Petition to Harvard Hillel

(If you're not Harvard-affiliated, please sign the petition to Hillel International here!)

Background

Recently, the Harvard College Progressive Jewish Alliance (PJA), an affiliated group of Harvard Hillel, was prevented from holding one of its events in the Hillel building. This decision was not due to the event's content, which was Jewish in nature and relevant to the Hillel community, but rather due to the fact that the event was co-sponsored with the Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC). PSC, as an organization, supports the BDS movement, an international campaign to non-violently protest Israeli policies through a combination of boycotts, divestment, and sanctions against Israel. Harvard Hillel made this decision based on Hillel International's guidelines, which state:

"Hillel will not partner with, house, or host organizations, groups, or speakers that as a matter of policy or practice: Deny the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish and democratic state with secure and recognized borders; Delegitimize, demonize, or apply a double standard to Israel; Support boycott of, divestment from, or sanctions against the State of Israel; Exhibit a pattern of disruptive behavior towards campus events or guest speakers or foster an atmosphere of incivility."

In the past, these guidelines have also been used to exclude Jewish groups from campus Hillels because of their political views, as occurred at Brandeis Hillel. Thus, these policies are doubly harmful: they prevent much-needed dialogue and cooperation between Jewish and Palestinian campus groups, and they exclude particular Jewish students from the Hillel community. While PJA does not support the international BDS movement, we believe that it is essential for Jewish and Palestinian groups to work together on those issues that we do agree on, and for all Jewish students to be included in the Hillel community.

Individual campus Hillels need not strictly follow the Hillel International guidelines and are allowed to form their own policies in accordance with the campus environment. However, Hillel International has recently put pressure on campus Hillels to maintain these more restrictive guidelines. As Jewish Harvard students and Hillel community members, we know that pluralism, inclusivity, and free discourse are some of Harvard Hillel's most deeply held values. Thus, we believe that Harvard Hillel's policies should be modified in order to fully embody these ideals and remove any political litmus tests for affiliation and co-sponsorship.

Petition Text

We, the undersigned members of the Harvard Hillel community, Jewish Harvard students, and alums, ask that Harvard Hillel, in keeping with its values of inclusivity and pluralism, change its policies such that:

  1. student groups affiliated with Harvard Hillel will be permitted to co-sponsor events in the Hillel building with any other Harvard student organization, regardless of their political views, in the spirit of free discourse and inter-community dialogue,
  2. no Jewish student group will be prevented from affiliating with Harvard Hillel due to its political views, provided that those views are not explicitly anti-Semitic or racist, in keeping with Hillel's mission as the "foundation for Jewish campus life."

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255 people have signed the petition!

Signatures

Number Name Affiliation
255Elliot Seifalum
254Susan Karol Martelother
253Michael Felsenalum
252Andrea Belascoalum
251Ramon Greenbergfaculty member
250Phyllis Bretholtzalum
249Ellen Massalum
248Sarah Woodburystudent
247Chanda Prescod-Weinsteinalum
246Gerald Serottaalum
245Jonathan Brumberg-Krausalum
244Lawrence Hamiltonalum
243David Mendenhallalum
242Bobbi Siegelbaumother
241Peter Belmontalum
240Jessica Englishother
239Edward Toddalum
238Zeev Rosenkranzother
237Eli Glasnerfaculty member
236David Lelyveldalum
235Carol Landsman alum
234Benjamin Robinsonalum
233Elizabeth Segalalum
232Emily Hechtalum
231Anonymousstudent
230Samuel Rosinstudent
229Caroline Lightfaculty member
228Beth Niestatalum
227Samuel Pottashstudent
226Peter Hoffenbergalum
225Anonymousalum
224Noam Prywesstudent
223Andrew Kennardstudent
222Anonymousstudent
221Evgenija Stojchevskastudent
220Anonymousstudent
219Danielle Lessardstudent
218Justin Giallorenzostudent
217John Hofferstudent
216Lily Ostrerstudent
215Anonymousstudent
214Anonymousstudent
213Anonymousstudent
212Karim Pirbaystudent
211Anonymousstudent
210Anonymousstudent
209Anonymousstudent
208Eva Guidarinistudent
207Anonymousstudent
206matthew manssonstudent
205David Hermanstudent
204Anonymousstudent
203Kara Lessinstudent
202Mercedes Flowersstudent
201Anonymousother
200Anonymousalum
199Alexandra Boothstudent
198Louis Hinmanalum
197Michelle Lerneralum
196Chloe Maxminstudent
195Collin Reesalum
194Paul Katzalum
193Pragya Kakanistudent
192Kathy Wangstudent
191Anonymousstudent
190Anonymousstudent
189Kathy Felgranother
188Sofia Escuderostudent
187Christopher Walleckstudent
186John Wangstudent
185Constanza Vidal Bustamantestudent
184Samantha Lucestudent
183S. Nasonother
182Yuriy Bronshteynother
181Anonymousother
180Farzad Parsistudent
179Saling Simonstudent
178Sylvia Listudent
177Hannah Morrillstudent
176Anonymousstudent
175Anonymousstudent
174Anonymousstudent
173Kevin Hazlettstudent
172Anonymousstudent
171Henry Ungstudent
170Dario Guerrerostudent
169Ozdemir Vayisoglustudent
168Randall Reinboldother
167Paula Menyukfaculty member
166Jennifer Raderalum
165Renee Kasinskyfaculty member
164Lane Levinealum
163Laura Menyukalum
162Cynthia Greenbergother
161David Grinsteinother
160Robert Knoxother
159Zeke Reichalum
158Marjorie Suismanother
157Malkah Feldmanother
156Marguerite Rosenthalother
155David Dunn Bauerother
154 Linda Holtzmanother
153Leora Abelsonother
152Hannah Lantosalum
151Susan Siebersother
150Anonymousother
149Rabbi John Friedmanalum
148Tova Perlmutteralum
147Cantor Michael Davisother
146Rabbi Jeremy Milgromfaculty member
145Eyal Levinsonnother
144Hannah Gelderother
143Jennifer Aisenbergother
142Brant Rosenother
141Alissa Wiseother
140Alan Weisbardalum
139Vincent D. Stravinoother
138Ari Appelalum
137Thomas G. Weiss '68alum
136Anonymousother
135Ben Dreyfusalum
134Elizabeth Lovingeralum
133John Goodmanother
132Lauren Weissother
131Marla Erlienother
130Dave Lippmanalum
129Becca Waxmanother
128Anonymousalum
127Kris Miccioother
126Kelly Viselman alum
125Richard Hessother
124Barbara Harveyother
123Alexander Kamberovstudent
122Joao Vogelstudent
121Anonymousstudent
120Wynn Tuckerstudent
119Michael Musharbashstudent
118Anonymousstudent
117Carolyn Steinstudent
116Anonymousstudent
115Albert Murzakhanovstudent
114Garrett Maronstudent
113Gianina Yumulstudent
112Anonymousstudent
111Elizabeth Robertsother
110John Williamsonother
109Daniel Kaplanalum
108Jessica Rucinskistudent
107Michael Gilstudent
106Hilly Haberalum
105Lena Silverstudent
104Anonymousstudent
103Allison Gofmanstudent
102Michael Danto student
101Anonymousalum
100Anonymousstudent
99Anonymousstudent
98Stephen Frugalum
97David Minkinalum
96Lisa Stampnitzkyother
95Jenna Englandother
94Anonymousother
93Sarah Reidstudent
92Zahra Mahmoodstudent
91Lydia Federicostudent
90Carli Haggertystudent
89Claudia Martinezstudent
88Anonymousstudent
87Anonymousstudent
86Anonymousstudent
85Jonathan Rosenthalstudent
84Jeremy Aron-Dinealum
83Rose Whitcombstudent
82Maya Harrisother
81Anonymousstudent
80Cassandra Euphrat Westonstudent
79Jacob Huttstudent
78Anonymousstudent
77Brianna Suslovicstudent
76Anonymousstudent
75Symone Isaac- Wilkins student
74Anonymousstudent
73Anonymousstudent
72Marla Marcumother
71Shayna Skalstudent
70Karen Villegasstudent
69Anonymousstudent
68Harold Eysteralum
67Alyssa Chanstudent
66Anahvia Mewbornstudent
65Anonymousstudent
64Alex Coxstudent
63Ariel Churchillstudent
62Tiffany Ramosstudent
61Mohammad Hamadstudent
60Reed McConnellstudent
59Giacomo Bagarellastudent
58Larmon Luostudent
57Seth Flaxmanalum
56Elizabeth Isaacsonalum
55Danielle Hullstudent
54Mihir Chaudharyalum
53Tania Rivers-Moorestudent
52Nathaniel Haystudent
51Asher Mayersonother
50Yacoub Kurehstudent
49Elliot Marrowstudent
48Adam Brodheimstudent
47Louis Evansstudent
46Layla Hazemistudent
45Kapena Baptistastudent
44Anonymousstudent
43Matt Shuhamstudent
42Aaron Szaszalum
41Daniel Solomonstudent
40Andrea Mirvissstudent
39Anonymousstudent
38Isaac Simon Hodesalum
37Lynne Peskoestudent
36Amir Bitranstudent
35Adam S.student
34Krishna Dasarathastudent
33Danny Wilsonstudent
32Alyssa Kleinstudent
31Hannah Borowskystudent
30Eleanor Janewayother
29Gabriel Bayardstudent
28Amanda Goodother
27Ben Ewen-Campenstudent
26David Finkelother
25Anonymousstudent
24Rebecca Parkstudent
23Rebecca Subaralum
22Brittney Lindalum
21Sam Wohnsstudent
20Alice Rothchildother
19Noah Greenwaldstudent
18Abby Schiffstudent
17Eli Weinsteinstudent
16Candace Graffstudent
15Aisha Downstudent
14Leah Reis-Dennisstudent
13Isabel Vogtstudent
12Brennan Riegerstudent
11Neimy Escobarstudent
10Lexi Rossstudent
9Sasha Johnson-Freydstudent
8Josh Blecher-Cohenstudent
7Ann Finkelstudent
6Elena Hoffenbergstudent
5Virginia Marshallstudent
4Rachel Sandalow-Ashstudent
3Sandra Kornstudent
2Eva Robenstudent
1Emily Ungerstudent
Open Hillel is a student-run campaign and is not affiliated with Hillel International or any local Hillel.
Website design by Emily Unger.