Trump, Harvard, and the Jewish community

By: Ricardo Israel - 09/06/2025

Harvard is undoubtedly a great institution, one of the most important universities in the world and the oldest in the United States. Therefore, what happens there is news. I've followed the government's decisions and the justifications put forward by President Trump, as well as what Harvard has said, the conclusions of its internal investigation into antisemitism, and its legal filings.

That's why I'm absolutely convinced of what I've written in this column, including my feeling that a more active actor—the Jewish community, the community as such—needs to be more active.

On the subject of anti-Semitism, the most surprising thing is not that it has reappeared, since it is the oldest of phobias, but that it has done so in none other than the country where Jews felt safest after Israel, and that it has prominently taken place in some of its universities, a wake-up call, a canary in the mine, to remind us that in Jewish history, tragedies have occurred in places where it was least expected, Spain in 1492, Germany in the 1930s, in both cases with devastating consequences for my extended family.

Personally, after decades of university teaching in Chile, but also as a visiting professor in Sweden, England, and several American universities, the truth is that, despite this, nothing prepared me for the way Judeophobia took root, nor for the failure of university authorities to adequately protect their Jewish students and faculty. Harvard was not and is not the only one accused by the Trump administration, but others have given in and say they are doing everything possible to overcome the problems detected and recover the seized public funds, as is the case with Columbia, perhaps the worst of them. Therefore, Harvard was not unique, but it is unique in terms of the level of its confrontation with the White House.

Of course, I don't rule out the possibility that a reckoning is taking place, a retribution for the censorship of conservative ideas, not only at Harvard but across the Ivy League. But that's only part of the truth. There are two statements, both true: one, Harvard's exonerations, but at the root of what's being debated today. Second, there's antisemitism, the serpent that has been seen in hallways and classrooms. That is to say, I can accept that she feels persecuted, but at the same time, for the sake of good faith, it must be added that there was undue tolerance of Judeophobia.

Even if there were or were to disappear an intention to settle scores, what is happening could proceed anyway, as it is federal law, as well as the constitutional principles upon which this country was founded. Perhaps, just as Harvard has quietly reached agreements with students who have sued it for being victims, perhaps it will reach agreements with Trump, who also has other tools at his disposal, the most damaging being that he will be stripped of the privilege of not paying taxes on donations and accumulated funds exceeding $50 billion, $50 billion that enable a long resistance.

However, this doesn't resolve the underlying problems, since reading the documents produced by the university itself leads me to the conclusion that they are denying the seriousness of what happened, since it wasn't a one-off, but rather the result of internal misconduct. An example of this was the unfortunate appearance of its president or rector before Congress, which forced her to resign, as she even refused to say whether antisemitism, unlike racism against other communities, was a behavior that should be legally sanctioned. As a television viewer, I was struck by her lack of argument, and Google quickly informed me how weak her resume was, unbecoming of such a position, in addition to accusations of plagiarism, which was confirmed by a subsequent search on academic websites.

Indeed, what happened at elite US universities didn't occur elsewhere in the country. Nothing similar happened in Florida, where I live, for example. Nor did anything similar happen in any Arab country, not anywhere. Moreover, it's common for Latin American or European universities to be illegally occupied to protest against Israel or to demand the severance of ties, but nothing like what took place with tolerance and impunity at Ivy League universities. Jewish students were physically attacked in hallways and classrooms by masked activists simply for being Jewish, creating a climate of fear and intimidation, as nothing similar had happened since Germany in the 1930s.

In this regard, the international press has reported poorly, and very poorly in the one I read from Chile and other countries, in the sense that they make it seem as if it were a senseless persecution from the White House, with hardly any mention of the anti-Semitism that has taken place,

Nor does the issue of US national security arise, since these crowds, rather than shouting in favor of the Palestinian cause, which would be freedom of expression, are shouting support for Hamas terrorism and the disappearance of the State of Israel, as well as questioning the very idea of the West and the United States itself in its role as a superpower, even trampling on the country's flag.

And if we're talking about national security, there's another area where Harvard hasn't been left in a good light: its privileged relationship with China. It's documented that Harvard appears to be one of the Communist Party's favorite institutions, in terms of training officials to pursue postgraduate studies in public administration. Furthermore, trial testimony and sentencing remarks prove the pattern of espionage, not only through the convictions of linked individuals, but also a scheme where science and engineering students search libraries and laboratories for the most advanced systems to copy, as is also the case in professional internships in companies and government offices. It didn't just start now; it's been going on for some time. However, there's no longer the naiveté of seeing China as a partner with whom one must collaborate. Instead, for some years now, it's been seen for what it is: the main rival and the one seeking to replace China as the 21st-century superpower.

Among the Harvard spokespersons are several Jews, at least with surnames that are recognizable as such, but others need to speak out, for example, a greater presence of the national leaders of the Jewish community, given the seriousness of what happened and the escalation seen in the streets, where the issue of antisemitism appears today as one of the main security challenges of the country, since according to FBI statistics no hate speech has grown as much as Judeophobia.

In this regard, Harvard tried to "match" other situations, and in the reports already published, reference is made to both the Jewish community and the problems experienced by Muslims, which is real, but in no way comparable, since the latter were not attacked in libraries or classrooms.

As for the American Jewish community, I expected more. I have the impression, and I've said and written so, that it simply wasn't prepared for the level of antisemitism that emerged and, instead of diminishing, continues to grow. This is also true in universities.

I think the shock remains, and there hasn't been a reaction to the level of the threat. The same thing has happened to me with the community, with my community, as it has with the American press, which I can no longer say is the best in the world. I always presented the American Jewish community as the example to follow, but no longer. It hasn't acted with the necessary force. I've been disillusioned precisely because it's in the United States. If this is happening here and now, despite the government's efforts, and fueled by professional haters, by local and foreign activists, if it's happening in the United States, it can happen anywhere in the world.

I feel that not everything that could have been done has been done, and that the government itself is doing more than the community itself, so I am no longer saying that we cannot expect others to do for Jews what they do not do for themselves, and I say this with caution, since never, in any order of life, should the victim be put in any situation other than total support. However, I believe that more could have been and can be done for the students who suffered discrimination.

I have the impression that community institutions themselves, connected to the community, remain more on the defensive than on the offensive and have not adapted to the new normal, where hatred is escalating rather than diminishing, with attacks in the streets, where lone wolves feel validated, armed by media rhetoric and, of course, by what has happened at major universities.

I feel that the fog of the initial shock of hatred toward Jews for being Jews has not dissipated, and that the community must react to a situation beyond its control and an escalating antisemitism. I miss the official leadership of the community, not in some meeting or ceremony, not in some interview or well-mannered statement, but establishing a principled position: that what happened is unacceptable, that what happened in 2023-2024 should not only not be repeated in universities, but that as a community, we must act so that both those behind the violence and those who enabled it do not go unpunished, to make a reality of what the Constitution and the laws say: that Jews are not second-class citizens. And not just as victims, but with all the strength that can be demonstrated. And out loud, without asking permission.

I believe the Jewish community has no need to invent anything; it should simply imitate the African-American community, since what happened wouldn't have happened to them. And I'm not saying this, since they're the only ones I've heard it from—only African-American commentators, journalists, and politicians.

I think the Jewish community should imitate them, echoing what Martin Luther King said in the 1960s, who aspired to achieve the same status as Jews, whom he always thanked for their support in the fight for civil rights, and also had kind words for Israel and Zionism.

What I like about African Americans is the way they react. Their response is automatic, and that's a good thing, since they've managed to make everyone understand that it will have all kinds of consequences for those who have committed racist acts or used reprehensible expressions, which have become commonplace today in this new "normal" for Jews.

I want to see the community acting as such through its national leaders, who will go to court in that capacity, at every opportunity, against acts of antisemitism that are punishable by law in the United States, in addition to the federal support they currently receive. Let it be known that it is the Jews as a whole who are behind it, whether by seeking the punishment provided for by law or by seeking redress from the pockets of those who have acted by action or omission. Going to court also makes it possible to make those who hide their faces ineligible for certain jobs or positions, while also demanding transparency from those who fund activists.

All of this is necessary because, although these incidents have helped to debunk myths about Jewish "power" in universities, businesses, the media, Hollywood, etc., what has happened is not necessarily good, since this situation undermines the kind of deterrence that previously existed: that of those who hate Jews but were self-limited by that vision of Jewish power that has been proven wrong.

I believe it's necessary to reestablish some form of deterrence that can stop hands before they throw stones, so I would like to see national leaders more active in the courts and in the media, speaking on behalf of everyone. They would also confront the friendly fire of those who, dressed as Jews, go to pro-Hamas demonstrations to claim that, for religious reasons, the State of Israel should not exist, but that we must await the Messiah, clarifying that, if they represent anyone, it's only themselves. I would like to see them proclaim that those who, because of their Jewish surnames, present themselves as Hamas's fellow travelers at demonstrations represent neither the community nor Judaism. I would also like to point out to those who have received financial support for their political work that they have a duty to protest against anti-Semitic views within their own parties, with their names and surnames. I would also like to see greater public pressure put on the large flow of money from Qatar and other places, which has made it unnecessary for universities to make any effort to maintain traditional Jewish philanthropy. These denunciations, at the same time, should serve to reveal who is financing the occupations of universities.

Does the community and its national or local leaders have that kind of attitude today? I don't have the answer, but I do believe that what exists today—that is, the entire structure of institutions that connect the community with the surrounding society—has undoubtedly provided immense services, a model for other countries, but the reality that served as its foundation has been changed beyond recognition. An adjustment is needed, a review of how well or poorly it continues to function in the new context in which we live.

I believe that, regarding Judeophobia, all complexes must be put to rest. The community as such, collectively, not through one member or another, must take advantage of the best that the United States has to offer: a judicial system of rights, where the Constitution and laws already exist, as well as, in the case of trials, a jury system to hold those who are getting off scot-free.

It's not just a question of resources; it's also a question of willingness to review what was done and what is being done, and whether the actions taken to protect Jewish students were appropriate, or whether the approach should be more active and vocal, more noise and less silence, greater public pressure coupled with the necessary private meetings with authorities.

Perhaps all this will also help Harvard, which is such a high-caliber institution that I'm sure it will react sooner or later by admitting that it was wrong to tolerate Judeophobia. Something similar had already happened to Harvard, given that in the 1930s there were flirtations with fascism within it, something proven by historians. There was also a period of tolerance for racism, not only at Harvard but throughout the country and in most of the university system, so much so that the way it was overcome is still reflected in the routines of African-American comedians, when they refer to a single African-American student who was presented as an example of "overcoming" the problem—evidently an achievement at that time, but not seen as such today.

Harvard's situation didn't happen overnight. Like other elite institutions, before succumbing to antisemitism in 2023-24, there was a loss of diversity where it is most important to its mission: diversity of ideas. In truth, conservative thinking was punished in the teaching and faculty, tolerating intolerant displays toward high-level guests. This coincided in recent years with the penetration of wokeism, that of intersectionality, of good and bad, of victims and victimizers, where students and professors were chosen not in the name of knowledge and meritocracy, but rather according to quotas and identity criteria, in terms of equity rather than equality of opportunity.

Of that I am absolutely aware, since for many years I have been an evaluator in the accreditation processes of faculties and universities, at a local and international level, and although now retired, I continue to participate in evaluations that are made annually for the rankings of these institutions, and I know the problems that have led to a decrease in their quality, and therefore, the rating they receive, including mine, since beyond resources or fame, it points to the bottom of what is or is not a university, not from now, but for more than a thousand years, since since Bologna, (1088) fundamentally as an institution they have changed little to continue deserving that name, since they basically continue to be the meeting of professors, researchers and students in the search for knowledge at the highest level possible, without any discrimination.

I can understand that Harvard feels that the power of the government is being used to force it to do things it doesn't want to do, but I think it should see what's happening as an opportunity to shed the Judeophobia that undoubtedly existed and was tolerated within it.

@israelzipper

Master and Doctor (PhD) in Political Science (U. Essex), Bachelor of Law (U. Barcelona), Lawyer (U. Chile), former presidential candidate (Chile, 2013)

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