To the Jewish community of UMBC:
UMBC Hillel is working to support Jewish and Israeli students, faculty, and staff during this time of heightened tension and conflict. We know that many of you are experiencing deep fears and emotions, and you are not alone. Please know that we are prioritizing student safety—both physical and emotional, and urge you take care of your mental health. Please do not engage with anyone who makes threatening or antisemitic comments in-person or online. And if you see anything of concern, please report it to ECR and Hillel staff.
We are aware of inflammatory and hurtful statements that are circulating within the UMBC community. We are pained at any demonstration of support for Hamas, a terrorist organization with the stated aim of killing Jews that this month conducted the bloodiest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. There can be no justification for the vile atrocities and human rights abuses committed against defenseless Israeli civilians, most of whom were women, children, babies, and elderly. And there is no justification for the spreading of false information and baseless accusations about Israel, the erasure of Jewish identity and connection to the Jewish homeland, or the use of antisemitic rhetoric here on campus. This serves only to endanger the Jewish and Israeli members of our UMBC community, and that cannot be tolerated in a campus environment that aims to be welcoming and inclusive.
At this time of shocking grief for the global Jewish community and amidst the explosion of antisemitism in our country and around the world, we hope our community can show up in solidarity with us and that campus can remain a safe space for Jewish and Israeli students to live and learn without fear.
Our Hillel professionals are available to any student, regardless of faith, who needs someone to talk to, share a cup of coffee, help report an incident, or access mental health resources. We invite you to join us for our weekly communal gathering for Shabbat on Fridays, 5-6:30 PM in the Gathering Space and for Pomegranate, our Jewish LGBTQ+ student-facilitated support group, which meets on Tuesdays, 5-6 PM in the Pride Center.
We also invite all students to learn how to confront antisemitic stereotypes, hate speech, vandalism, and anti-Israel incidents at the ADL’s Words to Action on Thursday, November 9th from 6-8 PM. Dinner will be provided—please RSVP by 11/2.
With prayers for the return of the captives and the safety of Israel,
The UMBC Hillel Team:
Aliza Silverman, Interim Campus Director
Danielle Baron, Director of Israel and Engagement