Testimony Page
Giving the affected students and alumni the last word
Despite over a decade of unapologetic, rampant antisemitism at CUNY and reporting it to faculty and administrators, the university has failed to conduct adequate investigations or take appropriate actions to redress the problem. Worse, they have willfully contributed to the pervasive nature of the problem. Additionally, they have not effectively communicated support for affected students or condemned the offending individuals. The administration continues to minimize, deny, and ignore the issue, while being fully aware of the hostility toward the Jewish community. As the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) officially acknowledged, Dean Rose and his department “failed to take steps necessary to determine whether a hostile environment exists for students” because Dean Rose's investigation did not even include "interviewing affected students." They did not take the time to listen to their students. But we did…​​
Video reenactment of a private group chat that took place during
the infamous and terrible Practice Lab course on May 20, 2021.
Silberman students share more about their experiences and
concerns while Silberman alumni react to what they are hearing.
​​​​​Student 1: “It was a horrifying experience…I wore a yarmulke my whole life and I’ve never been in fear about that but what happened on Thursday afterwards was the first time in my whole life where I’ve considered going into school next year on campus with a hat. How can it be that in a school of social work where we preach acceptance, validation, social justice, there are students who felt comfortable their whole lives proudly wearing a religious item and suddenly for the first time in their life fear wearing it. And on Thursday I think there was a group of over 200 students as well as 7 to 10 professors and there was a huge virtual mob – 100 to 150 students including professors – all changed their Zoom names at once to “Free Palestine: Decolonize,” hid behind that name, went on the chat, and starting posting incredibly antisemitic rhetoric, kept feeding into one another’s rhetoric, and the trust is I don’t know if the people who posted those things were students, professors, or both, because they both hid behind their rhetoric [and changed Zoom names] – not just rhetoric – complete antisemitic hate. There were 7 to 10 professors who were there. Nothing was done. This went on for 20 to 25 minutes... I wish to never experience the feeling anywhere but especially in a school of social work. Of needing to doubt my own safety and security; needing to question my own identity and whether it’s safe to be a Jew, to practice as a Jew, to feel proud to be a Jew, and I sure hope serious changes are made both in terms of actions taken against the student body that were present on Thursday and also serious reflection happening among the staff and instructors who were present on Thursday who sat in silence. Because in my book, silence is the equivalent as joining in. Guilty by association.”
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Student 2: “The terminology that was used in the chat used a lot of antisemitic rhetoric and antisemitic undertones and it was really, really hurtful to me, a person who is already so scared as an identifiable orthodox Jew feeling as though there is no space left for me in the university that I chose to go to is a terrifying feeling when I’m already scared to walk outside right now… Being called out by multiple nameless individuals when I just expressed that I felt scared in the space because of the antisemitic undertones others had expressed was terrifying… I still don’t identify as a Zionist but many of the conversations I had on Thursday did not leave space to hear the Jewish perspective. I’m still scared as a Jew because of this rise of antisemitic violence, and not being able to express that in a practice lab… Having 20 of my peers and professors change their names and leave no space for others should be acknowledged in some capacity.”
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Student 3: “Professors applauded, supported, and were teary eyed at the attempt to collaborate.”
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Student 4: “What you are saying about ‘silence is complicity’ – everyone had no problem saying that when it came to any other social justice issue that if we don’t speak out, we are complicit, and when it came to what happened on Thursday, the fact that professors can sit through that and not say anything; and not only to not say anything to condemn it but to join in, that says something to me major and absolutely horrifying about Hunter… The fact that 7 professors sat in on the class and said NOTHING, is insane.”
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Student 5: “Practice Lab on Thursday was traumatic for me, as well… [F]or those brave enough to speak up against the mob on Thursday, they were harassed and bullied by the other students, during class time. It’s unacceptable.”
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Student 6: “I was not in that Practice Lab class but when I did see the WhatsApp, I did have a pit in my stomach that this is what is being churned out in this institution… I think this issue comes from the top in that our Practice Lab, in the reading on antisemitism, the reading calls Israel a colonizer and basically justifies anti-Zionism. I mean, have you not seen the news how churning out anti-Zionist rhetoric, what that does to people like me? How that puts us in grave danger? And the fact that this institution can’t keep people safe on Zoom – and somehow we’re expected to come back next semester in person… as if everything is going to be fine and dandy. I genuinely ask what is the action plan to keep Jewish students safe on campus… And the fact that this has been going on for so long and the fact that there is such silence… it’s disgusting… As Jewish students, we’re not feeling heard. We’re not being heard, we’re not being seen, and it’s despicable. Coming from an institution that prides itself on social justice but clearly doesn’t stand by it.”
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Student 7: “Here are two quotes from that Practice Lab class: ‘The holocaust has been used as a tool’ and ‘The fear of antisemitism as the fear that ‘this could happen again’ is being used preemptively to oppress and kill others.’”
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Student 8: “Over the last two years I’ve been afraid to open my mouth about Israel/ other issues in fear of the mob mentality at school… On of the reasons I hesitate… is because of my religious last name – the Orthodox Jews are already viewed as conservative bigots at school and I worry about casting them in a ‘bad’ light. I know that’s not the social justice way, but I feel torn.”
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Student 9: “With the social media, I’m also on the [Silberman student-run Facebook] group… and I usually don’t get involved but at some things… it’s a really toxic environment to be in. Like at one point I just left the group because I found myself like [pause] – it brought me down mentally... I had to just like leave that group. But I also need the group because people like post resources there so I came back… It’s not fair."​
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Student 10: "Jews are alone here, most of us are too scared to say anything... I used to come home nightly in tears. I was so relived when school went online because I could tune the hate out, but it turns out it was even worse for us... I've been telling all my friends to avoid Silberman.
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Student 11: "When I said I felt unsafe in PL last week, my prof told me that it is OK to not feel safe."
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Alumni listened in shock and horror to current Jewish students and shared their own experiences.
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Alum 1: “I personally had the same problem. I wore a kippah my entire life and after my first year at Hunter was unsure if I should continue to wear my Kippah. Absolutely unacceptable.”
Alum 2: “This is so scary. I’m speechless, although unfortunately not a complete surprise.”
Alum 3: “This is horrifying.”
Alum 4: “...Practice Lab is a dangerous class… I was honestly afraid most of the time and never once felt supported… I was told in my Practice Lab that Jewish generational trauma isn't real and that Jews don’t have a voice in the conversations around anti-oppressive work because they are white supremacists… I think the large amount of antisemitism that has been causing harm to Jewish students due to posts in the entourage [the Silberman student-run] Facebook group should be addressed. I am deeply concerned that the lack of proper education around antisemitism at Silberman has led to the spread of misinformation that is deeply disturbing.”
Alum 5: “Wow. I’m embarrassed to tell colleagues and other professionals that I am a Hunter alum.”
Alum 6: “How can those professors still have a job?... This is [a] serious violation of ethical and professional standards…. The administration is either scared or complicit and in either case the staff can’t be leaders of such a problem.”
Alum 7: “I’ve had professors single me out as a right-wing Orthodox Jew, and I am a left-leaning Conservative Jew… We’re not all the same!”
Alum 8: “I want to add that I have experienced professors single me out as an orthodox Jew. It was clear to the entire class, and I was grateful to the ONE person who spoke up. Unfortunately, no apologies were made and nothing changed.”
Alum 9: “Antisemitism when I was there [at Silberman] was really horrific and from what I hear it is getting worse and worse.”
Alum 10: “I had a professor make an antisemitic comment in an elective course, not Practice Lab… The Entourage [the Silberman student-run Facebook group] really reflects this. On a lot of those threads are the ideologies that a lot of our cohort have... Just to reiterate the lack of safety within Silberman especially if we are going to be in-person next year.”
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Alum 11: “I once brought up antisemitism in class and was told Jews "got out of the ghetto" so it's not a thing anymore."
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Alum 12: “We are told that we are using antisemitism as a weapon and shutting down conversations this way.”
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Alum 13: “I’m still recovering from 2019 tbh.”