The war with Hamas must be a moment of reckoning for elite American universities

Jewish Philanthropy ^ | Barak Sella

[golux]

In Short:

Harvard's failure to unequivocally condemn the terrorist group signals a broader moral crisis in elite American universities. But this could also be the opportunity to make bold decisions to prevent their total descent into irrelevance.

(...)We are in a moment of reckoning. If American universities lack the ability to oppose terrorism, how can they fulfill their mission as the epicenter of democracy? Hamas’ horrific acts must be a breaking point, separating actual progressive ideas from the lies masquerading as radical leftism. Journalist Alexander Nazaryan described it precisely: “The reason you’re seeing paralysis from so many elite figures and institutions right now is because they never thought they would have to apply their social justice precepts to Jews. Faced with that prospect, they simply don’t know what to do.”

But what administrators struggle to see, the American public clearly identifies, as — trust in higher education is at an all-time low. Only 36% of respondents in a recent Gallup poll expressed confidence in higher education (a decline of 20 points over the last eight years). Gallup researcher Zach Hrynowski noted that while there is a steeper decline on the right, it’s crucial to recognize that trust amongst other groups is “eroding as well.”

The inability of Harvard’s leadership to unequivocally condemn Hamas angered its donors, and estimates suggest they might lose up to half a billion dollars just from those who have spoken out in the past week. But this crisis could be the wake-up call they need to return to their historic role, to be beacons of knowledge and truth for the challenges of democracy in a changing world. This must include how they talk about Israel, for without Israel there will be no democracy in the Middle East — not now and not in the future.

A recent Harvard-Harris poll found that most Americans (84%) support Israel in this conflict, but 48% of people ages 18-24 support Hamas. Not everybody subscribes to this moral incompetence, however. Most young students are just confused and afraid to speak out publicly. In the past week, dozens of students, including those from Arab countries, reached out to me expressing support. Most of them understand very well the true cruel nature of Hamas.

The tactics used over the recent decades to combat antisemitism and anti-Israel on campus have largely failed to move the needle. If we continue to try to “put out fires” in attempting to sway some college students with trips to Israel, we will forever be stuck in this rat race of defending the idea that Jews have a right to live in peace. This isn’t so much a reflection on our community institutions but rather the powerful undercurrents that no student initiative can single-handedly overcome. This is a moment for strategic rather than reactionary thinking. A better statement from university leaders could’ve been nice, but that’s yesterday’s battle. We need to focus on institutional change.

Instead of fighting progressives on campus, we need to resist the lure of prestige and invest in academic institutions that have proven that they actually have a moral spine. Instead of acting as bystanders as Reform and Conservative seminaries shrink, we need to invest in creating relevant elite Jewish leadership programs across the Diaspora and rebuild our leadership pipeline. Instead of demanding statements, we need to demand curricula educating on antisemitism. After four months at Harvard Kennedy School, I’ve been to lectures on almost every type of inequality and oppression — except that directed at Jews. Instead of waiting for universities to change, we should consider developing more Jewish alternatives to higher education that will be open to Jews and non-Jews alike and attract the best minds worldwide(....)

[cgbg]

I have kept a low profile here about my educational background, but it is confession time.

I am a Harvard grad from many decades ago.

Anecdote time:

It is my first day as a freshman.

I am just moving in to my dorm and across the hall I see a young man.

I walk up to him, shake his hand, and introduce myself.

He looks at me with a Charles Manson stare and announces:

“I am a Marxist.”

I knew I would love it there.

;-)

[golux]

Ah! Now you're out of the closet, which reminds me of a fond memory from my first days at Yale.

Scrawled on the sidewalk were the names of "FAMOUS QUEERS," among them Abraham Lincoln and a host of other not-gay people.

I was interested in Russian languages and literatures among other things. The degree to which I later learned I was taught false histories at Yale helped cement my 'conservatism.'

Unintended consequences.

By the way, isn't it an Harvard grad? Ha!