16 | JULY 1 • 2021 

OUR COMMUNITY

continued from page 15

antisemitism. 
The best way to 
“move forward,” 
is to adapt the 
International 
Holocaust 
Remembrance 
Association’s 
(IHRA) Working Definition 
of Antisemitism, which 
includes demonizing Israel, 
she said.
In 2018, Smith sat through 
a mandatory guest lecture 
presentation that juxta-
posed images of Benjamin 
Netanyahu and Adolf Hitler 
with the caption “genocide.”
“When I was a stu-
dent, if you called 
out anything that 
may seem mis-
leading about 
Israel, you were 
frowned upon 
or even verbally 
attacked,” said Smith. “I 
am disappointed that the 
university did not adapt the 
IHRA definition as I suggest-
ed when I was a student. 
“They only call out 
antisemitism by lumping it 
in with other forms of bigot-
ry. Now, we can see with the 
rhetoric coming from these 
student governing bodies, 
[antisemitism] has gotten 
worse. The language from 
the CSG and others are 100% 
fueling the antisemitism on 
campus.”

WOLVERINES 
FOR ISRAEL
Wolverines for Israel 
co-president Benjamin 
Givner said he 
and other mem-
bers of his orga-
nization reached 
out to CSG 
members follow-
ing the release of 

their statement for dialogue 
and reconciliation. 
“We met with some of the 
signatories of the statement 
and tried to explain to them 
why that statement was 
problematic because it did 
not take into consideration 
the nuances and complexities 
of the issue,” said Givner, a 
rising junior studying com-
puter science.
“Their response was 
they had no issue with it; 
the Palestinians are being 
oppressed by the apartheid 
Israeli regime. And I cannot 
tell you how many times we 
were told that Hamas 
is not a terrorist 
organization.”
Givner said 
that CSG mem-
bers, includ-
ing the student 
representative for 
the University’s Office 
for Diversity, Equity and 
Inclusion, said that in the 
drafting of their statement, 
they were only taking into 
consideration the opinions 
of Palestinians and “anti-oc-
cupation supporting Jewish 
groups” like IfNotNow and 
J-Street.
“There is an intention-
al exclusion on [Israel-
supporting] Jews on campus 
that is becoming normalized 
through these kinds of state-
ments and actions,” said 
Givner. “But the cowardly 
acts of hate don’t scare or 
intimidate us. Jewish and 
pro-Israel students aren’t 
going anywhere. 
“We will only be stronger, 
prouder and more resilient. 
In the face of hate, we unify 
and will continue to fight 
for Israel. We strive for the 
peaceful and secure existence 
of the Jewish state.” 

Alexa 
Smith

Benjamin 
Givner

ON THE COVER

www.lafata.com • 586.930.1703
www.lafata.com • 586.930.1703

Shelby Township • West Bloomfield
Shelby Township • West Bloomfield

FREE IN-HOME ESTIMATES
FREE IN-HOME ESTIMATES

FULL REMODELING SERVICES AVAILABLE
FULL REMODELING SERVICES AVAILABLE

Your Dream Kitchen
Your Dream Kitchen

