Latest news with #AlexanderKestenbaum
RNZ News
16-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Harvard settles Jewish student's lawsuit over alleged antisemitism
By Jonathan Stempel , Reuters Harvard University. Photo: AFP/Maddie Meyer Harvard University has settled a high-profile lawsuit by an Orthodox Jewish student who accused the Ivy League school of ignoring antisemitism on campus. Alexander Kestenbaum, who is known as Shabbos, and Harvard jointly agreed to end the case, according to a dismissal notice filed on Thursday in Boston federal court. "Harvard and Mr Kestenbaum acknowledge each other's steadfast and important efforts to combat antisemitism at Harvard and elsewhere," the university said in a statement on Thursday. "Harvard and Mr. Kestenbaum are pleased to have resolved the litigation." Settlement terms were not disclosed. Lawyers for Kestenbaum did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The settlement came four months after Harvard promised additional protections for Jewish students, as it resolved two lawsuits claiming it was a hotbed of rampant antisemitism. Both lawsuits were among many accusing universities of encouraging antisemitism after war broke out in Gaza in October 2023, leading to pro-Palestinian protests on many American campuses. Jewish students said Harvard tolerated their being maligned as "murderers" and subjected to viral attacks, and accused the university of hiring professors who promoted anti-Jewish violence and spread antisemitic propaganda. The lawsuits were brought by Students Against Antisemitism, and by Jewish Americans for Fairness in Education and the Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law. Kestenbaum was a plaintiff in the Students Against Antisemitism lawsuit, but did not settle at the time. He graduated from Harvard Divinity School last year, and has become a growing voice in a Republican-led campaign to root out antisemitism in major American universities. Harvard is one of the chief targets of that campaign, and U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has frozen or terminated more than $2.6 billion of the university's federal grants and contracts in recent weeks. The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based school is suing the Trump administration over grant cutoffs, mainly in medical sciences, calling them an unconstitutional attempt to curtail academic freedom and free speech. Another Ivy League school, Columbia University, is also a prime White House target over antisemitism. - Reuters
India Today
16-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Jewish student ends lawsuit against Harvard over alleged antisemitism
A Jewish student, Alexander Kestenbaum, who sued Harvard University for not taking action against antisemitism on campus, has officially ended his lawsuit. On Thursday, Kestenbaum and the university filed a joint stipulation of dismissal in a Boston federal court. This dismissal is 'with prejudice,' meaning Kestenbaum cannot file the same lawsuit is not clear whether the two sides reached a settlement. Lawyers for both parties did not comment. advertisementKestenbaum, also known by his Hebrew name "Shabbos," had been a part of a legal campaign by the students against antisemitism. Other such lawsuits were settled earlier this year, but Kestenbaum decided to continue his legal challenge until now. In January, Harvard pledged to improve protection for Jewish students amid escalating concerns of antisemitism on campus. The university made the promises as it dealt with lawsuits from organisations like Jewish Americans for Fairness in Education and the Brandeis Centre for Human Rights Under Law. Kestenbaum did not sign the deal at the was in his second year at Harvard Divinity School when the campus grew tense with the protests over Gaza. He gained notice almost immediately as a conservative commentator voicing opinions in the news media. He even appeared at a student roundtable in Washington, DC, to discuss the spike in antisemitism on spoke at the Republican National Convention as part of a Republican-led effort to fight antisemitism in US is one of the chief targets, and US President Donald Trump's administration has frozen or terminated more than $2.6 billion of the university's federal grants and contracts in recent Cambridge, Massachusetts-based school is suing the Trump administration over grant cutoffs, mainly in medical sciences, calling them an unconstitutional attempt to curtail academic freedom and free Ivy League school, Columbia University, is another prime White House target in its campaign against Reel
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jewish student who took on Harvard in court ends lawsuit
(Reuters) - A Jewish student who sued Harvard University for allegedly ignoring antisemitism on campus ended his lawsuit against the Ivy League school on Thursday. Alexander Kestenbaum, who is known as Shabbos, and Harvard filed a joint stipulation of dismissal in Boston federal court. It was unclear whether they settled. The dismissal is with prejudice, meaning Kestenbaum cannot sue again. Lawyers for Kestenbaum and Harvard did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Thursday's dismissal came four months after Harvard promised additional protections for Jewish students, as it resolved two lawsuits claiming it was a hotbed of rampant antisemitism. The lawsuits had been brought by Students Against Antisemitism, and Jewish Americans for Fairness in Education and the Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law. Kestenbaum was a plaintiff in the Students Against Antisemitism lawsuit, but did not settle at the time. He graduated from Harvard Divinity School last year, and has become a growing voice in a Republican-led campaign to root out antisemitism in major American universities. Harvard is one of the chief targets, and U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has frozen or terminated more than $2.6 billion of the university's federal grants and contracts in recent weeks. The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based school is suing the Trump administration over grant cutoffs, mainly in medical sciences, calling them an unconstitutional attempt to curtail academic freedom and free speech. Another Ivy League school, Columbia University, is another prime White House target in its campaign against antisemitism.
Reuters
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Jewish student who took on Harvard in court ends lawsuit
May 15 (Reuters) - A Jewish student who sued Harvard University for allegedly ignoring antisemitism on campus ended his lawsuit against the Ivy League school on Thursday. Alexander Kestenbaum, who is known as Shabbos, and Harvard filed a joint stipulation of dismissal in Boston federal court. It was unclear whether they settled. The dismissal is with prejudice, meaning Kestenbaum cannot sue again. Lawyers for Kestenbaum and Harvard did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Thursday's dismissal came four months after Harvard promised additional protections for Jewish students, as it resolved two lawsuits claiming it was a hotbed of rampant antisemitism. The lawsuits had been brought by Students Against Antisemitism, and Jewish Americans for Fairness in Education and the Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law. Kestenbaum was a plaintiff in the Students Against Antisemitism lawsuit, but did not settle at the time. He graduated from Harvard Divinity School last year, and has become a growing voice in a Republican-led campaign to root out antisemitism in major American universities. Harvard is one of the chief targets, and U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has frozen or terminated more than $2.6 billion of the university's federal grants and contracts in recent weeks. The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based school is suing the Trump administration over grant cutoffs, mainly in medical sciences, calling them an unconstitutional attempt to curtail academic freedom and free speech. Another Ivy League school, Columbia University, is another prime White House target in its campaign against antisemitism.
