For the second time in as many months, Jewish students at the University of Minnesota campus have been given the message “You’re not wanted here.”
On Wednesday (Feb. 8), a swastika with the words, “Nazis Rule” was drawn on a whiteboard inside the dorm room of a Jewish student. The drawing also depicted a Nazi death camp and a group of prisoners being gassed by an armed Nazi.
The incident follows on the heels of an incident on January 20, when a swastika was drawn in the snow at the practice football field.
Chabad co-director at the Rohr Center for Jewish Student Life at the campus Rabbi Yitzi Steiner said he was “deeply saddened” to learn about the “disgusting act of anti-Semitism” that occurred.
“We have been in touch with the student who was targeted, and while he is shaken, he has shown remarkable resilience,” Steiner said.
“The fact that this sort of hatred exists on our campus is unacceptable, and is obviously a troubling issue that threatens the open dialogue and diversity that makes U of M such a special campus.”
Minnesota Hillel and the Jewish Community Relations Council also released a joint statement condemning the incident.
“Minnesota Hillel and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas condemn the swastika scrawled on the door of a Jewish student’s dorm room at the University of Minnesota.
“We are deeply concerned by this incident and we urge anyone with information about the vandalism to come forward and report it to law enforcement. We will continue to monitor the situation,” Steve Hunegs, executive director of JCRC, said.
Meanwhile, Steiner said he was happy to see the faculty’s “quick, proactive responses” to the incidents and said he’s spoken to numerous Jewish students who were “looking for ways to combat the issue.”
The student filed reports with the appropriate authorities.
Steiner added, “We plan to continue to fight hatred by increasing our efforts in spreading Jewish pride and the beauty of our heritage… We do this with the knowledge that increased light will overpower the darkness of senseless hatred.”
