A sukkah owned by the Hillel organization at Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts was recently vandalized by anti-Israel individuals.
Specifically, the Hillel group’s sukkah, which is a temporary hut built for a Jewish holiday, was sprayed with anti-Semitic messaging. The words “Gaza Liberation Sukkah” were written across it, according to The Boston Herald.
“Simmons University Hillel unequivocally stands with Jewish students,” the Hillel group posted to Instagram on Oct. 29. “We are appalled by the recent antisemitism that disrupted the holidays of Sukkot and Simchat Torah. Vandalism and antisemitic messaging are deplorable and cannot be allowed on a campus dedicated to learning, leadership and inclusion.”
“When this religious symbol and the values it stands for are co-opted through vandalism to make political statements, it sends a clear message: Jewish students are not welcome to openly celebrate and practice our customs,” the post continued.
Simmons University President Lynn Perry Wooten critiqued the vandalism in a statement.
“Simmons condemns the antisemitic vandalism of a Jewish religious symbol on our campus,” Wooten stated. “This unacceptable act is being actively investigated as a potential hate crime.
“While we have not yet been able to determine whether the individual involved is a member of our community, we are committed to holding those responsible accountable for their actions,” Woods continued.
A recent Anti-Defamation League (ADL) study was published in September, which found that anti-Israel and anti-Semitic activity have increased by a “staggering 477%” this year compared to last year.
The report found that there were more than 2,000 instances of anti-Israel behavior including “assault, vandalism, harassment, protests/actions and divestment resolutions” between June 2023 and May 2024.
“This marks the highest number ever documented by ADL,” the report stated. “These incidents included both blatant acts of antisemitism, as well as anti-Israel activity, which is not always antisemitic.”
“Campus groups responsible for much of the recorded anti-Israel activity in this report include Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) and Dissenters,” the report continued.
ADL leaders described the rise in anti-Semitism nationwide as being unprecedented. “The antisemitic, anti-Zionist vitriol we’ve witnessed on campus is unlike anything we’ve seen in the past,” ADL CEO Jonathan A. Greenblatt told Campus Reform.
Campus Reform has contacted Simmons University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
This article was written by Patrick McDonald and originally published at campusreform.org
