Columbia University rabbi warns Jewish students, ‘return home as soon as possible’

AND GROWING PROTESTS AGAINST ISRAEL'S WAR WITH HAMAS. GEORGE SOLIS REPORTS. >> Reporter: AS TENSIONS AND PRO-PALESTINIAN DEMONSTRATIONS AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN NEW YORK GROW, TONIGHT A JEWISH LEADER AT THE UNIVERSITY IS NOW URGING STUDENTS TO STAY AWAY OVER WHAT'S BEING DESCRIBED AS EXTREME ANTI-SEMITISM ON CAMPUS. >> I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT THESE PROTESTS HAVE LOST THE PLOT SO TO SPEAK, AND REALLY HAVE TURNED INTO INCITEMENT OF VIOLENCE AND JEW HATRED. >> Reporter: NEW YORK YAERM ERIC ADAMS CONDEMNING VIDEO SUCH AS THIS WHICH SHOWS A YOUNG WOMAN WITH A SIGN POINTING TO JEWISH STUDENTS SAY AL QASSAM'S NEXT TARGETS. IN A LETTER OBTAINED BY NBC NEWS, COLUMBIA RABBI ELIE BUECHLER WRITING TO STUDENTS, "IT DEEPLY PAINS ME TO SAY THAT I WROTE STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU RETURN HOME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND REMAIN HOME UNTIL THE REALITY IN AND AROUND CAMPUS HAS DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED, GOING ON TO SAY NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO ENDURE THIS LEVEL OF HATRED, LET ALONE AT SCHOOL. NICK BAUM SAYS WHILE MANY OF HIS PEERS HAVE LEFT, HE'S CHOSE TON STAY. >> YOUR REACTION TO THE LETTER? >> I FEEL DISTURBED, BUT I FEEL IT IS COMPLETELY INDICATIVE OF THE HORRIBLE DISTURBANCES THAT JEWS ON CAMPUS HAVE BEEN FEELING OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS. AS A JEW, I NO LONGER FEEL WELCOME ON CAMPUS. >> Reporter: A COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY SPOKESPERSON TELLS NBC NEWS IN PART, WE ARE ACTING ON CONCERNS WE ARE HEARING FROM OUR JEWISH STUDENTS. REPUBLICAN CONGRESSWOMAN ELISE STEFANIK, WHO PLAYED A ROLE IN A HEARING ON ANTI-SEMITISM THIS WEEK CALLING ON THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT TO RESIGN. TONIGHT THE WHITE HOUSE WEIGHING IN SAYING IN PART, WHILE EVERY AMERICAN HAS THE RIGHT TO PEACEFUL PROTEST, CALLS FOR VIOLENCE AND PHYSICAL INTIMIDATION TARGETING JEWISH STUDENTS AND THE JEWISH COMMUNITY ARE BLATANTLY ANTI-SEMITIC, UNCONSCIONABLE, AND DANGEROUS, AND HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO PLACE ON ANY COLLEGE CAMPUS OR ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. >> I WAS ONE OF THE STUDENTS ARRESTED, SUSPENDED BY THE UNIVERSITY. ALL OF THESE STUDENTS KNOW THE RISK. >> Reporter:

Channel: NBC News

Views: 42,413

Keywords: Health, International News, Lester Holt, Making A Difference, NBC Nightly News, National News, News, Nightly News, U.S. News, breaking news, evening news, politics, world news

Id: Owo8-Vt2IVE

Length: 2min 11sec (131 seconds)

Published: Mon Apr 22 2024