Students and lawmakers gather at Philadelphia Temple to denounce anti-Semitism

PHILADELPHIA — Students, lawmakers and religious leaders joined forces Sunday at a Philadelphia temple to strongly denounce anti-Semitism on college campuses and in their communities.

The meeting at Congregation Rodeph Shalom took place a day after University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill resigned amid criticism of her testimony at a Congressional hearing. When repeatedly questioned, Magill could not say that calls on campus for the genocide of Jews would violate the school's conduct policy.

“I have seen Pennsylvanians take actions big and small, and both matter, to combat anti-Semitism,” Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said at the event. “I have seen it here in Philadelphia where students made their voices heard, where students made sure they were heard in the power centers of their universities, and where leadership was held accountable.”

Similar sentiments were expressed by U.S. Senator Bob Casey Jr., a fellow Democrat, and student speakers from Harvard and Penn. Harvard President Claudine Gay also participated in the congressional hearing, along with Sally Kornbluth, president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They were also criticized for their legal responses.

Eitan Linhart, a sophomore at Penn, discussed his experiences with what he called the rise of anti-Semitism on the school campus. He cited a Jewish fraternity that was defaced with graffiti that read “The Jews are Nazis” and spoke of friends who no longer wear yarmulkes on campus out of fear.

“What surprises me is not the hate,” Linhart said. 'What surprises me is the indifference.'