Latest news with #StudentsAgainstAntisemitism
Epoch Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Harvard University Settles Jewish Student's Lawsuit Alleging Anti-Semitism
Harvard University agreed on Thursday to settle a lawsuit filed by a student who accused officials of ignoring alleged discrimination against Jewish students on campus, ending a 16-month legal battle. The legal challenge was brought by Alexander Kestenbaum, also known as Shabbos, and the nonprofit group Students Against Antisemitism in January 2024. Kestenbaum and Harvard jointly agreed to end the case, according to a dismissal notice filed in Boston federal court. The student's claims were dismissed with prejudice, meaning the case cannot be bought back into court. The terms of the settlement remain confidential. 'Harvard and Mr. Kestenbaum acknowledge each other's steadfast and important efforts to combat antisemitism at Harvard and elsewhere,' the university said in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times. 'Harvard and Mr. Kestenbaum are pleased to have resolved the litigation.' Related Stories 5/15/2025 5/15/2025 Kestenbaum graduated from Harvard Divinity School last year, and has become a growing voice in a Republican-led campaign aimed at rooting out alleged antisemitism at major American universities. In a separate 'By filing our lawsuit, Harvard began efforts to reform, and with President Trump's efforts it will continue to face a stark choice—enforce its policies and uphold its federal obligations or lose out on taxpayer funding and continue to destroy the University's reputation,' he continued. Kestenbaum said he would continue to the Trump administration in 'pursuing much-needed change' at Harvard and other colleges and universities across the country. Lawsuit Alleges 'Jewish Hatred' Rampant at Harvard Kestenbaum's lawsuit alleged Harvard had become 'a bastion of rampant anti Jewish hatred and harassment,' in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas incursion into Israel. The terrorist group killed 1,200 people and took around 250 hostages during the attack. Since then more than 52,800 Palestinians, many of them women and children, have been killed in the war in Gaza, The lawsuit cited protests on campus in support of Palestine that it alleged were antisemitic, and claimed Jewish students at the school have been attacked on social media. It further alleged that Harvard faculty members have 'promulgated antisemitism in their courses and dismissed and intimidated students who object.' The suit accused the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based school of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which It said the school should be compelled to implement 'institutional, far-reaching, and concrete remedial measures,' including terminating employees who are allegedly responsible for 'antisemitic discrimination and abuse,' and suspending students who engaged in such conduct. Harvard 'We have enhanced training and education on antisemitism across our campus and introduced measures to support our Jewish community and ensure student safety and security,' it said in a statement. 'We have launched programs to promote civil dialogue and respectful disagreement inside and outside the classroom.' The school added that it has also adopted many other reforms, and will 'continue to combat antisemitism and to foster a campus culture that includes and supports every member of our community.' Harvard Kestenbaum did not settle at the time and instead pursued his case against the school under an amended complaint, which was settled on Thursday. The Epoch Times has contacted a spokesperson for Harvard for further comment.
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
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.
