A first year Orthodox student at Rutgers Law School is claiming he is being harassed and forced out of the Student Bar Association (SBA). He was placed under investigation by the university for “defaming” a Palestinian student who shared an Instagram video with misinformation about Israel with the SBA.
Yoel Ackerman said in an email that the video contended that Hamas did not commit the atrocities or murder the 1,400 civilians on Oct. 7 and that Israel “staged” the massacre.
When Ackerman questioned why the student shared the video in the SBA group chat “if it had zero to do with the SBA or Rutgers University” the student replied he was only “clearing up” some misinformation about Palestine and added he had shared the video in several other group chats.
Ackerman said this dust-up occurred simultaneously as the Rutgers-Newark’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter was planning activities on Oct. 13 for the Day of Resistance, which called for students at various schools and universities to protest, amid a Global Day of Rage. He said he kept his own children home from school that day and heeded an email from the Rutgers Law Jewish Students group to be careful and vigilant. It requested students take screenshots and make records of antisemitic or anti-Israel harassment or threats. That prompted Ackerman, 36, to share a screenshot of the Palestinian student who posted the propaganda.
“What occurred next has been unbearable for me,” wrote Ackerman, who said he was then called by a university employee who told him he was under investigation for violating school policy for defamation and disorderly conduct based on his message to the Jewish student group and was to meet with an investigator from the university on Oct. 23. A campus investigator would be provided but could only listen at the meeting.
“Then at the last minute, the rug was pulled out from under my feet,” when Ackerman said they wouldn’t allow the campus advisor to be present since she was also advisor to the Jewish campus group and it would be “unfair” to the Palestinian student. Ackerman also said Rutgers rebuffed his request to delay the meeting. Once there Ackerman said he “was patronized for nearly an hour” with the investigator downplaying his fears and desire to protect other Jewish students by insisting the day of rage was actually a day of resistance.
Ackerman said he then received an email from the SBA informing him that he, as well as another unnamed Jewish student, would be up for impeachment from the SBA in the next day’s meeting and accused him of “doxing, defamation and harassment” in violation of its constitution. It also informed Ackerman he would have the option to resign before the meeting.
At the three-hour virtual hearing, which was open to the public, Ackerman said 15 pro-Palestinian students all gave the same testimony that he had exposed Palestinians to harm and injury and demanded he apologize and be impeached. He said he was given five minutes to speak.
“I have never felt more hurt or embarrassed in my life,” wrote Ackerman. “The lies, and the hatred spewing from their mouths … the president of Students for Justice in Palestine came into the Zoom meeting in the middle and on the spot made a motion to impeach Ackerman. Again zero facts and zero evidence. Just venom.”
Ackerman accused those who stayed silent of being equally culpable and noted no investigation was ever launched against the Palestinian student who shared “the propaganda” on the video.
In response to an inquiry for comment, Peter T. Englot, senior vice chancellor for public affairs & chief of staff for Rutgers-Newark, wrote: “The situation regarding Yoel Ackerman involves claims and counterclaims between students in student organizations. Rutgers-Newark does not comment on the conduct of the internal affairs of student groups. In the event that the behavior of students, faculty, or staff violates university policies, claims regarding violations will be duly investigated.”
“At Rutgers-Newark, as at Rutgers more generally, hatred and bigotry have no place, nor should they have a place anywhere in the world,” he added. ”We believe that antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of identity-based discrimination are unacceptable wherever and whenever they occur.”
However, Rebekah Adelson, director of Hillel of Greater MetroWest—which includes the law school—said Hillel was providing a support system for Ackerman and added: ‘Obviously we are not happy with the way the school is handling this.”
She said Hilel has reached out to the Anti-Defamation League and is working to get the school to stand and support its Jewish students who have been affected by the terrorism of Hamas.
“Jewish students feel the school is not being supportive of them,” and said she is reaching out to Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway, with whom she said Hillel “has a great relationship.”
Ackerman has obtained pro bono legal representation with the American Center for Law and Justice, an evangelical Christian organization, which is strongly pro-Israel.
Debra Rubin has had a long career in journalism writing for secular weekly and daily newspapers and Jewish publications. She most recently served as Middlesex/Monmouth bureau chief for the New Jersey Jewish News. She also worked with the media at several nonprofits, including serving as assistant public relations director of HIAS and assistant director of media relations at Yeshiva University,
