Bklyn’s Pratt Institute Under Scrutiny for Planned Vote on Israeli Boycott During Passover 

Bklyn’s Pratt Institute Under Scrutiny for Planned Vote on Israeli Boycott During Passover 

Edited by: TJVNews.com

Brooklyn’s prestigious Pratt Institute has come under scrutiny for its planned vote on an “academic and cultural boycott of Israel,” sparking significant controversy and allegations of anti-Semitism, as was reported in The New York Post. The timing of the vote, scheduled during the Passover holiday, has heightened tensions and raised questions about inclusivity and fairness in the institution’s decision-making processes.

The vote by the Pratt Institute’s Academic Senate was set for Tuesday, coinciding with the first full day of Passover, an eight-day period during which observant Jews abstain from work and engage in religious observance with family and friends. According to the information provided in the Post report, this scheduling has led to accusations that the timing effectively excludes Jewish faculty and staff from participating in a decision that has direct implications for them and the broader Jewish community on campus.

Rory Lancman, senior counsel at the Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, a Jewish legal civil-rights advocacy group, has been vocal in his criticism of the proposed resolution and its timing. The Post report said that Lancman has described the scheduling of the vote during Passover as “positively obscene” and akin to condemning the historical liberation of Jews, which Passover commemorates.

The resolution, as reported, is not only controversial due to its content—calling for an academic and cultural boycott of Israel—but also in how broadly it is written. According to Lancman, the proposal could potentially lead to significant restrictions on campus, possibly affecting Jewish community groups such as Hillel and Chabad, which play crucial roles in supporting Jewish students on campus, as per the Post report. Such outcomes would likely intensify feelings of isolation and discrimination among Jewish students and faculty.

The Pratt Academic Senate, described as a “shared governance body” that represents faculty and advises the school’s board of trustees on academic matters, is at the center of this controversy. The decision to hold a vote on such a divisive issue during a significant religious holiday suggests a gap in the Senate’s consideration of the diverse religious and cultural backgrounds of its members.

In an April 19 letter addressed to Pratt’s board of trustees Chairman Garry Hattem, President Frances Bronet, and Academic Senate President Uzma Rizvi, Lancman expressed his outrage and called for reconsideration of the vote’s timing and the resolution itself, as was noted in the Post report.

Lancman also argued that the resolution, if passed, would contravene federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws, particularly affecting Jewish faculty and students who might feel targeted by such a measure.

The institution’s eventual response revealed that the scheduling conflict with the Jewish festival of Passover was unintentional. The Post reported that Pratt’s spokesman stated that the discussion initially set for April 23 was inadvertently planned on the first full day of Passover, leading to its removal from the meeting’s agenda. However, the institution did not specify when the discussion and vote would eventually take place.

The resolution, which calls for an academic and cultural boycott of Israel, has been criticized not just for its content but also for its potential violation of anti-discrimination laws.

Lancman’s communication also warned of potential legal action against Pratt, emphasizing that the law would support actions to ensure that Jewish staff and students had a fair opportunity to voice their opinions on the resolution, as was reported by the Post.  He urged the school to either withdraw the resolution or postpone the debate and vote until after Passover, to allow full participation.

The content of the Pratt resolution itself is a point of contention. It alleges that Palestinians have suffered “six months of genocide” at the hands of Israel, claiming over 33,000 deaths in Gaza—a figure that contributes to the heated nature of the debate.

This resolution also calls for comprehensive measures against Israeli institutions and has raised legal and ethical questions regarding discrimination and academic freedom, the Post reported.

The resolution put forward at Pratt seeks a complete cessation of engagement with Israeli cultural and academic institutions. Specifically, it demands that Pratt sever ties with Israeli entities such as the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem, cease participation in events or activities involving Israeli groups, and divest from Israeli companies and other entities that are perceived to benefit from the occupation of “Palestine, “ according to the Post report. This includes a broad prohibition on projects that might normalize Israel’s status in the global cultural sphere or obscure the state’s alleged violations of international law and Palestinian rights.

Critically, the resolution does not acknowledge the violence perpetrated by Hamas against Israeli civilians. Over 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed by Hamas during the October 7th massacre, and dozens of Israeli hostages are still being held in Gaza, the report in the Post said. The omission of these facts from the resolution’s narrative has contributed to accusations of bias and a one-sided approach to a complex international issue.

The resolution has garnered support from several faculty members at Pratt, including individuals affiliated with Faculty for Justice in Palestine and various professors across different departments. This group of academics argues that the boycott is a necessary stance against what they view as ongoing injustices facilitated by Israeli policies.

Lancman also argued that scheduling the resolution’s vote during Passover discriminately impacts Jewish students and staff, potentially violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, according to the Post report, This act requires that educational institutions receiving federal funding ensure their programs are free from discrimination based on race, color, or national origin. Lancman highlighted a New York state executive order, first issued by Governor Andrew Cuomo and continued by Governor Kathy Hochul, which prevents the state government from conducting business with any institution that supports the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.