Image by wikimedia commons

MONTREAL (JTA)—McGill University is investigating charges by Jewish groups and pro-Israel students that three undergrads are being barred from sitting on its undergrad student union board because they are too pro-Israel.

At a Monday meeting of the General Assembly of the McGill’s Student Society, or SSMU, seven students were voted onto the board.

But three others – one of them Jewish and a previous board member, and all known for their pro-Israel stances –- were denied seats.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Outraged Jewish and pro-Israel students stormed out of the meeting after the vote.

For the first time, the voting for seats on the SSMU at the assembly took place individually for candidates, not as a group.

“I was blocked from participating in student government because of my Jewish identity and my affiliation with Jewish organizations,” Noah Lew, a third-year arts student, posted on his Facebook page.

B’nai Brith organized an online petition signed by 1,300 supporters demanding that McGill principal and vice-chancellor Suzanne Fortier intervene in the controversy.

Lew and B’nai Brith allege that behind the bid to keep pro-Israel students off the undergraduate board are campus groups supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign against Israel. One group, called “Democratize SSMU,” includes Igor Sadikov, a student who earned notoriety last February for his “Punch a Zionist today” tweet.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs also was critical of the vote, but unlike B’nai Brith, allege that anti-Semitism was also behind it.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount