, Golden credited Pearl for the success in his career. “I wouldn’t be here without him,” Golden said. “I certainly know that and I’m just grateful for the opportunity he’s provided me over my life. Playing for him back in 2009 was really the start of our relationship and coming for Auburn to work with him for two years, his first two years on the job, I learned so much from him. He’s a great leader, a great man. And it was honestly bittersweet after the game on Saturday, but I know he’s incredibly proud of me and my program right now.”
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