We need your help.

Last Monday, Hillel International threatened legal action against Swarthmore College. Why? Because Jewish students wanted to bring Jewish Civil Rights Veterans to speak in Swarthmore Hillel.

Hillel International’s actions are shocking, unethical, and counter to their mission of supporting Jewish life on campus. We need to let them know that suing students is unacceptable.

Call Hillel International CEO Eric Fingerhut and tell him — don’t sue your students!

Students at Swarthmore Hillel have spent the past year carefully crafting programming on Israel-Palestine that is inclusive, engaging, and intellectually rigorous. They’re bringing in a variety of speakers to discuss Israel-Palestine, including Jewish Civil Rights heroes Dorothy Zellner, Ira Grupper, Larry Rubin, and Mark Levy. Yet rather than supporting these student-initiated endeavors to discuss racism and social justice, Hillel International is trying to censor them — through the basest means possible.

Rather than compromise their values, Jewish students at Swarthmore College chose to change the name of their organization and continue their inclusive programming. Yet Hillel International’s actions create an environment of fear at campuses across America. By threatening legal action against a group of undergrads, Hillel International is trying to bully students into submission instead of empowering them to build their Jewish community on their own terms.

We need to stop Hillel International from threatening students with legal action. Tell Hillel International to stop censoring its students.

Together, we can achieve the politically pluralistic Jewish community that we all need — a Jewish community that puts its students first.

Thanks for your support,

Becca Rosenthal
Claremont McKenna College ‘15
Jewish Community Outreach Coordinator

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Open Hillel is committed to making its events, programs, membership, and leadership open and accessible to all who share in Open Hillel’s mission and values. If there is an accommodation that would enable you to participate or participate more fully in Open Hillel (including changes to the website, accommodations to conference calls, and accommodations for our in-person events including the Open Hillel conference), please contact us at openhillel@gmail.com.
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