Content warning: this editorial discusses antisemitism and white supremacy
Dear Mount Holyoke community,
Today, we reach out in solidarity with our Jewish peers and condemn the horrific incident that took place the night of Oct. 6 in 1837 Hall. Shortly after 6:30 p.m., a Nazi swastika was found drawn in the third floor single-user bathroom in the residence hall. The incident was then reported to the Jewish Student Union, Public Safety and Services and the College’s bias reporting website.
As the members of the Mount Holyoke News Editorial Board, we condemn all antisemitic actions on our campus and beyond. We also encourage members of our staff and our broader community to support Jewish students in navigating this incident, and to actively disrupt, resist and report any acts of antisemitism they encounter.
We call on President Sonya Stephens and the wider Mount Holyoke College administration to take actionable steps in making this community safe for students of all denominations and backgrounds. Words of solidarity, though welcome, are not enough. We urge the administration to commit resources to the support of Jewish students on campus and education about the continuing effects of antisemitism.
To Jewish members of our staff and the Mount Holyoke community: we see you and we are hurting for you. We offer our support and our platform to you for any articles, letters and opinion pieces that you wish to share.
“To our Jewish peers, we will always stand up for you. This act of hate will not deter us from being a strong and loving community,” the JSU board wrote in a letter to the Mount Holyoke community.
To learn about how to best support Jewish students on campus, all students are invited to attend the JSU’s Kabbalat Shabbat in the Eliot House on Oct. 15 at 5 p.m.
— Mount Holyoke News Editorial Board