University of Michigan launches new effort to fight antisemitism

2024-12-24 11:23:12 source: category:Invest

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — The University of Michigan has launched a new effort to fight antisemitism and promote religious inclusion amid a rise in hate-inspired attacks globally, its president said Thursday.

The university is establishing the Raoul Wallenberg Institute on its Ann Arbor campus, which will use research and scholarship on antisemitism to find ways to fight it, President Santa Ono told its Board of Regents.

“Today, we are bringing together leading U-M expertise and diverse perspectives toward a safer and more inclusive world, and even more, a brighter world of peace,” Ono said.

The institute is named after the Michigan alumnus and Swedish diplomat credited with saving thousands of Jewish lives during the Holocaust by issuing passports and sheltering Jews in buildings that he marked as Swedish territory.

The university community, which is home to 6,500 Jewish students, was the scene of antisemitic and homophobic vandalism at two off-campus fraternity houses in July that included broken windows and a swastika spray-painted at one of the locations.

The university’s announcement came amid increasing fears of antisemitism worldwide and fallout from Israel’s war in Gaza, which faces heightened criticism for the rising Palestinian death toll.

Ono on Tuesday said he has barred students from voting on two “controversial and divisive” resolutions related to the Israel-Hamas war.

More:Invest

Recommend

It's cozy gaming season! Video game updates you may have missed, including Stardew Valley

Move over comfort food, make room for comfort games.As the weather gets cooler and the days get shor

Jennifer Lawrence Showcases a Red Hot Look at 2023 Cannes Film Festival

Jennifer Lawrence is a lady in red!On May 21, the Oscar winner turned heads at the 2023 Cannes Film

How to Get Rid of a Pimple Fast: 10 Holy Grail Solutions That Work in Hours

We independently selected these products because we love them, and we think you might like them at t