On Nov. 22, as Brandeis’ Thanksgiving holiday break began, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Carol Fierke, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Jeffrey Shoulson, Vice President of the Rabb School of Continuing Education Carmen Aguilar, Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Wendy Cadge, Dean of the Brandeis International Business School Kathryn Graddy and Interim Dean of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management Maria Madison sent an email to the Brandeis community members saying that they “are organizing a day long, teach-in on Tuesday, Dec. 5, when all undergraduate classes and graduate classes in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, the Heller School, and the International Business School will be canceled, and we will hold a series of in-person sessions on topics related to the issue mentioned above, facilitated by experts in those topics. A detailed schedule for the day is still in the works, but we wanted to be sure to share the general plan with all of you so that you can plan accordingly.”
The group of administrators noted that “We have significant work to do within our community in response to the issues that have emerged in the wake of the Hamas attacks, the IDF response, and the controversies that have developed on our campus with respect to [Students for Justice in Palestine], hate speech, and the need to ensure safety for all members of our community.”
They added that they feel that “this is some of the most important work in front of us, work that is central to our core mission and values. As challenging as these times are, they present an unusual opportunity for learning together, for drawing on the extraordinary and diverse expertise within our faculty, and for engaging in serious, authentic debate and inquiry, conducted in a community that values respect and diversity.” They closed by noting that, “In so doing, we best live up to our foundational Jewish roots, with their ‘emphasis on critical thinking, including self-criticism’ in which ‘students and faculty are encouraged to question openly and accept nothing without study, debate and reflection.’”
The same group of administrators sent a follow up email to students on Nov. 29, noting that they “recognize that the cancellation of classes during the last week of the semester and on relatively short notice presents considerable challenges for some of you.” Many faculty members expressed that the cancellation of classes came as a surprise to them, and that they learned of the teach-in at the same time that students did. The email goes on, saying that “We did not make the decision to do so lightly; the concerns that led us to develop the teach-in were important enough, and affecting the Brandeis community widely enough, that they demanded a meaningful response that signaled how seriously we must take them.”
The administrators wrote that their main goals for the day are “to address the pervasive imbalance between the polarizing rhetoric of the current moment (on and off campus) and knowledge drawn from reliable sources that are grounded in evidence, to model engagement across difference, even vehement disagreement, [and] to provide opportunities for members of the Brandeis community to engage with one another in authentic, respectful discussion.” They also shared several “ground rules for respectful, constructive conversations,” calling upon community members to “Treat each other with respect and give each other the benefit of the doubt, rather than jump to conclusions about another’s intentions, listen actively, with curiosity, and with a genuine effort to understand, asking questions of clarification rather than of accusation, speak as individuals, based on personal experience, perspective, and knowledge; avoid universalizing statements or comments that impute intentions to others, leave room for everyone to participate, not making long speeches or silencing other points of view, words and tone matter. Be mindful of the impact of what you say, not just your intent, understand that we are all learning. If you say something that turns out to be offensive, apologize for your words, not for the person feeling offended, recognize that friction is evidence that multiple ideas are entering the conversation—which is a good thing, no audio or video recordings of any session; please put away your phones.”
Administrators also shared a schedule of events for the day, which includes sessions such as “Evaluating News Reports for Credibility, Bias, Authority, etc.” with Journalism professor Neil Swidey, “Studying Judaism and Islam at Brandeis” with Arabic and Islamic Studies professor Carl Sharif El-Tobgui, Near Eastern and Judaic Studies professor Yuval Evri, Rabbinic Literature and Thought professor Lynn Kaye, Jewish Educational Thought professor Jon Levisohn and Islamic Thought professor Mariam Sheibani, as well as “Interfaith Dialogue in Times of Crisis” with Senior Jewish Chaplain Rabbi Seth Winberg, Muslim Chaplain Dr. Harun Spevack and Chaplain & Coordinator of Spiritual Life Karl LaClair, among many other events. The full schedule can be found on Brandeis’ website.
Brandeis President Ron Liebowitz also sent an email to Brandeis students, reiterating “Brandeis’ commitments to inclusion and to combating hate.” Liebowitz noted that “The Israel-Hamas conflict has been front and center for many on campus and is likely to remain so for the near future. As we continue to mourn the loss of life in the Middle East, Palestinian and Israeli alike, we find ourselves faced with an increasingly volatile environment here at home. Just this past weekend, three college students of Palestinian descent were shot near the University of Vermont campus. Our thoughts are with the three injured students, and we hope for their full recovery from what is being investigated as a hate crime.”
He added that “the university’s top priority is to provide a physically safe campus for all students, faculty, and staff. We also continue to encourage and support all Brandeisians who engage in difficult and challenging issues such as the dialogue around the Israel-Hamas war, and we remain committed to ensuring a safe and open environment in which to have such conversations.”
President Liebowitz also noted that Brandeis is committed to the protection of free speech and academic freedom, saying that “while we may not always agree about how tensions among these principles are balanced and resolved, I believe we create our best learning environment when we allow ourselves to hear one another regardless of our different perspectives.”
He also reiterated why Brandeis was founded, writing that “we must not forget that the specific need for, and establishment of, Brandeis arose to counter blatant antisemitism in higher education, which limited academically qualified Jewish students from enrolling at most colleges and universities. Brandeis was and remains the singular non-sectarian university founded by the American Jewish community. We are proud of that heritage and honor the values that the founders held dear.” On that note, he added that “in addition to ensuring openness and inclusivity for all students, faculty, and staff and a commitment to fighting all forms of hate, Brandeis, given its history and unique status among American universities, must be a leading voice in countering antisemitism in higher education. Based on what we see today on other campuses and in communities locally and globally, it is sadly obvious that antisemitism requires such attention.”
Liebowitz closed by noting that “Our university can, and must, support Brandeisians from all backgrounds while also leading the effort to fight antisemitism. These pursuits are not incompatible,” and sharing community support resources including the Brandeis Counseling Center, Spiritual Life and the University Ombuds.
