The Orthodox rabbi at Columbia University and Barnard College sent a message recommending Jewish students leave campus and go home, as anti-Israel agitators have continued an "encampment" on campus and participants were caught on camera espousing full-on support for terrorism and supporting violence towards Jewish students.
In a WhatsApp message sent to hundreds before the start of Passover, Rabbi Elie Buechler, director of OU-LJIC at Columbia/Barnard, told students to leave "as soon as possible" until the situation improves, noting that "what we are witnessing in and around campus is terrible and tragic."
"The events of the last few days, especially last night, have made it clear that Columbia University’s Public Safety and the NYPD cannot guarantee Jewish students’ safety in the face of extreme antisemitism and anarchy," Buechler wrote. "It deeply pains me to say that I would strongly recommend you return home as soon as possible and remain home until the reality in and around campus has dramatically improved."
The rabbi added: "It is not our job as Jews to ensure our own safety on campus. No one should have to endure this level of hatred, let alone at school."
House GOP Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., on Sunday demanded Columbia University President Dr. Nemat "Minouche" Shafik to "immediately resign" given how Columbia’s leadership "has clearly lost control of its campus" within the last 24 hours, "putting Jewish students’ safety at risk."
The anti-Israel encampment on the locked campus has remained as police officers look on from across the gates.
Video circulating online appear to pass the threshold of simply supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement or human rights pleas for Palestinians in Gaza, as speakers described the Columbia encampment as a "training ground" for "fighters" and have praised the Oct. 7 attacks, when Hamas militants slaughtered nearly 1,200 Jews and took over 240 hostages.
Beyond "Free, Free Palestine," demonstrators’ chants have included "Al-Qassam you make us proud, kill another soldier now!", "We say justice, you say how. Burn Tel Aviv to the ground!", and, "Hamas we love you. We support your rockets too!"
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