One year ago today, our lives changed forever. As Jews mourn the innocent lives lost, SJP is preparing a “week of rage”. Marking one year since Oct 7. 🕯️ We will never forget. #NeverForget #oct7 #oct7massacre #callingforaccountability
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Why Did It Take a Federal Judge’s Ruling for UCLA to Recognize It Is Illegal to Allow Protestors to Block Jewish Students From Attending Classes and Parts of Campus? This short video provides the background to the landmark ruling in Frankel vs Regents of University of California. The ruling was discussed in the L.A. Times (Jaweed Kaleem, “Judge Orders UCLA to Ensure Equal Campus Access to Jewish Students After Pro-Palestinian Protests,” August 14, 2024). Legal Filings in Frankel vs Regents of University of California are available here.
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The antisemitic international Boycott, Divest & Sanctions (BDS) campaign seeks to completely delegitimize the State of Israel. They claim their tactics aim to promote freedom, justice and equality for Palestinians, but their divisive campaigns go far beyond criticizing Israeli policy and boycotting the government. Inaccurate rhetoric such as “settler colonial apartheid” demonizes Israel, rejecting the Jewish people’s right to self determination and the right of Israel to exist. Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Faculty for Justice in Palestine (FJP) and other groups that promote BDS under the guise of social justice are seeding discord, antisemitism, and anti-American sentiments on college campuses. Demonizing the State of Israel, along with all Israelis and anyone that supports Israel, is causing intimidation and discrimination against Jews and Zionists on college campuses, even going so far as to call for boycotts of Jewish social groups. Discrimination on the basis of religion and national origin is NOT ACCEPTABLE, and these groups need to be held accountable!
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Protestors at UCLA claim to be peaceful but they have actually sparked violence across campus. Politicians and student union representatives painted encampment protestors as innocent victims, and much of the broader campus community rallies behind the protestors and calls for academic amnesty. The UAW got involved and encouraged members, faculty and staff to strike, chanting “Long Live the Intifada” and waving “Workers for Palestine” signs. The lack of accountability by the UCLA administration will only encourage further violence! To keep our campus safe we MUST enforce academic policies and the law, and hold those that break either accountable!!
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Rabbi Dovid Gurevich, from UCLA Chabad, was supporting Jewish students at a "peaceful" protest on the UCLA campus when he was assaulted by the protestors. After knocking his phone to the ground, the protestors continued to spout antisemitic hatred and personal slurs against the Rabbi and yelled threats of violence. Police nearby refused to intervene even after The Rabbi received a threat to his life. Police standing down and watching hate and violent crimes as they happen is not academic freedom, it’s a lack of accountability that will only encourage more violence to take place. Protests at UCLA claim to be peaceful, but outside agitators and antisemites flocked to campus to join in, causing fear for the Jewish community on campus.
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Watch our video that explores connections between antisemitism in student groups at UCLA & a violent anti-Jewish protest overwhelming a LA Synagogue and a Jewish LA neighborhood.
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UCLA protestors claim they are using masks to prevent COVID-19 as they protest and demand that the University of California boycott and divest from Israel. Social media posts by organizers, conversations between JFRG members and protestors, and online footage of students tell a very different story. MASKS AT UCLA ARE BEING USED TO CONCEAL THEIR IDENTITY. This is ILLEGAL, and continuing to allow this emboldens those breaking campus rules and the law.
by JFrg Founder and Chair & UCLA Faculty Dr. Kira Stein
May 2024 JFrg Museum of Tolerance Panel on Antisemitism
UCLA Faculty Panel addressing the resurgence of antisemitism in America, marked by recent violent incidents and rising hostility on university campuses. UCLA faculty panelists offer concrete solutions to combat antisemitism on campusin the context of campus life post-October 7th. Moderator Peter Savodnik, Senior Editor at the Free Press, and faculty panelists David Nimmer, Esq, Yehuda Pearl, PhD, Vivien Burt, MD, PhD, and Nir Hoftman MD. Keynote Address: Founder and Chair Kira Stein MD.
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Jfrg Los Angeles Community Event at Stephen Wise Temple Details the Antisemitism over the Past Year. September 2024
Actors Present JFrg's Compilcation of Jewish Student and Faculty Reports in the Dramatic Presentation - Not to Miss! Sept 2024.
Feb 2024 Video of UCLA Faculty Solidarity Trip to Israel. Presented at Stephen Wise Communit6y Event Sept 2024.