Swastika Found On Israeli Sisters’ Dorm Room At Indiana College
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
(JTA) — A swastika was drawn on the wall of a dorm room at the University of Indianapolis shared by twin Israeli sisters.
The swastika in faint red marker was discovered Monday night as Shira and Michal Sasson were moving into their room. The Israeli students starting their junior year are on the University of Indianapolis basketball team, the Indianapolis Star reported.
The women, who are Jewish, were provided with a different room and with emotional support, university officials said in a statement.
“We are saddened and angered by this act of hate and bigotry. Although we do not yet know the source of this anti-Semitic act, we should all be reminded that the University of Indianapolis is a welcoming and inclusive environment, denounces actions such as these, and does not tolerate anti-Semitic actions or any behavior that is aligned with ideologies that promote hate,” the statement also said.
Thousands of people from outside organizations rented rooms on campus over the summer, the university told the local Fox affiliate. It is not clear that the swastika was meant to target the Israeli sisters.
“I was disgusted, hurt and really taken aback,” Michal Sasson told the Indianapolis Star. “I was quite surprised. I’ve never received this kind of hate.”
“It was like a kick in my stomach,” she also said. “I felt like there was a knot in my stomach. It was just very harsh, like right in your face. I just said we’re miles and miles away from home, and this is our home away from home. And at that moment, I felt even further away from my house.”
Did you know that only 2% of Forward readers donate to support our nonprofit newsroom? That 2% make it possible for millions to read the Forward without a paywall or subscription — removing any barriers to the full and fair Jewish story.
But while the Forward is free to read, it isn’t free to produce. Big stories — like deep dives into the antisemitism data, political scoops or reporting trips to college campuses — take months of research and fact-checking. All while we keep you informed of what you need to know each day.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Forward Publisher & CEO
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
