Sen. Todd Young visits IU students after antisemitic incidents
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — A series of antisemitic incidents on Indiana University’s campus have caught the attention of Sen. Todd Young.
Monday, he spoke against the recent acts that are now being investigated as crimes.
Young met with dozens of Jewish students on campus.
The antisemitic comments were posted online. They targeted Jewish fraternities and students.
The university is calling the situation “disgusting.”
You can now find mezuzahs, which are a common Jewish symbol on doors across campus.
“We need to continue to be a pluralistic country and we’ll have some fits and starts but we need to take this very, very seriously,” said Young to a group of students.
Rabbi Sue Silberberg is the executive director of Helene G. Simon Hillel Center on IU’s campus.
She said this year on campus has been one of the toughest she’s ever experienced.
Siberberg said Jewish students have dealt with virtual and verbal harassment, and have even had important Jewish symbols like the mezuzah destroyed and stolen.
“It would be serious for anyone to have that ripped down because it’s something we’re commanded to put on the doorposts of our house, and for a college student, this is the first time that they have created their own home. You come to college and you’re here to create your own home and it takes both pride in being Jewish, but it also takes a lot of courage to put that mezuzah on your door,” Silberberg said.
Young, who has a large Jewish constituency, says that kind of hate has no place on a college campus, especially one in Indiana.
“These things have happened for generations and that’s no reason to get content. In fact, you need to remain vigilant. That’s why I’m here, to send a message. We can’t be desensitized to these acts and statements that are hateful. We need to let people know, especially during these challenging times with domestic politics and all sorts of challenges overseas, it’s important that Americans stay unified,” Young said.
The Jewish community on campus has already given out 500 mezuzahs.