FIU Hillel Event Targeted by Antisemitic Zoom Bombers

Teresa Schuster / Staff Writer

From retailer Shein’s swastika necklace to NFL player DeSean Jackson‘s praise for Hitler, the past few weeks have seen a rise in antisemitism across the US.

Last Monday, FIU Hillel’s virtual welcome program for freshmen was interrupted by several students and non-students bombarding the chat with anti-Israel messages.

“It wasn’t a coincidence [that the intruders chose this program],” said Jon Warech, FIU Hillel’s director. “They wanted to show [freshmen] that if you’re involved with Hillel, this is the kind of treatment you’ll receive.”

Warech says this is the first time FIU Hillel has had anything like this happen in his two years as director, and that it’s an example of antisemitism’s prevalence.

“We deal with students coming into our zoom call. And yet also there are temples that have been shot,” said Warech. “There have been a million other antisemitic acts around the country.”

Gabrielle Garvey, who attended the event, says the messages initially “confused” and then saddened her.

“We didn’t know what was happening, it was just weird,” said Garvey, an FIU student, and intern at Hillel.

“It really hurt my heart that somebody would do this…coming in with intentions to scare [attendees] away when Hillel is supposed to be an open, inclusive, and warm group.”

FIU Hillel’s Statement


According to Warech, in the past, other groups have refused to work with Hillel because of their association with Israel.

“It is a fraction of the work we do and who we are as people. It’s really unfair to say, ‘this government does something I don’t like, you have a flag from that country, and so we’re not going to work with you,” he said. “A lot of people don’t like what [governments] do on a daily basis’”

Warech says people sometimes conflate criticism of Israel’s policies with anti-Zionism, which condemns Israel’s existence, and that it’s antisemitic to criticize Israel while overlooking other nations’ faults.

“There’s other countries in the Middle East that are treating Palestinians worse than Israel,” he said. “There are places around the world that treat their own people and their residents terribly, and you never hear [calls to] boycott any of those countries.”

This double standard is rooted in prejudice, said Warech.

“It makes you wonder why, and the truth is it comes back to antisemitism,” he said. “Because throughout history, Jews have taken the blame for everything.”

Last Monday’s events are an example of this, according to Warech.

“Here we are, back in the same position, where Jews on college campuses are some reason to blame for any amount of contempt [for Israel],” he said.

Garvey explains that it’s crucial to combat this prejudice.

“We’re not the kind of organization that just lets this happen. We’re going to do something about it,” said Garvey.

She says it’s important to “talk about [antisemitism] openly and bring more awareness, so history doesn’t repeat itself.”

“We all [know] how awful that can get,” she said. “So it’s important to stop it as soon as it happens.”

FIU Hillel is holding a virtual discussion on antisemitism at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, where concerned students can share their thoughts and feelings about it.

“It’s mainly to ask questions and voice concerns,” said Warech. “For our students who feel uncomfortable, we want to make sure they understand what’s going on and they’ll understand the right things to say.”

Hillel will take precautions, such as asking attendees to turn on their cameras. Jewish as well as non-Jewish students are welcome to attend.

‘Our goal is to make them understand that Hillel is their safe space,” said Warech. “If someone wants to be an ally in creating that safe space, they’re welcome.“

On Thursday at 4:00 p.m., there will be a virtual webinar exploring the opportunities and challenges to confront antisemitism.

Warech believes this can be a learning experience.

“At the end of the day, we’re all [part of the FIU community],” he said. “We [can] make FIU a place where we can all coexist and appreciate each other’s differences while figuring out what we have in common as well.”

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