jews d
(CREDIT: YOUTUBE SCREENSHOT)
in
the
Attendees at the Central Student Government (CSG)
at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, which voted
last week for a resolution to divest the university’s
holdings in companies that do business with Israel.
Historic Vote
Students pass BDS
resolution at University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
JULIE EDGAR CONTRIBUTING WRITER
S
wholeheartedly believe Semitic.
Africa in 1978 to protest
which was brought by
eth Schostak
the outcome will not
“I think the authors’ goal of
apartheid and in 2000,
a group called Students
says the power
impact the Jewish stu-
the resolution was to serve as a
from tobacco companies.
Allied for Freedom and
of the University
dent experience in any
way for Palestinians to express
The weeks leading up to
Equality (SAFE).
of Michigan’s Central
way,” Spellman said.
their sentiments regarding the
th e U-M vote were fraught
“I voted against the
Student Government
Hillel Executive
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I don’t
with protests and accusa-
resolution. I voted the
(CSG) to influence
Director Tilly Shames
believe their intentions were to
tions and leaks.
same way last year,” he
the administration —
issued a joint state-
attack Jewish identities, but rath-
Hillel sent around a
said.
especially in matters of
ment after the vote
er, discuss their own,” he said.
petition asking students
Schostak thinks one
money — is overesti-
Seth Schostak
Tilly Shames
with senior Joshua
The Jewish Federation of
to oppose the resolution,
of the main reasons the
mated.
Blum, Hillel board
Metropolitan Detroit helped to
and provided several
resolution passed this
Still, he was disap-
chairman, urging
circulate the Hillel memo to the
trainings to empower stu-
year was the “false dichotomy”
pointed in the CSG vote Nov.
U-M President Mark
community and alumni.
dents to speak against the
SAFE presented.
15 on a resolution that asks the
Schlissel to condemn
Federation President Beverly
resolution.
“They equated a ‘no’ vote to
school to divest from three major
this “one-sided
Liss said she was
Ari Spellman, 21, the
mean that you do not care about
corporations that do business
and hurtful”
disappointed and
Israel Cohort
Palestinian human rights,
with Israel.
resolution.
“deeply saddened” by
chairman of
whereas a ‘yes’ vote would
Schostak, a junior from
Yet, “while
the vote.
Hillel, blamed
mean you believe in
Huntington Woods who serves
deeply hurtful
“On the other hand,
Canary Mission, Joshua Blum
Palestinian human rights,”
as a voting member of the CSG,
to many stu-
I commend students
in part, for the
he said. As presented, the
was among the many students
dents, this was a
for all the work that
passage of the
resolution said nothing
who spoke at an all-night
went into defeat-
resolution. The organi- Student Government vote
of the anti-Semitic and
debate over the resolution that
that has no bearing on the
ing the resolution,”
zation collects names
anti-Israel sentiments
pinpointed U-M’s holdings in
Beverly Liss
university
or
its
investment
despite the outcome.”
of
students
it
deems
that have made Jewish
Boeing, Hewlett-Packard and
Ari Spellman
policy. In fact, the Board of
Federation, JCRC/
to be anti-Zionist and
students uncomfortable,
United Technologies — compa-
Regents has already spo-
AJC and Anti-
anti-Semitic.
he said.
nies that produce weapons and
“Their goals are to
ken against a similar resolution
Defamation League Michigan
U-M Regent Andrea
information systems Israel uses
issued a statement Wednesday
intimidate students on
passed at U-M Dearborn last
Fischer Newman said on
to prop up its alleged “apartheid
about the vote:
college campus, blow
winter, [with U-M Regent Mark
the morning of the vote
system” against the Palestinians.
“The passage of the resolution
their statements and
Bernstein] calling [BDS] ‘an intel-
that the board will not
The resolution, which passed
reflects the advocacy of a small
actions out of propor-
lectually bankrupt and morally
take up the resolution.
23-17, with five abstentions, asks
and vocal group of students who
tion, and prevent BDS
repugnant expression of anti-
“The students have the
regents to appoint a committee
made this their priority issue.
votes from passing.
Semitism,’” the statement read.
right to express them-
to “investigate the ethical and
These activists took advantage of
That
seems
pretty
“We
hope
students
will
take
moral implications of our invest- selves, and obviously a
Andrea Fischer
conditions on campus favorable
ironic considering that
advantage of all the ways they
right to free speech,” she
ments in corporations Boeing,
Newman
can engage in dialogue with
to their cause as they conflated
their blacklist was one
said. “We’re not going to
HP, and United Technologies,
other communities, Israel educa- divestment with other popular
of the key factors in last night’s
disinvest in Israel. Our invest-
which are involved in human
tion programs and the numer-
social justice causes.” •
resolution passing,” he said.
ment strategies are based on
rights violations against the
ous access points to Jewish life
An unjust narrative that sug-
what’s best for the endowment,
Palestinian people according to
For more on this story, go to Views,
through Hillel.”
gests that anti-divestment, pro-
what’s best for the university.
international law” and to do so
page 8. U-M professor Victor Lieberman,
Blum, an Atlanta native, said
Israel students are racist and
We’re not in agreement with
within a year of the committee’s
using politics to make decisions.” xenophobic also contributed to a the current cultural climate likely who was not allowed to speak at the
recommendations.
CSG meeting, and U-M Regent Mark
made it easier to pass the resolu- Bernstein offer their comments online at
lack of sympathy, he said.
The only times in recent his-
The vote was the first success-
tion after so many past attempts. thejewishnews.com.
“I would say this isn’t a good
tory that the Board of Regents
ful attempt in the past 12 years
sign for Jewish students, but I
But he doesn’t see it as anti-
divested holdings was in South
to pass a divestment resolution,
14
November 23 • 2017
jn