Pols tout Israel at RU student leaders’ event
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Sen. Robert Menendez told the gathering that supporting Israel is in the best interests of the United States. Photo by Jacob Binstein
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April 18, 2012
U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ Dist. 6) made a strong case for United States-Israel ties at a student leadership dinner organized by Rutgers Hillel.
Speaking April 15 at the Cook Campus Center in New Brunswick, Menendez and Pallone spoke with affection about Israel, its strategic importance to the United States, the threats both countries face from Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and the evils of anti-Semitism.
The dinner drew about 100 people, including representatives of 37 on-campus student organizations.
Gil Lainer, consul for public affairs at the Israeli consulate in New York, also took part in the event.
Menendez said that while the Palestinians have legitimate issues that can be resolved through a two-state solution, Israel stands virtually alone in seeking that peaceful solution.
“Israel voluntarily left Gaza and has already given up land for peace,” said Menendez. Israel remains a target for terrorist rockets and anti-Semitism promoted by Hamas in schoolbooks and media, he said, while Iranian leaders have threatened the country with annihilation.
The senator gave a brief overview of Israeli history, saying that Jews have had a continual presence in the land for thousands of years and have longstanding religious claims. After accepting the United Nations’ two-state solution, he reminded his audience, Israel was attacked by its Arab neighbors in 1948.
Pallone, whose legislative district includes the university’s New Brunswick-area campuses, admitted to having a romanticized view of Israel as a country “that rose from the ashes of the Holocaust.” But beyond such emotions, he said, the United States and Israel are united by shared values, including a history of serving as a haven for those persecuted in their native lands.
In addition, he said, “Israel’s security needs are very much linked to our own security needs.” Iran must be prevented from gaining nuclear capability. “This is a threat not just to Israel,” said Pallone. “If anything, Israel has done us a favor by making us aware of the threat to the U.S. and the rest of the world.”
Pallone quoted President Barack Obama in noting that soon “the last opportunity” for Iran to halt its nuclear program may be nearing; “we are running out of time,” he said.
If the United States feels it is out of options, the congressman said, “there might be a time either on behalf of Israel or in support of Israel” that America would take military action.
Menendez called the increase in worldwide anti-Semitism and attempts to delegitimize Israel “frightening.”
“Whether it’s on the Rutgers campus or in the West Bank, the demonization of Israel is counter to our values as a nation,” said Menendez. “That is why, as President Obama said, ‘We will always have Israel’s back.’”
The message resonated with student leaders. Hannah Johnson, a junior from Branchburg and president of the newly formed Christians United for Israel on campus, said she agreed with the speakers’ reasons for supporting Israel.
“Also as a Christian I feel an obligation to Israel and to stand with God’s chosen people,” she said. “As a Christian it is our holy land, too.”
Anthony Covington of Bordentown, a freshman newly elected to the Rutgers University Student Assembly, said the evening proved eye-opening.
“I’m not Jewish so I didn’t really know all that much about Israel and found the program very informative,” he said. “I didn’t know much about the alliance with America or the threat both countries are under from the Middle East. I didn’t know their existence was being so threatened.
“It made me feel great pride in my own country that we are standing with Israel and we are both working toward democracy.”
Crossing the line
U.S. SEN. ROBERT Menendez jumped into the fray over whether a satirical op-ed lampooning a campus pro-Israel activist crossed the line into anti-Semitism. The piece appeared in the April 4 edition of the Rutgers student publication The Medium.
Speaking at a student leadership dinner organized by Hillel, the senator decried the local and international growth of anti-Semitism, citing several synagogue firebombings in Bergen County. In one incident at Congregation Beth-El in Rutherford, a Molotov cocktail was thrown through the bedroom window of the synagogue’s religious leader.
“An attack on a rabbi and his family is an attack on all of us,” said Menendez. “In our society we need to stand together against intolerance and that includes the Aaron Marcus incident here at Rutgers.”
The op-ed, purportedly written by Marcus, a senior political science major from West Orange, praised Adolf Hitler and the “good things” he did. A photograph of Marcus accompanied the piece.
A columnist for the university’s student newspaper, The Daily Targum, Marcus frequently writes in support of Israel. He is the main complainant in an ongoing probe alleging that the Rutgers administration has mishandled previous anti-Israel and anti-Semitic incidents.
The publication of the satirical op-ed angered some Jewish organizations, including the Zionist Organization of America and the Anti-Defamation League, and prompted the university to launch a bias incident probe.
“The Marcus incident at Rutgers teaches us that words matter even when they are meant satirically,” said Menendez. “In my opinion, this article stepped over the line into anti-Semitism.”
Marcus, who was in attendance at the event, said he was surprised at being singled out. “I really had no idea I was going to be mentioned,” he said. “But it’s great. I’ve received a lot of support.”
— DEBRA RUBIN
Comments
RABBI DR. BERNHARD ROSENBERG
April 19, 2012
Sent: Tue, Apr 10, 2012 11:09 am
Subject: ANTI-SEMITISM AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
To whom it may concern,
After countless, phone calls, messages, emails, and letters, to deans, heads of departments, and the president of Rutgers himself, many concerned students and myself remain left in the dark and our questions unanswered. Our beloved Professor Dr. Rosenberg, has been a victim of the anti-semetic environment that has been created and allowed to grow at Rutgers University. Dr. Rosenberg has been facing many instances of harassment by department heads, deans, and leaders for no reason. He has made many formal complaints and reports to numerous departments over a span of many weeks, and the only response he and us students receive are very rude responses that simply say “thanks” and that this is a personnel matter. This is not the way that a prestigious university, the state university of New Jersey should be handling the serious concerns that its staff and students have regarding harassment, more specifically, anti-semitism. It was not until one of the Rutgers university daily newspapers, The Medium, published an article entitled “What About the Good Things Hitler Did?” In this article, the Medium praised Hitler and said he wasn’t such a bad guy, The medium used an active Jewish students name, and picture as the author of the article, when he in fact had no relation to the article. This is one instance that was made known due to the severity and availability of the evidence since it was published in a newspaper allowed by Rutgers to be circulated throughout campus. Unfortunately for Dr. Rosenberg, the anti-semtism he faces from the department is not published in newspapers, and therefore is not as easily seen by others. however this does not mean that this serious issue can be ignored. Dr. Rosenberg is one of the only professor here at Rutgers that willingly and proudly wears a “skullcap” every day, clearly revealing his Jewish religion. Also a clergyman, he often speaks publicly about his religious views as well as others. He respects all religions and simply wished that people would do the same for his. Now Dr. Rosenberg has lost his opportunity to teach his public speaking course which he does every summer for over 10 years. He is not getting a response as to whether or not he will be teaching in the fall, and the harassment continues. The fact of the matter is that Rutgers University has created an anti-semitic atmosphere and has let it thrive to the point where students feel comfortable publishing anti-semetic articles in a well known school newspaper. Rutgers University allows this paper to circulate throughout campus just like they allow their main newspaper “The Daily Targum” which refuses to address this issue after numerous requests. Overall, something must be done about the anti-semitic injustices Dr. Rosenberg has and still is facing here at Rutgers University.
Nicole Honey
Jackson Udelsman
Leonora Slatnick
Lucas Blebelberg
Rob Beringer
Ruslana Trytas
Megan Caylor
Justic Brown
Rebecca Sampayo
Prahlad Annamraju
Karina Veliz
Loren Williams
Meagan Robinson
Felicia O’Donnell
Allison Payenski
Camille Handy
Shama Jhaveri
Hyeri Ahn
DR, BERNHARD ROSENBERG
April 22, 2012
> http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Dr-Rosenberg/318874974846412 PLEASE PUT ON YOUR FACEBOOK AND SEND TO OTHERS PLEASE. RABBI ROSENBERG
dr. bernhard rosenberg
May 05, 2012
My name is Chike Achebe and I am one of the students currently enrolled in Dr.Rosenberg’s public speaking course. As a student leader on campus and honors student, I have taken over 40 courses during my time here at Rutgers with various distinguished faculty and I have yet to meet another professor who has exemplified the type of hard work, dedication and commitment to students Dr.Rosenberg has. Dr. Rosenberg has taught at Rutgers University for over 23 years, and has consistently been one of the highest rated instructors within the department. It is because of Dr.Rosenberg’s excellent reputation within the student ranks that I decided to register for his Public Speaking course. I, along with Dr.Rosenberg’s fifty other current students have come to appreciate the depth of knowledge we acquire through the analytical teaching techniques of Dr.Rosenberg. Upon taking his public speaking course, we have come to genuinely enjoy the way he led us students to think beyond our normal limits and strongly feel he is one of the best professors to facilitate our academic and intellectual needs for this course.