As a once-proud alumnus of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, a four-year college under the umbrella of The City University of New York, having majored in legal studies (cum laude) with hopes of going on to law school, I later became my mom’s primary caregiver, putting my legal education on the back burner. Let me add that the reputation of CUNY Law School, while I was a student at John Jay for my undergraduate education, was that of a small if selective law school, as competitive in turning out the “best and the brightest” litigators as any of the Ivys.

That was then. Now, years later, as I contemplate applying to law schools (as a proud member of the baby boomer generation), having borne witness to the drastic changes our nation has undergone of late, I want to understand what’s with the antisemites all over America’s college campuses causing prospective and current students of the Jewish faith (and those who support them) to endure hatred in surround sound from Students for Justice in Palestine and their supporters. More to the point, where law students are concerned, how will showering Jews and their supporters with uncontained vitriol as fellow students go on to serve clients well (if and when these haters pass the bar exam and begin practicing in the real world), since an attorney’s personal politics are not to be part of courtroom or transactional representation?

Regarding the surge of antisemitism across American college campuses right here, right now, let’s remember Executive Order 13899, signed by President Donald J. Trump (December 11, 2019). The crux of said order concerns antisemitism on American college campuses within Title VI of The Civil Rights Act of 1964. “Title VI of The Civil Rights Act of 1964 Title VI, 42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq., prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin in programs, activities receiving Federal financial assistance. While Title VI does not cover discrimination based on religion, individuals who face discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin do not lose protection under Title VI for also being a member of as group that shares common religious practices.”

It is certainly beyond the pale that CUNY Chancellor Felix Matos-Rodriguez snubbed the recent meeting seeking to stem the tide of antisemitism on The City University of New York campuses. Further, where Executive Order 13899 stipulates that any public college receiving federal funds that permits antisemitism on its campus shall lose its federal funds, note that the current administration has yet to make CUNY or any other public institution of higher learning accountable financially due to antisemitism on campus, which is shameful.

The politics and policies within the Middle East regarding religion, land, women, slavery and, of course, Israel as the only democracy in The Middle East, may or may not eventually play out to everyone’s liking. However, at this juncture, where the Abraham Accords have brought out the best of the major players from America, Israel and some of its Arab neighbors seeking to find peace in the region, if not the world, through entrepreneurship, such must not be put asunder by hatred fomented by instructors and students who have nothing to gain by offending the collegial spirit that has existed along America’s college campuses for generations.