Christian colleges invite Jewish students to their ‘safe’ campuses amid heated anti-Israel protests
The presidents of two Christian universities have extended an open invitation to Jewish students to enroll at their campuses — vowing to protect their safety and wellbeing amid heated anti-Israel protests at colleges nationwide.
“We write to express our profound shock and indignation in response to the surge of hate and violence directed against Jewish and Israeli individuals on university campuses across the United States earlier this year,” the joint letter by Colorado Christian U. President Eric Hogue and Indiana Wesleyan University President Jon Kulag said.
Hogue and Kulag said Jew hatred expressed on campuses following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the ongoing war in Gaza exposed a “profound problem ” in cultural institutions including academia that “must be addressed.”
“We want to make it clear to our nation and the world that our Christian institutions will not tolerate this behavior,” the letter issued Wednesday said.
Hogue said Jew hatred expressed on campuses following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the ongoing war in Gaza exposed a “profound problem.”
“We also want to express our profound concern that the terrible events we all witnessed at the end of the 2023-2024 academic year are already being forgotten.”
The leaders said antisemitism counters the Judeo-Christian values of “tolerance, freedom, and human dignity” that have been advanced in academia for centuries.
“In recent days, what we have seen is an insidious darkness encroaching upon the academy. It is a darkness emblematic of other terrible periods in history,” they said.
The presidents condemned other colleges for welcoming clubs such as the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), which they said “spread antisemitism openly.”
“All university administrators must take decisive action to root out the seeds of hatred on their campuses before roots of hate take hold in academic communities,” they said.
“We want to extend a heartfelt invitation to Jewish and Israeli students to join us on our campuses. You will be welcomed, and you will be safe.”
