Jewish students say Columbia University must address antisemitism ahead of DC hearing

Jewish students from Columbia University who’ve experienced campus antisemitism will head to DC on Wednesday — when president Minouche Shafik gets grilled about what she’s doing to address the problem, The Post has learned.

The students will also personally meet with Rep. Elise Stefanik, one of the members of the House of Representatives that will be flinging questions at the Ivy League leader.

Stefanik’s pointed questions during prior hearings led to the ouster of the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania, who gave fumbling answers about handling antisemitism.

“The unchecked antisemitism at Columbia is not exclusive to their campus but is part of a widespread systemic moral rot rampant through our higher education system,” Stefanik, chairwoman of the House Republican Conference chairwoman, told The Post.

“From openly calling for the genocide of Jews to swastikas scattered across campus property, antisemitism has become commonplace at Columbia, making its Jewish students feel unsafe,” she went on. “I am honored to meet the brave students from Columbia University who are bravely sharing their experiences of the inexcusable antisemitic harassment that they face. This senseless hate has no place on American campuses.”

The House Committee on Education & The Workforce is hosting the hearing entitled, “Columbia in Crisis: Columbia University’s Reponse to Antisemitism.”

But a Columbia spokesperson said the administration is targeting antisemitism and welcome to discussing their efforts.

“Columbia is committed to combating antisemitism and we welcome the opportunity to discuss our work to protect and support Jewish students and keep our community safe,” the spokesperson told The Post.

The hearing comes amid a wave of incidents on US campuses in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks against Israel.

Several academic leaders have been blasted for anti-Israel commentary after the attacks.

A professor Abdul Kayum Ahmed allegedly said Columbia’s School of Public Health and the building that houses it in Washington Heights shouldn’t be named after Jews Joseph Mailman and Armand Hammer, public heatlh graduate student Marc Nock claimed.

“He said, `What have they done except give the school `blood money?’ That’s an antisemitic trope,” Nock told The Post. The class was called “foundations in public health.”

“There was a lot of hatred being taught,” Nock claimed. “The teaching of hatred is not OK. It was bizarre to be in this place to see this stuff happening.

Ahmed received a letter from Columbia’s School of Public Health last week saying that his employment as profesor would not be renewed next year — though it did not cite criticism of his statements or advocacy as an issue, the Columbia Spectator reported.

As for the hearing, Nock wants to hear that Columbia will take steps to make sure it won’t hire professors that are bigoted and spread hate and propaganda.

“I hope Columbia returns to being a safe place for all students — including Jewish students.”

Yola Ashkenazie, 21, who attends the Columbia-affiliated Barnard College, said the Morningside campus is currently a divisive place that is hostile to Jews, particularly those who back Israel.

She said two Israeli students who are friends were spat on for talking in Hebrew on the steps of the school library, and she was targeted on social media for being a pro-Israel.

The instagram site “Barfnard” reposted a photo of her carrying an Israeli flag.

“I definitely felt singled out and threatened,” said Ashkenazie, who previously served as president of the Jewish students’ group Chabad.

Ashkenazie said she was startled by the pro-Hamas demonstrations on the Morningside campus right after Oct. 7 and before the Jewish state even retaliated for the slaughter of 1,200 people.

“There was hatred for Israel and hatred for Jews,” said Ashkenazie, a psychology and economics major.

She said the Columbia campus became a hotbed of antisemitism, with anti-Jew rhetoric such as chants of “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free” — which critics say calls for the elimination of Israel — and “We Don’t Want Zionism here.”

“That’s saying I don’t belong on campus,” Ashkenazie said.

She’s glad the Columbia administration’s feet will be held to the fire at the upcoming hearing.

“The hearing will force the administration to come up with a tangible, actionable plan to address the fear students have right now. We want to hear what actions president Shanif will take to make students like me feel safe on campus.”

Yaffa Mashkabov, 41, who is taking graduate courses at the School of Social Work, recalled another student saying aloud in class that Hamas’ rape and kidnapping of Israeli were “justified.”

“I just said, `Wow’. I was stunned. I couldn’t believe she said it out loud,” she said.

An observant Jew who wears a headscarf, she pointed to a lawsuit recently filed against the Columbia School of Social Work’s heralded dialectical behavioral therapy program for its treatment of an orthodox Jewish student.

She also referred to an antisemitic flier depicting a skunk in the white-and-blue of the Israeli flag and a Star of David surfaced on Columbia’s Morningside campus.

“Antisemitism isn’t just something we’re feeling. It’s happening. We finally have the attention of Congress. ..Maybe something good will come of it,” she said.