Melanie Arougueti/ Staff Writer
There were 3,500 Jewish students at FIU in 2015, according to the Miami Herald.
They are a minority in FIU’s grand student population.
They are not being represented.
The school year is drawing to an end, but as many prepare for Summer, many Jewish students are preparing for Passover, a Jewish holiday in April.
Many universities around the country hold Fraternities, Sororities, programs, clubs, or more that cater for the Jewish student population.
While Florida International University has many programs and activities for student life, it has been long seen that they have forgotten about the Jewish students.
An organization called Shalom is seen as the “Jewish org” at the university.
According to the FIU Engage website, it is a student led Israel group.
Shalom does it’s job about promoting Israel news and facts.
This is about Zionism, I, however, am writing about Judaism and how have we let some of those in our student population confuse antisemitism with anti-Zionism.
On March 5, 2019, a stand up poster was put on the GC lawns.
This poster combined racism, the Mexican border, and Israel.
Relating Israel to Racism is not only unjust, but a big stretch.
Not only is it plain wrong, but it is anti-Semitic. It did not educate students on the political problems of the Middle East, but instead made a connection between a political problem to hatred and racism.
“The apartheid wall made me feel extremely uncomfortable on FIU’s campus, the organization bent and distorted historical facts in order to make my peers see me as an enemy. They accused Israelis of racism against Blacks without any evidence.I support free speech, but SJP uses free speech to incite antisemitism. As an FIU Jew, I feel as if my voice and my presence at the school is unaccounted for when a group like SJP can continue to push hatred against my people,” said Jacob Covas, an FIU student, on this issue.
Doesn’t FIU Policy ensure the safety of all students?
Luckily, I was not walking on campus that day and didn’t have to endure the discomfort that any Jewish student would while walking by that poster.
Hopefully, FIU will promote more peace and equality for the Jewish minority here on campus.
Can we count on FIU to make the right changes for their students?
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The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.
Photo courtesy of Shalom FIU
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