Protests and antisemitic incidents prompt Jewish students to reconsider college choices

Published

11 months ago

June 5, 2024

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(RNS) — James Henry Brook, a rising high school senior from Birmingham, Alabama, had long planned on applying to the joint program run by Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary in Manhattan.

That changed after the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre, and the many antisemitic incidents and calls for violence against Jews and Israel on and around the Columbia campus. “JTS/Columbia was a university that I wanted to apply to, and I know people who are current students at JTS,” said Brook, who recently made the round of college campuses. “The protests at Columbia are one of the main reasons why I am not interested in Columbia anymore.”

Today, Brook is seriously considering Southeastern Conference schools such as Texas A&M and Mississippi State “because of sports and because there has been little to no antisemitism that I have found,” he said.

Wherever he ultimately goes, said Brook, antisemitism has become “a major factor” in his choice of college.

Brook is in good company.

A poll conducted in mid-March on behalf of Hillel International, the world’s largest Jewish campus organization, found that 96% of families of Jewish high school students are concerned about the increase in college campus antisemitic incidents since Oct. 7, and 84% said they are talking to their child about how to handle antisemitism on campus. RELATED: Union Theological Seminary votes to divest from companies profiting from Gaza war

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of the families said they have eliminated colleges and universities due to fears of antisemitism.

A student wrapped in an Israeli flag listens to pro-Palestinian protesters gathered on campus at the University of Texas at Austin, April 30, 2024, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Antisemitic incidents have soared at dozens of college campuses during the past few years, but since the Hamas attack and the subsequent Israel-Hamas war, such attacks have risen 700%, according to Hillel, the Jewish campus organization. Jewish students have been subjected to “harassment, assault and vandalism” on numerous campuses, according to the Anti-Defamation League, which has created Not on My Campus, a list of questions Jewish students should ask when considering a college.

The ADL has also tracked the impact of the pro-Palestinian protests on campus. Mezuzahs have been torn off the doorposts of Jewish students’ dorm rooms and swastikas have been painted on dorm walls. Protesters have tried to prevent Jewish students from accessing swaths of their campus and from attending religious services.

At some schools, the ADL said, students are demanding that their colleges ban Jewish organizations such as Hillel, which organizes Shabbat services, kosher food and Jewish programming; divest from charitable organizations that fund Jewish activities and academic research; and ban all “Zionists” from campus — meaning all Israeli students, academics and guest lecturers, and anyone — Jewish or not — who believes that Israel has a right to exist.

The ADL’s Antisemitism Report Card gives failing grades to Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford, Michigan State and Northwestern, among others; and a “D” to Yale, Princeton, Rutgers, Cornell and several University of California campuses.

A student protester against the war in Gaza walks past tents and banners in an encampment in Harvard Yard, at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., on April 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

From the start of the war, Jewish students and their parents have taken note as well. Founded in late October in the wake of Hamas’ attack on Israel, the Facebook group Mothers Against College Antisemitism quickly attracted close to 60,000 members.

Alycia Hochberger, an independent college counselor in Massachusetts, said several of the families she advises recently dropped Columbia and other colleges from their wish lists.

On the plus side, said Hochberger, “Brandeis has extended their transfer application deadline, and Providence College in Rhode Island has said that if you’re Jewish and feeling unsafe on your campus, we’ll make accommodations for you.” One of Hochberger’s students was waitlisted at Syracuse University but opted for Indiana University “because it quashed the protests.”

Hochberger has also started discussing Christian universities such as Loyola in Chicago and Boston College with some of her Jewish clients because their administrators have not welcomed Columbia-style protests. At Boston College, a one-hour anti-war protest was permitted, but without tents or loudspeakers.

Barak Moore, an independent SAT/ACT tutor who lives in Israel, said Israeli students’ interest in studying in the U.S. has gone down to some degree. “I know of cases in which students who were on the fence about going have now decided against it. Plus, it has dramatically affected which schools Israelis are choosing,” he said.

Moore said his twin sons, both students at MIT, have been “negatively affected” by antisemitism on campus. “MIT deserves the ADL report card grade of ‘F,’” he said.

A passer-by, right, walks through a pro-Palestinian encampment of tents, April 25, 2024, on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

With many college decisions, especially at premier colleges, locked up in late fall via early admission, some students who selected their schools before the protests gained steam now regret their decisions.

“I applied and committed to a Ph.D. program before everything blew up,” said Sasha Manus, a Jewish biomedical sciences student who will be attending the Jacobs School of Medicine at the University of Buffalo in the fall. “In my heart of hearts, I want to defer my matriculation until next year; but I can’t. I have to move forward in my life.”

Manus and many other Jewish students are worried about their personal safety on campus.

“In April, a student threatened to ‘shoot up’ a Jewish Student Union march on Buffalo’s North Campus,” said Manus. “I look like a stereotypical Ashkenazi Jew, and I have an obvious disability. I will be the easiest target for a radicalized student on that campus, and I live aware of it. I can only hope that things settle down before the fall.”

It appears that even some non-Jewish families have also been turned off by what they’re seeing on college campuses. RELATED: Brandeis invites Jewish students to transfer in response to campus protests

“While we respect the right to peacefully protest, there were demonstrations on college campuses that severely crossed the line,” said Michael Giaconelli, a Christian whose daughter will be graduating from a New York high school later this month. “People do not have the right to threaten, intimidate or intrude on the rights of others. The reports of Jewish students being threatened and made to feel unsafe on campus is appalling.”

After careful consideration, Giaconelli’s daughter chose a school “that had no reports of any pro-Hamas or anti-Jewish” activities. “I could never support sending one of my children to schools like Harvard or Columbia, where they allow radical ideology to run wild,” he said.

Entertainment

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in court as high-profile trial begins with jury selection in New York

Published

53 mins ago

May 5, 2025

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The trial of hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has begun, with the process to pick the jurors who will determine his fate now under way.

Combs, wearing a white shirt with a black crew-neck sweater, grey trousers and glasses, his hair and goatee now grey, hugged and shook hands with all his lawyers as he arrived at the federal courtroom in Manhattan, New York, for the start of the proceedings.

The 55-year-old has been held in detention in Brooklyn since he was arrested and charged in September 2024, accused of engaging in sex trafficking and presiding over a racketeering conspiracy over two decades.

He has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges, said all his sexual relationships and encounters were consensual, and strenuously denied all allegations of wrongdoing.

Due to the high-profile nature of the case, the jury selection process is expected to last all this week, with opening statements by the lawyers set to begin next week.

Unlike some other high-profile trials in the US, this one won’t be broadcast live because federal courtrooms, unlike some state courtrooms, don’t allow electronic recordings inside.

Judge Arun Subramanian started proceedings shortly after 9am on Monday (2pm UK time), first making several rulings on what issues experts will be allowed to testify on when they take to the witness stand.

He then gave an overview of the case and began the questioning of prospective jurors one by one – a process known as “voir dire” – with the aim of finding a panel of 12 jurors and six alternates who can be fair and impartial despite heavy media coverage of the case.

Jurors are being asked if they have any views on the prosecution or the defence, if they or someone close to them has been a victim of crime, and their beliefs on hiring sex workers, the use of illegal drugs, hip-hop artists and law enforcement.

They are also being questioned on whether they have heard of names included on a list of individuals, including celebrities, who may be mentioned during the trial. The list is long, the court heard, with the judge saying it reminded him of Lord Of The Rings.

What have potential jurors been asked?

One prospective juror said they had heard of actors Michael B Jordan and Mike Myers, but this would not prevent them being fair and impartial should they be selected. Another said they had heard of Kanye West.

The context in which Jordan, Myers, West and other people may be mentioned is not yet known.

Other names that came up included Aubrey O’Day and Dawn Richard – former members of girl group Danity Kane, who were signed to Bad Boy – and singer Michelle Williams.

Several prospective jurors indicated they had seen news reports about Combs, and one prospective juror described a still image she had seen as “damning evidence”. She was rejected from consideration.

Another potential juror was excluded because she said a family member had experienced something that made them feel uncomfortable about hearing the case.

At one point during proceedings, Combs asked for a bathroom break, telling the judge: “I’m sorry your honour, I’m a little nervous today.”

One potential juror said they had seen a joke on social media about baby oil authorities say they found in Combs’ residences during searches in March 2024. They said they could remain impartial.

Throughout the day, as potential jurors were questioned, Combs appeared to express his approval or disapproval, either with a nod or by shaking his head no, to his attorneys.

What is Combs accused of?

In the indictment listing the formal charges against the rapper, he is accused of a pattern of abusive behavior over two decades, allegedly with the help of people in his entourage.

Prosecutors say he manipulated women into participating in drug-fuelled sexual performances with male sex workers, which he called “Freak Offs”.

Combs and his associates resorted to violent acts, including beatings, kidnapping and arson, when he didn’t get his way, they allege.

Lawyers for Combs say any group sex was consensual, that there was no coercion involved, and nothing that happened amounted to a criminal racket.

If convicted, he faces the possibility of decades in prison.

The Cassie video

One issue likely to be featured in the trial is an incident in 2016, when a security camera recorded Combs allegedly kicking and hitting his then girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel hallway.

Cassie filed a lawsuit in November 2023 saying Combs had subjected her to years of abuse, including beatings and rape, but the case was settled the following day.

The hotel footage emerged in May 2024. Shortly afterwards, Combs released a video apology, saying his behaviour in the video was at a time when he had “hit rock bottom” but nonetheless was “inexcusable” and that he was “disgusted” with himself.

One of his lawyers, Marc Agnifilo, has said Combs was “not a perfect person” and that there had been drug use and toxic relationships, but that all sexual activity between Combs, Cassie and other people was consensual.

Jury selection continues today and throughout this week, with the trial expected to last about eight weeks.

Sports

Trump plan cuts funding for brain injury research

Published

53 mins ago

May 5, 2025

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Trump plan cuts funding for brain injury research

Michael RothsteinMay 5, 2025, 02:10 PM ET
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The Trump administration’s 2026 fiscal budget request to Congress eliminates major federal funding for traumatic brain injury (TBI) research and education, potentially undercutting efforts to address head injuries in sports, particularly at the high school and youth levels.

The White House’s proposed budget, released Friday, includes eliminating the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention umbrella agency responsible for TBI research, including the $8.25 million marked for brain injury research and public education about the dangers of concussions. The CDC is facing $3.59 billion in budget cuts.

Although the president proposes the federal budget, it is up to Congress to approve a final budget bill, so the TBI program could be restored or moved to a different agency. The White House did not respond to an ESPN request for comment.

The budget proposal comes after the CDC on April 1 placed all five staffers devoted to administering the government’s main traumatic brain injury program on paid administrative leave, CDC employees told ESPN. Paid administrative leave means the workers are still government employees.

The budget cuts would “roll back decades of progress,” said Dr. Owen Perlman, a brain injury specialist and board member of the Brain Injury Association of America.

Among the items targeted is Heads Up, a concussion-prevention program for youth and high school coaches, athletic trainers and other sports officials. The CDC staffers put on leave administered the program. Forty-five states participate in the program to varying degrees, a CDC official said, asking not to be identified.

Staffers interviewed by ESPN declined to speak on the record, citing fears of administration retribution.

“We’re really worried about the hundreds of thousands of coaches who have to take this training,” the CDC official said. “This is really built in, and we’ve lost the whole team” behind the program.

Some Heads Up training is part of coaches’ and other sports officials’ state compliance requirements. The CDC official said hundreds of email queries are arriving every week asking how to comply as the federal program shuts down. The Heads Up website says more than 10 million people have participated in its online training programs.

Congress first approved TBI research funding in 1996. Legislation to keep the program going expired at the end of 2024, and a House bill to renew it has yet to advance out of committee.

In a 2018 CDC survey, 12% of adult respondents reported experiencing a head injury in the previous 12 months, including but not limited to sports-related activities. A follow-up study was being prepared when the staffers were placed on leave. The research data was part of a program to measure TBI prevalence and boost prevention, care and recovery efforts.

The Heads Up website remained active Monday but offered no clues regarding the program’s endangered status.

“In the last month, I don’t think the public has felt an impact,” a laid-off CDC employee said. “But when those websites, trainings and materials get pulled down or when they can’t be updated, I think that’s when the public will feel it.”

In the proposed White House budget, the National Institutes of Health would retain an institute devoted to overall brain research, although the name would slightly change. The institute focuses on medical issues such as stroke and migraines, and it’s unclear whether TBI programs would be absorbed into it.

Hospitals and universities conducting TBI research funded by the CDC are bracing for potential funding cutbacks.

“We might not [get] the next year of renewal or the next wave of funding. And that’s sad and scary and impactful for all kinds of people, including myself in this project,” said Christine Baugh, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado’s School of Medicine who is studying how parents decide whether to let their children play contact sports and whether brain-injury awareness campaigns influence their decisions.

On April 23, the National Academy of Sciences received orders to cancel work on two TBI workshops, one of which analyzed the risks of repeated head impacts on children. Both workshops had already been held. One of the workshop organizers, Dr. Fred Rivara, a pediatrics professor at the University of Washington, told ESPN that the cancellation affected funding for publishing the information, and he called the potential cuts “tragic.”

“That’s a perfect example of how this change in, or devastation of, funding at the CDC is impacting people,” Rivara said. “They want to know, for sports: What about these repetitive impacts? Are they bad for kids? It’s a perfect example of the impact of this.”

Traumatic brain injuries have lifelong repercussions on a person’s physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioral health, Perlman said.

Even though some states fund TBI-treatment programs independently of the federal government, concerns are growing about a domino effect if Congress fails to renew funding.

“For many people with concussions or certainly moderate or severe brain injuries, there’s no endpoint,” Perlman said. “It’s a lifetime problem, and there needs to be lifetime funding for it.”

Sports

Stanley Cup playoff picks: Who wins every second-round series?

Published

53 mins ago

May 5, 2025

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Stanley Cup playoff picks: Who wins every second-round series?

The first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs is complete. Eight of the teams that made the postseason bracket have moved on, and eight others have been eliminated.

Before the second-round series begin, ESPN’s experts have identified their picks for each matchup. Which four teams will move on to the conference finals?

More: Full schedule
Betting intel

Atlantic Division

John Buccigross: Panthers in seven
Ryan Callahan: Panthers in six
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Panthers in six
Sachin Chandan: Panthers in six
Meghan Chayka: Panthers in six
Ryan S. Clark: Panthers in seven
Linda Cohn: Panthers in six
Rachel Doerrie: Panthers in six
Ray Ferraro: Panthers in six
Emily Kaplan: Panthers in seven
Tim Kavanagh: Maple Leafs in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Panthers in six
Steve Levy: Panthers in six
Vince Masi: Panthers in six
Victoria Matiash: Panthers in six
Sean McDonough: Panthers in six
Mark Messier: Panthers in six
AJ Mleczko: Panthers in six
Arda Öcal: Maple Leafs in six
Kristen Shilton: Maple Leafs in seven
John Thoering: Panthers in six
Bob Wischusen: Panthers in six
Greg Wyshynski: Panthers in six

Consensus prediction: Panthers (20 of 23 picks)

Metropolitan Division

John Buccigross: Capitals in seven
Ryan Callahan: Capitals in seven
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Capitals in six
Sachin Chandan: Capitals in six
Meghan Chayka: Hurricanes in six
Ryan S. Clark: Capitals in seven
Linda Cohn: Capitals in six
Rachel Doerrie: Capitals in six
Ray Ferraro: Capitals in seven
Emily Kaplan: Capitals in seven
Tim Kavanagh: Capitals in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Hurricanes in seven
Steve Levy: Capitals in five
Vince Masi: Hurricanes in six
Victoria Matiash: Hurricanes in six
Sean McDonough: Capitals in seven
Mark Messier: Hurricanes in six
AJ Mleczko: Hurricanes in five
Mike Monaco: Hurricanes in six
Arda Öcal: Capitals in six
Kristen Shilton: Hurricanes in six
John Thoering: Capitals in seven
Bob Wischusen: Capitals in seven
Greg Wyshynski: Capitals in seven

Consensus prediction: Capitals (16 of 24 picks)

Central Division

John Buccigross: Stars in seven
Ryan Callahan: Stars in five
Sachin Chandan: Stars in six
Ryan S. Clark: Stars in seven
Linda Cohn: Jets in seven
Rachel Doerrie: Stars in six
Ray Ferraro: Stars in six
Emily Kaplan: Stars in six
Tim Kavanagh: Stars in seven
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Stars in six
Steve Levy: Stars in seven
Vince Masi: Jets in seven
Victoria Matiash: Jets in seven
Sean McDonough: Stars in six
Mark Messier: Stars in six
Mike Monaco: Stars in six
Arda Öcal: Stars in six
Kristen Shilton: Stars in six
John Thoering: Stars in seven
Bob Wischusen: Jets in seven
Greg Wyshynski: Stars in six

Consensus prediction: Stars (17 of 21 picks)

Pacific Division

John Buccigross: Oilers in seven
Ryan Callahan: Golden Knights in six
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Oilers in seven
Sachin Chandan: Oilers in seven
Meghan Chayka: Golden Knights in seven
Ryan S. Clark: Golden Knights in seven
Linda Cohn: Oilers in seven
Rachel Doerrie: Golden Knights in seven
Ray Ferraro: Golden Knights in seven
Emily Kaplan: Golden Knights in seven
Tim Kavanagh: Golden Knights in six
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Golden Knights in six
Steve Levy: Golden Knights in seven
Vince Masi: Oilers in six
Victoria Matiash: Golden Knights in six
Sean McDonough: Golden Knights in seven
Mark Messier: Oilers in seven
AJ Mleczko: Golden Knights in six
Mike Monaco: Oilers in six
Arda Öcal: Oilers in six
Kristen Shilton: Oilers in seven
John Thoering: Golden Knights in seven
Bob Wischusen: Golden Knights in seven
Greg Wyshynski: Oilers in seven