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Edited by: TJVNews.com
Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots and an alumnus of Columbia University, has expressed his decision to cease donations to his alma mater amid ongoing pro-Hamas protests on the university’s campus in New York City. This decision comes as the raucous demonstrations enter their sixth consecutive day.
Kraft, who graduated in 1963, conveyed his dismay over the clearly marked increase in hostility emanating from the pro-Hamas students on the Morningside Heights campus and across the nation. “I am deeply saddened at the virulent hate that continues to grow on campus and throughout our country,” he stated. He further expressed his concerns about the university’s ability to ensure the safety of its students and staff, prompting his withdrawal of financial support until the university takes corrective measures.
The situation at Columbia University has escalated with over 100 individuals arrested since the start of the protests, which are centered around the call for a cease-fire in Gaza and demands for the university to divest its investments in Israel. Some protesters have established tent encampments on the university grounds.
Jewish students have reported feeling unsafe, as chants from the protesters such as “Resistance is glorious” are replete with clear anti-Semitic overtones. In response to the growing tensions, Columbia’s president, Minouche Shafik, has transitioned classes to remote learning in an effort to de-escalate the situation. Despite these measures, Kraft has exhorted the university leadership to take a firmer stance against the hateful actions by demanding an end to the protests.
At one such protest that took place on Sunday, the pro-Hamas student protesters screamed anti-Semitic epithets at Jewish students, telling them to “Go Back to Poland,” In the last few days, other pro-Hamas student protesters have threatened Jewish students with a replication of the October 7th massacre in which 1200 Israelis and others were brutally slaughtered and 250 were taken hostage. Currently, 133 Israeli hostages remain in Hamas captivity in Gaza.
Kraft’s philanthropic contributions to Columbia have been substantial. He played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life in 2000 and also contributed to the naming of an athletic field after him in 2007, in recognition of his generous donations. These gestures illustrate his deep connection and gratitude to the institution that granted him a full academic scholarship, which significantly shaped his educational and professional journey.
Reflecting on his past experiences and the current climate at Columbia, Kraft remarked, “It was through the full academic scholarship Columbia gave me that I was able to attend college and get my start in life and for that, I have been tremendously grateful. However, the school I love so much—the one that welcomed me and provided me with so much opportunity—is no longer an institution I recognize.”
He expressed hope that the Kraft Center will continue to be a haven of security and safety for all Jewish students and faculty amidst these troubling times. However, his disappointment is palpable as he grapples with the changing landscape of his beloved alma mater,
This sentiment is echoed in similar movements across Massachusetts, where tent protests inspired by the events at Columbia have sprung up at such institutions of higher learning such Emerson College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, signaling a broader unrest and concern within academic communities.
