“More than two weeks after this ugly event, there’s still no sign of disciplinary action by York against those who confined, threatened, verbally abused and intimidated Jewish students in their own space,” said Daniel Ferman, president of Hillel at York. “It appears that York is waiting for students to go through the bureaucratic process of filing formal complaints even though York security was on hand to witness the incident and they have video footage of the incident. The university’s non-response is completely unacceptable,” added Rafi Yablonsky, president of another York student organization, Hasbara Fellowships.

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto has received hundreds of letters and calls from community members expressing their concerns for the safety of students at York University. “The community outpouring about this issue has been extraordinary. It is a loud and clear message to students that we, as a community, stand with them every step of the way,” said UJA Federation Chair David Koschitzky.

While ignoring the threatening and violent behaviour on February 11th, the York administration recently issued fines and sanctions to Jewish student groups which participated in a counter-rally against an anti-Israel demonstration on February 12. Citations were sent to the anti-Israel protesters as well, many of whom joined the mob the night before, without any disciplinary action taken against them. 

“By concentrating on the narrow issue of a February 12 rally and ignoring the shameful events that took place the day before, the university, is, in effect, condoning those events and doing nothing to ensure the security of Jewish students on campus,” said Ferman.

“York University has to dig its head out of the sand. It is unacceptable to enforce a student code of conduct in a haphazard way. To take action against rally participants and not against members of a mob who deliberately threatened Jewish students reflects York’s lack of credibility,” said Yablonsky.

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Media Contact:
Sally Szuster, Public and Media Relations
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
Phone: 416.840-2988/Cell: 647-280-6017 sszuster@ujafed.org www.jewishtoronto.com

Or

Natalie Menaged, Managing Director
Hasbara Fellowships
Phone:  646-365-0030/ cell: 646-897-9708
nmenaged@aish.com