ALT The Baltimore Jewish Council stands strongly with Israel and with our Jewish students, faculty, and staff on college campuses. Jewish students, staff, and faculty should not have to live, learn, or work in an atmosphere of hate, nor should they have to fear for their safety.

ALT As we see encampments and demonstrations across several of our area college campuses, it is important for all of us to keep in mind that these protests involve a small minority of students on each campus. The BJC and The Associated are in regular contact with the campus Hillels and the leadership at these schools, offering support to our Jewish students, providing guidance on security issues, and sharing our concerns about what is taking place in the encampments, demonstrations, and student government resolutions.

ALT We appreciate those schools that have been proactive in enforcing campus rules that balance the expression of free speech with the right to an educational environment free from discrimination. When student activism is disruptive to learning, threatening to student safety, or contains antisemitic and other hate speech, it has no place on our campuses.

ALT We are in awe of the phenomenal job that our Hillel professionals and volunteers are doing to advocate for the interests of the Jewish campus communities, as well as the work of other on-campus groups which support Jewish life. As we head toward college graduation season, we hope that the small number of protesters do not ruin what is supposed to be a joyous family celebration for years of hard work by so many students, both Jewish and non-Jewish.

ALT Photo of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. on a mostly sunny day. Words over the photo read: Call Congress for Israel National Mobilization Week