Anti-Semitism Watchdogs Rap Northwestern’s President over Handling of Swastikas

(JTA) — A group of 23 anti-Semitism watchdog groups called on Northwestern University’s president to take additional steps to combat anti-Semitism on campus following swastika incidents.

In a letter to Morton Schapiro, the groups said that they were concerned about a letter Schapiro sent to the campus community after two swastikas were found last week in the university library, the Daily Northwestern reported Tuesday.

“While we are pleased that you issued a statement, we are concerned that your message neglected to publicly acknowledge that a swastika is an anti-Semitic symbol associated with genocide perpetrated against the Jewish people,” the letter said.

The letter also called on Schapiro to educate the university’s staff in recognizing anti-Semitic hate crimes and designate resources to educating students about discrimination against Jews.

In a response obtained by the Daily Northwestern, Schapiro said he was not concerned about any threats to the safety of Jewish students on campus. He said that the university would take action to ensure the safety of its students if such a threat existed.

In his letter to the campus community, Schapiro, who is Jewish, called the swastika incident “offensive to the entire Northwestern community.”

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