‘Unacceptable and unlawful’: Jewish student at Reed College targeted with anti-Semitic vandalism
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A Jewish student at Reed College was the victim of a targeted act of faith-based discrimination and harassment, according to the school’s administration.
On May 5, the college says a Jewish student’s mezuzah — a small scroll inscribed with specific Hebrew verses from the Torah, which many Jews place on their home’s door as a sign of faith — was destroyed after being removed from their door frame.
The following night, rocks were reportedly thrown through the student’s open dorm window, hitting them in the process.
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In response, Phyllis Esposito, Reed’s Vice President and Dean for Institutional Diversity and Karnell McConnell-Black, the Vice President for Student Life issued a statement to the college’s students, faculty and staff, calling this “unacceptable and unlawful behavior.”
“Every Reed student, regardless of their faith, has the right to express their faith tradition through the symbols they display, clothes they wear, and practices they keep,” the statement reads. “We call on the entire Reed community to confront antisemitism and other forms of hate in all its manifestations. We must work together to foster a campus environment that is free from discrimination, where every individual is valued and respected.”
The school told KOIN 6 News the incident has been reported to Portland police and the FBI for further investigation.
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