Jewish students at Columbia University pen letter about pro-Palestinian campus protests
MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, Manhattan (WABC) -- Hundreds of Jewish students at Columbia University have signed a letter asking for understanding from the campus community amid controversial protests.
The letter, signed by nearly 500 students, asks for understanding of the Jewish community, explains the historical connection to Israel and calls for the Columbia campus to be repaired.
The protests came to a head weeks ago when the university authorized New York City police to enter campus to clear the encampment and more than 100 arrests were made.
As a result of the protests, the university canceled its main graduation ceremony set for May 15.
Roommates Noah Lederman and Liam Schorr say the past few weeks have been difficult.
"After the encampments went up, I was felt very uncomfortable and unsafe to be here and very, very tense. So I left campus," Schorr said.
They are two of the more than 470 others, and counting, who signed the letter titled, "In Our Name: A Message from Jewish Students at Columbia University" in a reaction to the protesters who have been rallying on campus against Israel.
"If the last six months on campus have taught us anything, it is that a large and vocal population of the Columbia community does not understand the meaning of Zionism," one line reads.
"Their definition of Zionism is a person who supports Israel and supports the way the current government is conducting the war," Lederman said. "I am a proud Zionist and I will always be a proud Zionist. I support, and nothing that happens could change that because to me, Zionism means the right for the existence of a Jewish state, the right for Israel to self-determine."
The authors of the letter say their main goal is to bring attention to something they say is core to their identity, both as Jews and as students.
"While campus may be riddled with hateful rhetoric and simplistic binaries now, it is never too late to start repairing the fractures," another line reads.
Elisha Baker is one of the authors.
"We're making it very clear that we are here to have pragmatic, thoughtful conversations," Baker said. "And we're happy to do that with anyone who is willing. Right? And, and we're not a monolith. We're just proud of our Jewish identities and we're proud of our connection to Israel."
In response to the now viral letter, Columbia says it is committed to making the school "a community where Jewish students and everyone feel safe, valued and are able to thrive."
Click here to read the full letter.
RELATED | Protests pushed Columbia 'to the brink,' university president says after NYPD makes arrests
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