Boycott Update: More Good News in the Fight against Campus Antisemitism and How You Can Help
January 6, 2014
AMCHA Initiative is pleased to report that as of January 6, 2014, there are 126 university leaders who have publicly denounced the American Studies Association’s academic boycott of Israel – perhaps the biggest blow to the anti-Israel boycott movement since its inception.
Our voices HAVE made a difference:
“Leon Botstein, president of Bard College and a boycott opponent, said calls from alumni to take a stand against the boycott had played a role. ‘As an active member of the Jewish community, I recognize that the American Jewish community is disproportionately generous to American higher education,’ he said. ‘For the president of an institution to express his or her solidarity with Israel is welcomed by a very important part of their support base.’” – New York Times
What you can do now – If you want to help, consider getting involved:
- Encourage your alma mater to issue a statement – There are over 4,000 universities and colleges in the US. If your alma mater, and/or the school your relatives/friends go to, is not on the list of university leaders who have condemned the boycott, ask them to issue public statements condemning the antisemitic boycott. Click here.
- Ask institutions to withdraw their membership in the ASA – Write to the universities and colleges who are ASA members and ask them to join Bard College, Brandeis University, Indiana University, Kenyon College and Penn State Harrisburg in withdrawing their membership: Click here.
- Encourage those who have endorsed the boycott to reconsider – Write to the five academic groups who that have endorsed the academic boycott of Israel and ask them to reconsider their endorsement in light of the 121 university leaders who have condemned it: Click here.
- Keep the Jewish voice strong against the boycott – Write your Jewish federation and ask its leadership to issue a statement similar to the Jewish Federation of Philadelphia’s statement condemning the boycott: Click here.