PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Days before the 268th University of Pennsylvania Graduation Ceremony During the graduation ceremony in May last year, final-year student Eyal Yakoby walked across campus with a heavy heart.
“People say graduation should have a bitter taste,” Yakoby said. “It’s just bitter at this point.”
In the wake of the Oct 7 Hamas-led attack on IsraelYakoby, who is Jewish, is one of the students suing Penn, alleging the university failed to adequately respond to anti-Semitism on campus and violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“After the disaster, a number of Jewish families, both students at the Ivy League and other universities, and their parents came to us saying that the atmosphere on campus was hostile, frightening and threatening to their children,” said Marc Kasowitz of Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP.
Kasowitz’s firm represents Yakoby and other plaintiffs. The firm also has ongoing lawsuits against Columbia University, New York University and Harvard University.
“Universities have allowed environments where anti-Semitism has been widely accepted for years,” Kasowitz said.
Penn’s complaint alleges that anti-Semitism has been on campus since 2015. One alleged example occurred last September, when the university hosted the Palestine Writes Literature Festival.
Then-university president Liz Magill and Penn leadership faced immediate backlash by prominent donors because of the speakers at the festival.
More than two dozen speakers were accused of making anti-Semitic statements by the Anti-Defamation League.
Last November, in response to perceived anti-Semitism on campus, Penn officials created a University Task Force on Anti-Semitism and a presidential commission dedicated to combating hate and building community.
In December, Magill testified before a House committee about her school administration’s response to alleged anti-Semitism on campus.
Magill resigned next sequel criticism and shortcomings whether calling for the genocide of Jews violated Penn’s code of conduct on bullying and harassment.
It wasn’t until May 20, the day Yakoby and his classmates graduated and six months after the task force was formed, that the final recommendations were released.
The task force advised Penn to increase its efforts to promote Jewish and intercultural studies and to clearly oppose calls for divestment from Israel.
CBS Philadelphia has made several attempts to Interim Penn President Dr. J. Larry Jameson and university officials about the complaint and the task force’s recommendations. A university spokesperson declined to comment.
In court documents, attorneys for Penn responded to the complaint, saying they “emphatically and unconditionally condemn anti-Semitism.” The response said that while plaintiffs like Yakoby may disagree with Penn’s response, “this lawsuit is not the appropriate vehicle for them to air their grievances.”
“My hope for Penn is that they find their North Star. That their moral compass, courage is restored at Penn,” Yakoby said.
